3º ESO UNIT 7. THE CRISIS OF THE OLD REGIME AND THE LIBERAL REVOLUTION

UNIT 7. THE CRISIS OF THE OLD REGIME AND THE REVOLUTIONS

1. THE CRISIS OF THE OLD REGIME

WHAT WAS THE OLD REGIME?

The Old Regime (*Antiguo Régimen) was the political, social and economic system that was found in many parts of Europe during the Modern Age.

This term (Old Regime) was created by the revolutionaries of the French Revolution to pejoratively designate the system of government prior to them.

We, french revolutionaries, think we are SO COOL that we call “old” everything before our time.

French revolutionaries

What were the characteristics of the OLD REGIME?

3) SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: absolutism(*absolutismo)

2) ECONOMY: agrarian economy(*economía agraria).

1) SOCIETY: society of estates (*sociedad estamental).

The European society of the Old Régime was divided into three estates (*estamentos) or social groups: 1) Nobility (*nobleza) 2) Clergy (*clero) 3) Commoners or Third estate (*Los Comunes o Tercer Estado) Except for the clergy, a person's estate was determined at birth. In general, commoners did not move up, and nobles did not move down.

10% of the population

90% of the population

We are bourgeois, we live from business, we pay taxes, we are rich, but we have no rights, so we are going to make a mess...

“Hay que esperar que el juego acabe pronto”

Another representation of the privileged estates on top of the third estate, suffocating it with the weight of their burdens, represented by a large rock.

Agriculture and livestock farming were the main economic activities in the 18th century.

In most Europe, peasants practised subsistence farming: people only produced what they needed to subsist. Crops depend own the climate, and they were lost in times of drought of flooding. When this happened, prices rose, food became scarce and there was widespread famine.

Artisanal activity:

Absolutism was the system of government in many parts of 18th century Europe. The monarchs held full powers: they governed, create laws, named judges… These kings had absolute power and could do as they liked. They expected total obedience from the people they ruled. There was a divine right of kings (*derecho divino de los reyes) according to which they had been chosen by God and were his representatives on Earth.

I am above the law

Louis XIV

Examples of absolute monarchs

THE CRISIS OF THE OLD REGIME

The crisis of the Old Regime is the name given to a series of changes that took place in Western Europe over a period of approximately one hundred years from the second half of the 18th century to the second half of the 19th century, bringing the Old Regime to an end. These changes were political, economic, social and ideological.

The crisis of the Ancien Régime was the fuse (*mecha) of the liberal revolutions.

Representation of the rebellion of the third estate, breaking free from its chains and the horror of the privileged classes (nobility and clergy). The Bastille, the icon of the French Revolution, can be seen behind.

Political changes

For the first time in history, two parliamentary regimes came into being in the 17th century. Two regimes in which the middle classes (and not only the upper classes) were able to participate in the political power.This happened in England and in the United Provinces.

England

However, there was a large section of the population who belonged to the bourgeoisie, who had grown rich through trade with the colonies in North America and who wanted to participate in politics.

England's kings tried to consolidate absolutism as in the rest of Europe and to rule without Parliament, at that time the kings of the Stuart dynasty reigned.

And finally forced the new King to sign the first Bill of Rights in 1689 as a condition of his accession to the throne. England was henceforth a parliamentary monarchy.

There were two revolutions (1642, 1688) carried out by Parliament in defence of its rights (Charles I was beheaded!)

The United Provinces had become a major economic power thanks to trade. There, too, the wealthy bourgeoisie grew and also wanted a greater say in politics.

After independence from Spain in 1648, the United Provinces became a Republic (a system of government without a king) consisting of seven provinces, each with its own Parliament.

We warned you that we, the bourgeoisie, were going to make a mess...

Demographic changes

In the second half of the 18th century, the demographic regime in Europe changed for several reasons: wars became less frequent, epidemics became less frequent, crop failures were reduced and the diet improved.This led to population growth and, because there were more people, demand for basic consumer goods increased, which in turn led to economic growth.

👍🏼

We need things!!!!

