Final answer:
Feudalism influenced medieval Europe's economy primarily through land exchanged for military service and the labor of serfs who worked the land for their lords.
Step-by-step explanation:
Effects of Feudalism on Medieval Europe's Economy
According to historian Norman Cantor, feudalism had a significant influence on the economy of medieval Europe in two major ways. First, the system revolved around the exchange of land for military service. Lords would grant land to vassals, who in return would provide military service. These land grants or fiefs produced economic wealth, which was then used by the vassals to sustain their fighters and their livelihoods; it kept the economy locally centered as agriculture was the primary source of wealth. Second, serfs, the peasant class tied to the land, would work the land and pay rent in the form of labor. This arrangement ensured a stable agricultural output, which was the backbone of the medieval economy. The manorial system, closely tied to feudalism, organized peasants and mandated their service to the nobles, further reinforcing the economic structure.