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Society & Economy Under The Old Regime 18 th Century

Society & Economy Under The Old Regime 18 th Century. AP Euro Chapter 15. Pre-Revolutionary Europe. Society Prior to 1789 Is referred to the “Ancien regime”, or “old regime”. Features of Old Regime. 1. Aristocrats with inherited privileges 2. Urban labor force organized into guilds

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Society & Economy Under The Old Regime 18 th Century

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  1. Society & Economy Under The Old Regime 18th Century AP Euro Chapter 15

  2. Pre-Revolutionary Europe • Society Prior to 1789 • Is referred to the • “Ancien regime”, or “old regime”

  3. Features of Old Regime • 1. Aristocrats with inherited privileges • 2. Urban labor force organized into guilds • 3.Rural peasantry subject to taxes

  4. Visible Social Hierarchy • 1. Laws dictated what different classes could wear • 2. Rights depended on social class • 3. Not all had to pay taxes • 4. Certain activities restricted to upper class

  5. The Aristocracy… • 1. Consisted of 1% to 5% of the Population in any given European Country • 2.They Inherited wealth & Land • 3. The Ruling Class

  6. The Aristocracy • 4. Set the example of manners & conduct • 5. Led “lives of idleness” • 6. Had certain privileges

  7. 400 elite families Average estate size: a thousand to 50 thousand acres !! Owned ¼ of arable (good) farming land British Nobility

  8. How Big is an Acre?

  9. British Nobility • Oldest son inherited: • 1. Title • 2. Right to sit in House of Lords = Political power

  10. British Nobility • Younger Sons had to Choose Profession: • Commerce, Military Officer, Church Office.

  11. Peerage System :Titles of Nobility Amongst Aristocracy • The peerage a collective term for people who possessed certain titles of honor. • The Titles in The Peerage ( In descending order): • Duke or Duchess • Marquess or Marchioness • Earl or Countess • Viscount or Viscountess • Baron or Lady

  12. Peerage System :Titles of Nobility Amongst Aristocracy

  13. English Game Laws • 1671-1831 • Exclusive right of aristocrats to hunt hares, partridges, pheasants, deer etc.

  14. I am a Pheasant, not a Peasant

  15. British Noble Women • "...the greatest challenge faced by females of the leisured classes was how to be leisured..." • Upper class women had tutors, learned “womanly activities” and had lots of free time!

  16. 18th Century English Trends: Men • Noble Men wore “Banyan” • “man of the house” outfit • An Asian inspired outfit for staying at home

  17. Noble Hairstyles 18th Century • By 1780’s younger men wore lightly powdered natural hair • 1795 English established tax for hair powder • Which caused the demise of the powdered wig/hair 

  18. 18th Century English Trends: Women • Clothes Reflected: • “softness, prettiness, delicacy” • Colors reflected natural world • With Decorative elements

  19. 18th Century English Trends: Women & Cosmetics • Pieces of leather or fabric applied with adhesive on face to hide imperfections  • Lead face powder  • Rouge made from plaster of Paris & Carmine 

  20. Aristocrats In France • Different From England • Nobility acquired through: • 1. Birth- inherited • 2. office - awarded • 3. “letters”- King’s order

  21. French Titles of Nobility • Duke • Marquis • Comte (Earl) • Vicomte (viscount) • Baron

  22. French Aristocratic Families & Prestige • how long had a given family been noble (l'ancienneté), • into what other families did it marry (les alliances), • what positions its members achieved and what offices they held (les dignités), • what actions they performed (les illustrations)

  23. French Aristocrats • 400,000 nobles • Divided Into: • “Nobles of the sword”-military service • “Nobles of the robe”- bureaucracy • Second estate

  24. French Nobility • Hobereaux – provincial nobility • Not as wealthy • But “nobles” non -the less

  25. French Aristocrats • Exempt from taxes • Rarely had to pay vingtieme income tax in full • Hunting & Fishing privileges

  26. French Aristocrats • Known for extravagance in manner , dress, court culture • Remember Versailles?

  27. Peasants & Serfs Rural Reality

  28. The Importance of Land • Land – the Economic basis 18th century Europe • Foundation of status & power for nobility • Source of oppression for peasants

  29. Rural Reality • 3/4ths of all Europeans lived in rural areas • Worked the land

  30. Peasants & Serfs: What’s the Difference? • Peasants – are “free” tenants (Western Europe) • Serfs- are not free. More like slaves (Eastern Europe)

  31. French Peasants • Seigneur or Land Lord can: • Require labor from peasants • Charge feudal dues

  32. Russian Serfs • Nobles wealth measured by serfs, not land acreage • Barshchina- 6 day work week • Serfs can be punished • Like slaves

  33. Russian Serf Rebellions • Over 50 in 1762 • Pugachev’s Rebellion in Southern Russia (1773-1775 ) • EmelyanPugachev Promised: • Serfs land of their own • Freedom from landlord • Russian govt. crushes rebellion

  34. The Family Economy & The Household Rural Living Pre-Industrial / Pre- Revolution

  35. The Household… • Basic unit of production • also known as “The Family Economy” • 2 models: • 1. North Western Europe • 2. Eastern Europe

  36. 1. North Western Household • Household consisted of the Nuclear Family: • Married couple, children , maybe a servant (younger person, a social equal, works until marriage). • Children live with parents until teen years

  37. 1.North Western Household • Neocalism- when child moves away from home • Men marry at 26 • Women marry at 23 • Considered “late” marriage

  38. 2. Eastern Europe Household • Household consisted of Extended Family: • Married couple, children, grandparents etc. • Larger households • Younger Parents • Idea is to “add” to household, not leave

  39. Family Economy • 1. Impossible for ordinary people to support themselves independently • 2. Everyone in household worked • 3. Goods produced for benefit of household • 4. “self contained” unit

  40. Those Who Lived By Themselves… • seen as suspicious! • Potential criminals, or beggars • Remember, even servants lived with a family…

  41. Women and the Family Economy • Marriage regardless of class, an economic necessity! • Number 1 concern: maintaining house • Number 2 concern : bearing and rearing children

  42. Life of Lower Class Women • At age 7, girls considered old enough to help around the house • Once a girl left home, she had to support family, and save up for her dowry

  43. Women & Children • High mortality rates for children – disease • Unsanitary conditions • The poor could not afford babies

  44. Foundling Hospitals • Paris, London • Homes for abandoned children “orphans” • Most children illegitimate • Parents could not afford them/gave them up

  45. Abandoned Children • Link between movement of people and an increase in abandoned children • Link between rise of food prices and abandoned children

  46. The Sad Truth… • Only 10 % of abandoned children lived to the age of ten.

  47. The Agricultural Revolution Changes in the midst…

  48. Developments That Transform • European society & economy

  49. Agricultural Questions 18th Century • 1. How do you produce surplus crops? • 2. How can you bring down the price of crops?

  50. Agricultural Revolution • Innovations in agriculture led to improvements in agricultural production • And • Transformed the “traditional” family economy

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