Education is a long road that lasts a lifetime. Follow the WORLD MAKERS learning path to create a more equal, fair and sustainable world. Learning path The crisis of the Old Regime. The origin of the contemporary world 1 The Reading from Molière, by Jean-François de Troy L E A R N I N G S I T UAT I O N The 18th centur y has been considered the moment when people started to see reason and knowledge as more important than superstition and dogmatism. Reason and science became the truths upon which the progress of humanity was based . This implied a new attitude, that of daring to know. In this period , enlightened thinkers forcefully defended freedom, social criticism and the struggle against ignorance. In the Western world , these ideas shook the foundations of the Old Regime. The ideas spread rapidly, making the 18th centur y the Age of Enlightenment and the basis of the Contemporar y Age. L E T ' S G E T S TA R T E D What does the term "Age of Enlightenment" suggest to you? Look at the illustration. Through what means did Enlightenment knowledge and thought spread in the 18th century? How would they spread today? Do you think there is a link between access to knowledge and the advancement of society? Why or why not? 12 Are knowledge and education key to escaping poverty? Education is a basic human right and is essential for development. Promoting learning opportunities helps to spread knowledge and generate opportunities for the future. A good way to do this is through an informative magazine. CHALLE NGE I N T H I S U N I T… You will learn about the society, economy and politics of the Old Regime. You will understand the relevance of Enlightenment thought to contemporary society. You will understand what Spain was like under the Old Regime. You will take action. You will share knowledge through a magazine. ACADEMIES Academies brought together scientists and artists from different places to share knowledge. SALONS Salons were places where ideas and opinions were exchanged. Many salons were promoted by women of high social standing. THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA The Encyclopaedia was a compilation of the knowledge of the time under the "light" of reason. It was aimed at the general public. The press helped it reach a wide readership. BOTANICAL GARDENS Plants collected when exploring other places were studied in botanical gardens. THE PRESS The press helped very diverse people to share news, opinions and discoveries. The spread of knowledge 13 Absolute monarchy In the 18th centur y, absolutism was the form of government in most parts of Europe. Its main feature was that the king or queen was an absolute monarch , meaning they held all the powers of the state: They wrote and enacted laws. They governed . They appointed judges. To exercise their powers, monarchs made use of powerful armies and numerous of ficials. Absolute monarchs considered themselves above the law. They believed that their power came from God and that they were representatives of God on Earth. (4 and 5) However, setting new taxes or passing certain laws had to be approved by representative assemblies. These assemblies had dif ferent names in dif ferent countries: the Estates-General in France or the Cortes in Spain . These institutions represented the powerful groups: the nobility, the clergy and the high bourgeoisie of the most important cities. Absolute monarchs applied mercantilism. According to this economic theory, a country's wealth was based on the amount of gold and silver it possessed. To increase wealth, they encouraged the growth of national industries, promoted exports and restricted imports. 2. Different political systems Classify the texts. Are they legal texts, personal texts, memoirs, etc.? Who wrote them and when? Identify the main ideas in each text and compare one with the other. Relate these to the systems of government that existed at the time. Describe the effects that each document had. How to do it Compare absolutism and parliamentarism using historical texts B E A H I S T O R I A N Speech by Louis XV to the Paris Parliament (3rd March 1766) Sovereign power resides in my person only […]; my courts derive their existence and their authority from me alone, and the discharge of that authority, which they exercise in my name only, always remains with me and can never be employed against me. Independent and undivided legislative power belongs to me alone. It is only by my authority that the of ficers of my courts proceed , […] in the registration , publication and execution of laws. Public order emanates from me, and the rights and interests of the nation […] rest only in my hands. (Adapted) 4. Empress Catherine the Great of Russia was one of the great absolute monarchs of Europe in the 18th century. 5. Louis XV, king of France 16 1 Indicate what kind of texts they are, their author and the date they were written. Explain these terms: legislative power, Lords, House of Commons, Parliament. Write down the main ideas of each text. Think. In what parts of his speech does Louis XV justify his absolute power? Which powers of the monarch are limited in the 1689 Bill of Rights? Compare the French monarchy and the English monarchy. Think. Are these texts significant? Why? Your turn English Bill of Rights (1689) The Lords and the members of the House of Commons declare: That the pretended power of suspending the laws or the execution of laws by regal authority without consent of Parliament is illegal . That levying taxes for the use of the Crown without grant of Parliament is illegal . That election of members of Parliament ought to be free. That the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in Parliament ought not to be questioned in any court or place out of Parliament. 