After the crusades, Medieval Europe reached a major turning point. Not only were there new ideas and technological improvements all around, but a revolution in commerce and trade lead to a lessening of feudalism and the growth of towns. Before this turning point, many people were serfs, people who went unpaid and worked hard every day, and where everything they owned was not theirs, but their lord’s. After this major turning point, however, improvements in agriculture meant that people were able to grow more food than they needed, and people were able to trade their surplus of food for goods they needed. This growth in trade consequently led to a growth in towns, a place where people could live and buy/trade goods. Towns attracted many people,