Final answer:
The fundamental needs in the Middle Ages included security and stability managed through the feudal and manorial systems, as well as the spiritual guidance and salvation provided by the Church through practices such as baptism, communion, and confession. Additionally, technological and agricultural advancements contributed to trade and crop yields, shaping the economic needs of the period.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fundamental Needs in the Middle Ages
In the High Middle Ages, the basic needs of people were profoundly influenced by feudalism and the Manorial system, along with the spiritual guidance provided by the Church. Societal organization was primarily through manorialism, where peasants worked the land and paid rent to nobles, and through feudalistic hierarchies that required military service from knights in exchange for land. The Christian Church played a central role in meeting spiritual needs, with the fundamental belief that the institution of the Church was the only path to salvation. The sacraments were critical, with baptism, communion, and confession being essential to the spiritual well-being of individuals.
Medieval Europeans also needed physical security and stability in a period of frequent wars and invasions. Thus, the population largely depended on the protection of nobles and knights while living in walled cities or villages. Meanwhile, intellectual and philosophical life marked by scholasticism was preserved and advanced in universities.
Lastly, the period saw growth in trade, agricultural innovations, and state and society changes, moving away from the Roman traditions and towards a society based on a combination of Roman, Christian, and Germanic traditions.