Ideological changes

The final stage of the Old Régime was characterised by the emergence and development of a new way of thinking and seeing reality: the Enlightenment (*la Ilustración).

What was the Enlightenment? An intellectual movement of the 18th century that questioned the principles of the Old Regime.

Its characteristics can be summarised in four:

Reason as opposed to tradition. They rejected everything that was governed by custom (privileges, guilds, absolutism…)

They attached great importance to education and experimental or "useful" sciences.

REASON

KNOWLEDGE

As an expression of the plurality of beliefs and ideas.

The human being as the centre of their theories

TOLERANCE

HUMAN BEING

The philosopher Immanuel Kant created his famous motto which summarised all these ideas:

SAPERE AUDE Dare to know!!!

The Enlightenment thinkers were from "educated classes": aristocrats, priests and other sectors of the clergy, doctors, civil servants, military, lawyers and merchants. Some of the most famous were:

The three branches of power (executive, legislative and judicial) must be separated .

The people allow a higher authority to govern in their name.

The state is the result of a pact between rulers and ruled.

I believe in freedom of expression

Rousseau

Montesquieu

Voltaire

John Locke

How did the Enlightenment ideas spread throughout Europe and America?

The Encyclopaedia

Meetings of the Enlightened in the Salons, academies.

Exercise page 266

Exercise page 258, 259

Enlightened despotism (*Despotismo ilustrado)

There were kings and queens who applied Enlightenment ideas to raise the educational level of their subjects, rationalise the administration and promote economic development, but without losing their power. However, despotism did not alter the Old Regime because it did not limit the absolute power of the kings or abolish the privileges of the estates.

Enlightened despotism can be summed up in one sentence:

"Everything for the people but without the people” (*todo para el pueblo pero sin el pueblo).

Examples of Enlightened Kings or Queens:

Carlos III of Spain

Catherine the Great of Russia

Maria Theresa of Austria

Exercise page 267

1750. Industrial revolution

1776. American Revolution

Crisis of the Old Regime

1789. French Revolution

2. THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

WHAT WAS THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION?

The Industrial Revolution was a period of economic and social transformation that took place between the 18th and 19th centuries. These changes began in Great Britain and spread to other countries. There were two stages: -First Industrial Revolution, which began around 1760. -Second Industrial revolution, which began around 1870.

WHY GREAT BRITAIN?

It all started in Great Britain in the mid-18th century. Why there?

1. Extensive markets: Britain was the world's leading maritime and trading power with access to large markets to sell its products.
2. Favourable political context and new mentality: the end of absolutism favoured the free initiative of the British bourgeoisie who was more open to investment and business risks.
3. Agricultural revolution: new forms of cultivation, new tools...all these changes resulted in higher production and better nutrition.
4. Demographic revolution: the English population began to grow, This increase in population resulted in greater demand and supply of labour force.
5. Abundance of iron and coal: which were necessary to build and run the new factories.

WHAT CHANGES OCCURRED WITH THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONS?

FACTORIES

Workshops and artisan work were replaced by...

James Watt, an English engineer, patented the steam engine (*máquina de vapor) in 1769 and it was put into operation in 1776. Ii used coal as an energy source.

Hi, I´m James Watt

The steam Engine was used in many things: TRANSPORTS

FACTORIES

Soon, England was full of factories of textile, iron and steel industries.

There was a revolution in transports:

The two most important inventions were the steamship (Robert Fulton, 1807) and the railway (George Stephenson, 1825).

The Rocket inaugurated the first railway line in history, between Liverpool and Manchester, taking 6 hours (previously it took two days).

The Clermont made the New York-Albany trip in 32 hours, whereas it took four days by sailing ship.

Soon, England was full of railways.

And later, railways were built all over the world.

The world was changing... All these changes influenced the American and French revolutions.

3. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

3.1. THE ORIGINS

The United Kingdom owned thirteen colonies on the east coast of North America.

British empire

Britain wanted raw materials from their American colonies, but they had no interest in developing industry there. They British held a monopoly on trade, this made trade difficult between the colonies and other areas. The economy was therefore an important source of conflict: the colonies saw the British Crown as an obstacle to their development.

