Western Civilization I / Unit 13 WC1 1204 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Usury Defied and Its Cost to the Jews
Captions available
The idea
Italian bankers, the Medici among them, lent at interest in defiance of the usury ban while the Church was fragmented. The stigma stayed, and as Christians took over money-lending, the anchor records more anti-Semitism, not less.
In practice
A sin practiced by the Church's own bankers.
Where people slip
The link between banking and anti-Semitism is the anchor's finding. State it as such.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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