6. House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster, London What was the main form of government in Europe in the 18th century? Describe its features. What other political systems developed from the second half of the 17th century? Explain what they involved. Were they democratic systems? K E Y Q U E S T I O N S English parliamentarism During the 17th centur y, the monarchs of the Stuart dynasty tried to rule the territories of Great Britain and Ireland as absolute monarchs. However, they met with firm opposition from the bourgeoisie, who controlled the Parliament. The conf lict led to the English Civil Wars (1642–1651) and the Glorious Revolution (1688). This ended with the deposition of the Stuart dynasty and the triumph of the parliamentar y monarchy. (6) In this new political system, the law was supreme and the monarch was no longer above the law. In 1689, the monarch had to sign a Bill of Rights. This guaranteed a range of rights and liberties, and established that the monarch could not pass laws, create new taxes or collect them without the approval of Parliament. The foundations of the separation of powers were established . Parliamentarism in the Republic of the United Provinces When the United Provinces became independent from Spain in the 17th centur y, they established a non-absolutist system of government. They became a republic in which the bourgeoisie held political power. The bourgeoisie increased its economic and political power. The Dutch Republic consisted of seven provinces, each with its own parliament. Representatives of all the provinces met in the Estates General to make decisions together. 17 3 Define the terms: bourgeoisie mortmain (manos muertas) mercantilism expropriation Economic Societies of Friends of the Country Nueva Planta decrees Enlightenment thought triangular trade 4 Make connections. How would you relate the terms from the previous activity to the crisis of the Old Regime in the 18th century? A P P LY Y O U R K N O W L E D G E O R G A N I S E Y O U R I D E A S 1 Summarise the main features of the Old Regime. Copy and complete the diagram in your notebook. 2 Summarise the ideas about the Enlightenment. Copy and complete the table in your notebook. ENLIGHTENMENT ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM Ideology … Measures … Key figures … Po l i t i cs … Two systems of government … The Old Reg ime Privileged estates Peasantry … … … Soc i ety Commoners Characteristics Characteristics Two production systems Agriculture Crafts Trade Economy … … … … 5 Explain the graphic. What does it show? THE POWERS OF THE K I NG A l l powe r s o f t he s t a t e we r e concen t r a t ed i n t he k i ng L EG I S LAT I VE POWER EXECUT I VE POWER JUD I C I AL POWER He e n a c t e d t h e l aws a n d a p p l i e d t h em t h r o u g h o r d i n a n c e s a n d e d i c t s. He l e d t h e g o v e r nme n t a n d wa s t h e s u p r eme c omma n d e r o f t h e m i l i t a r y. He wa s t h e ma x i mum j u d i c i a l a u t h o r i t y. J u s t i c e wa s e x e r c i s e d i n h i s n ame. 288778_09_p254_absolutismo_frances C H E C K Y O U R P R O G R E S S Use the STUDY NOTES to review the content of this unit. 26 6 Compare these concepts and explain the difference between them. absolutism and enlightened despotism guilds and the domestic system absolutism and parliamentarism 7 Analyse the text. The work that we begin (and that we wish to finish) has two objectives. As an Encyclopaedia, it must explain , as well as possible, the order and connection of the parts of human knowledge. As a Systematic Dictionar y of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts, it must contain the general principles that form the basis of each science and each art, liberal or manual , and the most essential details that make up the body and substance of each . Jean le Rond d'Alembert, "Preliminar y Discourse" from the Encyclopaedia, 1751 (Adapted) Who is the author? What was his relationship with the Encyclopaedia? What two objectives did this work have, according to the author of the text? 8 Establish cause-and-effect relationships between the War of the Spanish Succession and the loss of the charters in the territories of the Corona de Aragón. 9 Describe the process that led England to establish a political system that was different to absolutism. 11 Look at and interpret the painting. What estate do you think this family belonged to? Within the estate, which social group were they? Explain what you base your opinion on. Did this group have economic power? And political power? Do you think they were happy with their situation? Why or why not? 12 Write the date of these events and put them in chronological order on a timeline. abdication of Carlos IV Esquilache Riots the War of the Spanish Succession begins Battle of Trafalgar Treaty of Utrecht 13 Explain what the reforms carried out by the Spanish Borbón monarchs involved. Give examples to support your answer. 1 W H A T D I D I L E A R N ? Ask your partner five questions about the content of this unit. Evaluate their answers. Compare. What did you know about the Old Regime and the Enlightenment before you began the unit? What have you learnt? In your notebook, write a word, an idea and a sentence that describe the crisis of the Old Regime. Choose five concepts that you consider key to understanding the contents of this unit. Why do you think they are so important? List the things you found most difficult. How did you overcome the difficulties? 10 THINK AND SHARE IN PAIRS Analyse what aspects changed during the 18th century in terms of society, the economy and politics. Assess which aspects, on the contrary, remained unchanged. Think about whether Enlightenment ideas influenced the changes. Give reasons to support your answer. Exchange your answers with your partner and explain your opinion. Are your answers similar to those of your partner? 