Question

Early in the Renaissance, almost all bankers were people of the Jewish faith. These men provided a much-needed service to fellow businessmen who were seeking advancement, yet they were looked down upon and made to live and work in ghettos. What was the source of this attitude toward banking?
Select one:
a.Lending money and charging interest went against a teaching of the Catholic Church and was seen as sinful.
b.Banking began as way for thieves to trick people into giving them their money.
c.People who borrowed money had to go to the ghettos for their banking needs and disliked these slum areas.
d.The activities of bankers were believed to be powered by magic, and the people of Europe were superstitious.

Answer 1

Answer: a.Lending money and charging interest went against a teaching of the Catholic Church and was seen as sinful.

Explanation:

Even during the Middle Ages, Jews were a marginalized ethnic group in Europe. They were forced to do many jobs that no one else wanted. One of those jobs is banking. This work in itself implies interest, so the church considered this work a sin. So the Jews did those jobs. Jews also collected taxes in many places. Such prejudices created many prejudices against Jews.