The guilds were an important part of city and town life. Guilds were
;
exclusive, regimented organizations;
created in part to preserve the rights and privileges of their members; and
separate and distinct from the civic governments, but since the functions and purposes of guild and civic government overlapped, it was not always easy to tell them apart, especially since many well-to-do guildsmen were prominent in civic government.
During the medieval period, Trade guilds played an important role in staging plays in various parts of towns. Trade guilds were important because they built the props and production.