27 E X P L O R E The role of women in the Enlightenment Enlightenment thinkers defended equality for all human beings and rejected slaver y. However, with a few exceptions, they were not in favour of equality between men and women . Most thinkers agreed that women had to stay at home, governed by their fathers or husbands. It was felt that women only needed the basic instruction necessar y to perform the role of wife and mother. Despite this, many Enlightenment thinkers who did not support equality went to salons (11) that were organised by women such as Madame de Lambert, Madame Geof frin , Madame d 'Épinay and Madame Necker. These were spaces for discussion about politics, literature, finance, philosophy, art, music, science, etc. In these gatherings, women were treated as intellectual equals. The scientific work of Madame du Châtelet (1706 – 1749) Émilie du Châtelet was a mathematician and physicist, and one of the most outstanding women of the Enlightenment. She received an excellent education, which was unusual in her time. In 1737 she wrote Dissertation on the Nature and Propagation of Fire. In 1740 she wrote Foundations of Physics, where she explained concepts of differential calculus. She also translated Isaac Newton's masterpiece, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy from Latin into French, and wrote a commentary on it. 10. Madame du Châtelet 11. Reading of Voltaire's tragedy The Orphan of China in the salon of Madame Geoffrin, by Lemonnier. (A) Madame Geoffrin. (B) d'Alembert. (C ) Diderot. (D) Bust of Voltaire. (E ) Rousseau. (F ) Montesquieu. (G) Duchess d'Anville. (H) Count of Buffon. (I) Mademoiselle Clairon. (J) Soufflot. A B C D E F G H I J 20 Investigate Analyse and compare the texts. Who are the authors? What are the main ideas of each text? What conclusions can you draw? Think. Why did many Enlightenment thinkers assign women a traditional role in society? DISCUSS. Why did Enlightenment women attach such importance to women's education? Today, more than 120 million children worldwide do not attend school; more than half of them are girls. What effects will this have on their adult life? Women of the Enlightenment in Spain Enlightenment ideas also spread amongst some of the Spanish noblewomen . The Countess-Duchess of Benavente (13) organised gatherings in which the guests discussed new literature from France. She was also one of the presidents of the Junta de Damas, a section of the Real Sociedad Económica Matritense de Amigos del País. The society organised training for female prisoners and women of the disadvantaged groups so they could learn a trade, such as spinning or weaving. Josefa Amar y Borbón also belonged to this society. She advocated equality between men and women , and an education system for women that included languages, histor y, drawing, music and crafts. Josefa de Jovellanos, (12) wrote poems in Asturian (Bable) and sponsored a school for girls from poor families in Gijón . María Isidra de Guzmán, (14) is known as "the doctor of Alcalá" because she was the first woman to obtain a degree from that university. 12. Josefa de Jovellanos 13. The Countess-Duchess of Benavente 14. María Isidra de Guzmán The state, parents and , what is more, even the women themselves, have an indifferent attitude towards learning things, or do not learn anything. […] What do men gain from women's ignorance? Because when it comes to married life, there might not be harmony between an educated man and an ignorant woman . Women are just as subject to the obligations common to ever y individual as men are. […] There is no difference between the two sexes and therefore both need competent instruction . Josefa Amar y Borbón, Discurso sobre la educación física y moral de las mujeres, 1790 (Adapted) The whole education of women ought to be relative to men . To please them, to be useful to them, to make themselves loved and honoured by them, to educate them when young, to care for them when grown , to council them, to console them, and to make life agreeable and sweet to them – these are the duties of women at all times, and should be taught to them from their infancy. Therefore, to cultivate in women the qualities of the men and to neglect those that are their own is, then , obviously to work to their detriment. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762 (Adapted) 21 1 ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE 2 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 3 Think about a real or imaginary situation from daily life with the SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS in mind, in order to begin the learning process. Contribute to the achievement of one or several of the targets by doing the challenge. Take the Challenge! Go further and investigate. EXPLORE cases, characters and other interesting aspects that will expand your knowledge of the world. To do this, look for reliable information, organise it carefully and draw your conclusions. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT? Evaluate: think about what you have learnt and how you constructed your knowledge. Organise your ideas and apply your knowledge to different contexts and situations in the CHECK YOUR PROGRESS activities. Think, make connections and communicate critically by doing the ACTIVITIES throughout the book. Work like a specialist. With the help of the BE A GEOGRAPHER and BE A HISTORIAN sections you can practise what you learn. Exercise your mind. Practise THINKING TECHNIQUES that will enhance your powers of reflection and thinking. Use the KEY QUESTIONS to review and ensure you have understood the content. Acquire essential knowledge from the clearly explained content and strong visual language: drawings, maps, timelines, etc. LEARNING SITUATION 6
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