Answer: The building tools of the Middle Ages were largely made of wood, though some incorporated iron tips for cutting and sharpening, and most were hand operated. There did exist, however, some larger tools like the tread wheel crane which utilized a pulley system and required several men to operate, While the tools of the Middle Ages may seem ancient and inadequate to modern minds, many of them were quite innovative for their time. During the Middle Ages men and women were forced to rely on the resources they had at hand to create tools to aid them in farming, building, and other daily tasks. Find out more and try some of the tools yourself! Agriculture was an important part of everyday life during the Middle Ages and these tools made farming possible. During the middle ages, most farming was done by hand with the help of these tools. There are many other types of tools of the Middle Ages. One of the largest industries during the Middle Ages was cloth making so tools had to be created for this craft. Cloth shears were made using sharpened iron and hand looms were used to make wool and cotton into cloth. The spindle, a cylindrical apparatus, was used to spin wool and cotton fibers into thread. Mining was also an important industry during the Middle Ages - developments in the production of iron led to new innovations in tools and machinery. With stronger, iron tools it became easier to plow fields and the agricultural industry blossomed.
The primary way in which the government encouraged settlement in the west was through the Homestead Act, which gave people free land--while the railroads allowed them to travel there safely.
