During the sixteenth-century processes of change there was a notable demographic increase, exacerbated by rural in-migration, and the expansion of trade networks which affected western Europe 's urban social groups in two main ways: they rendered the economic situation and social status of certain master craftsmen and journeymen less secure, and generally expanded the ranks of the urban poor and those reliant solely on waged labour. ... For example in northern french town of Chålons-sur-Marne, which was a predominantly Catholic town with a Protestant minority, the councillors would ...

• Word Count: 1967
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate