AP Society During L'Ancien Régime

L’Ancien Régime

17th - 18th C. European Society

Agriculture

18th C. Agriculture• Start of 1700’s – bad situation:

o 80% of W. European’s livelihoods = agricultureo Very low productiono Open-field System

o Bad weather, poor crops = famine (16-17th C)o Stomach ailments (from diet = bark, grass, etc.)o Lower immune systemso Smallpox, influenza

o Paired w/ serfdom in East & heavy taxes all over

The Agricultural Revolution

o Ca. 1650-1850o Characterized by:

o Progressive elimination of fallowo New methods based on scienceo Technological advances

Improvements

o Eliminate fallow alternate grain w/ nitrogen-storing cropso Result = more feed for animals (herds grew)

more meat, more manure

Enclosure Movemento Fence in fields

o Result = hurt peasants who relied on common fields (many protests)

Leaders• Dutch • English

o Jethro Tull (1674-1741)o Empirical research o Horses instead of oxeno Seed drill instead of scattering

Industry

Industrious Revolution• The shift (17th/18th C.) as families in NW

Europe focused on earning wages instead of producing goods for household consumption

• Result:oDecreased economic self-sufficiency o Increased ability to buy consumer goods

Population Growth• 1720-1789 • Main cause: Decline in mortality

o Steady food supplyo Bubonic Plague disappearedo Smallpox vaccineo Improvement in water supply & sewage

o Swamp drainage = fewer mosquitoes/flies

Rural Industry

o Pop growth more rural workers w/ no land rural industry dev.

o Cottage Industry: rural workers + hand tools in their homes = lg. scale manufacture goods to sello Putting-out system = merchants loaned raw

materials

Life as a Rural Textile Worker

o Small space – single room = workshop, kitchen & bedroom

o Family worked @ handloom weavingo Women = spinning work (esp. single & widowed

- “spinsters”)

Spinning Jenny• Thomas Hargreaves (English weaver)

• Single wheel turn

operated 8 spindles

Women & IndustryWomen faced:

o Difficult conditions o Lower wageso Poverty

Marriage & Family

Marriage• Late marriage (avg. age = 25-27)

• 10-20% never married

• Reason:oWaited until they could economically support

selves & future children

Work Away from Home

• Boyso@ apx. 16o Apprenticeship in cityo Poor hired hands, laborers, servants

Girls Away from Home• Girls

o Fewer opportunities (trend changes in 18th C)o Traditional female occupationso Seamstress, linen draper or midwifeo Little independence (wages parents)o Physical abuse from mistresses (boss woman)

Childreno Avg. woman – birthed 6+ childreno High infant (& mother) mortality

Breastfeedingo Poor

o nursed 2+ yrs (limited pregnancy)o Saved lives (inc. baby’s immunity)

o Rich o seldom nursed (undignified) oHired wet-nurses – lactating woman paid to live

in & nurse baby

Wet-Nursing• Widespread business of 18th C.

• Often cared for child

• Exp. common in N. France (sent away)

• Problems:o Infant mortality (accidents, shared milk) –apx.

35% died before 1st b-day

Foundlings & Infanticide

• Limited options for unwanted pregnancieso Abortion = illegal & very dangerouso Infanticide (illegal, but…)

• Foundling homes (orphanages) o Single women (illegitimacy incr.)o Poor familieso 100,000 abandoned/yr. (all of Europe)o most died

18th C. Wars

War of Austrian Succession

• 1740-1748

• See Timeline

Diplomatic Revolution of 1756

• Reversal of longstanding diplomatic alliances

• What was: France & Prussia vs. Britain & Austria became: France, Austria (+ Russia*) vs. Britain, Prussia (+ Hanover)

Seven Years War• 1756-1763

• Began Prussia invaded/defeated Saxony

• Global conflict that encompassed:1. Europe

2. The Americas

3. India

4. Africa

Seven Years War• 1757: Austria declared war on Prussia

• GB and France – most fighting in colonies (French & Indian Wars)

• Prussia not fairing well until…

Seven Years War• 1762 – Peter III

ascended Russian throne changed sides

• Treaty of Paris (1763) – ended SYW

Seven Years War - Outcomes

1. GB = greatest colonial power

2. Prussia = greatest continental Euro power

3. Hapsburg Austria = power further diminished

4. France = deeper in debt & bent on revenge against GB…

The Enlightenment

"Écrasons l'Infâme!” (Let us crush the vile thing!)

~Voltaire

What is The Enlightenment?

• A philosophical movement of the 18th C. that:

o Stressed human reasoning over blind faith or obedience

o Encouraged “scientific” thinking (rationalism & empiricism)

o Believed reason could be used to solve all human problems

Origins of The Enlightenment

• Direct product of the Scientific Revolution

• The SR:o Thinkers power of reasono Scientific method & reason discoveries

abt physical worldo People wondered: Can reason be used to

study society & human nature?

Who?

• Predominatelyo bourgeoisie (middle class)o aristocracy

• Enlightenment ideals spread by philosophes

What is a Philosophe?

• “free thinker” (French)

• Students of society who analyzed its evils and advanced reforms to correct those evils

• human nature = good

• Promoted change & progress

Enlightenment & Religion

• Pre-Enlightenmento human nature = sinfulo Doctrine of Original Sin

Deism

• The belief in the:o existence of a God or

supreme beingo nature & reason

• Anti-organized religion• Deists saw God as:

oDistant oUninvolvedo A “watchmaker”

Characteristics of the Enlightenment

1. Rationalism - reason is the answer to all things



2. Secularism - application of the methods of science to religion & philosophy




3. Tolerance - of various beliefs





4. Freedom - of thought & expression; bring liberty to all





4. Freedom - of thought & expression; bring liberty to all


4. Freedom - of thought & expression; liberty to all

5. Education of the masses


4. Freedom - thought & expression; liberty to all

5. Education of the masses

6. Social & Legal Reforms o Justice, kindness, charity for allo Habeas corpuso No tortureo Written constitutions to guarantee natural rights

Emergence of a Print Culture

• A critical element of spreading Enlightenment ideas was through print

• Result: literacy increased

Literacy During the Enlightenment

• This explosion of a massive print culture was both the cause and the effect of the tremendous increase in literacy that took place in the 18th C.

Technology

AP Society During L'Ancien Régime