The settlers (*colonos):

- They were considered British citizens. - They had to pay the same taxes as the British. - However, they had no political representation in Parliament.

No taxation without representation!!!!

The origin of the American colonists' rebellion can be traced back to the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) (*la Guerra de los siete años) between France and Britain (and their allies). This war involved most of the great powers of the time in seeking to establish colonial control in North America and India. Although the war ended in victory for the United Kingdom, it came at great economic cost. To meet the costs of the war, the UK created new taxes in its American colonies.

No taxation without representation!!!!

The UK removed some taxes, except for tea. In 1773 the British Parliament passed the Tea Act, which gave the English East India Company a monopoly on the sale of tea in the colonies. This hurt American traders.

The response was the Boston Tea Party (*Motín del té) December 16, 1773

Young men, disguised (*disfrazados) as Indians, threw several shipments of tea into the sea in Boston harbour. It is estimated that they lost a million dollars.

I represent the UK forcing tea down the colonist's throat.

The UK responded with very strict measures (closure of Boston harbour, fines) which worsened the situation. In September 1774 the colonies (except Georgia) met in Philadelphia to draw up a list of grievances (*agravios, ofensas). The British government again tried to stop them by force, sent troops to subdue (*someter) the colonies, and the following year the first armed clashes began in 1775.

3.2. THE WAR

1. First phase (1775-1777)

The War of Independence (1775-1783) lasted eight years and can be divided into two phases:

2. Second phase (1778-1783)

FIRST PHASE (1775-1777)

How are you? I am George Washington, I am considered an American hero. I was the first president of the United States.

The insurgents, led by George Washington, fought the British with guerrilla tactics and won several victories.

Encouraged by these victories, on 4 July 1776, the colonies proclaimed their independence (Declaration of Independence, the main author was Thomas Jefferson) and declared themselves the United States of America.

The victory of George Washington's militia decided France and Spain (enemies of the United Kingdom, Family Pact) to support the rebels. With this international help, the final victory was almost assured.

SECOND PHASE (1778-1783)

In 1781 British troops were defeated at the Battle of Yorktown.

In 1783, Britain, unable to defeat the colonies, signed the surrender. The Treaty of Versailles, by which both Britain and the other European powers recognised the independence of the United States of America.

Signing of the Treaty of Versailles . The British delegation refused to pose and the painting was therefore incomplete.

The United States Constitution was signed in 1787. It was the first constitution in history, and established national sovereignty (*soberanía nacional) and the separation of powers (*separación de poderes). In 1789 George Washington became the first president of the United States.

George Washington

Exercise page 272

4. THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

4.1. THE CAUSES

In 1774, Louis XVI of France came to the throne, a king described as "not very capable" who sought to continue the absolute monarchy of the Old Regime when the American Revolution had taught the world that there was another way of doing politics.

1. Political reasons:

LOUIS XVI “A king not very capable”

MARY ANTONIETTE “A deficit queen”

2. Economic reasons:

France was going through a deep economic crisis at the end of the 18th century. On the one hand, they suffered a series of bad harvests (floods in 1787 and drought in the summer of 1788). On the other hand, France was going through a financial crisis aggravated by the Crown's wastage and France's intervention in the American War of Independence (1775-1783).

3. Social reasons:

The survival of the Old Regime's society of estates was beginning to take its toll (*comenzaba a pesar, a pasar factura). The Third Estate accounted for 96% of the population and they could not hold public office. They were the only ones who paid taxes.

😡

4. Ideological reasons:

All the ideas and principles of the Enlightenment (reason, liberty, division of powers, national sovereignty and the elimination of the estates) began to take hold, especially among the bourgeoisie, and to encourage a desire for change.

4.2. THE REVOLUTION

Faced with serious financial problems, some ministers proposed reforms to the French king, they recommended that the privileged classes (nobility and clergy) should pay taxes.

Never!!

You have to pay taxes too!

Louis XVI agreed in May 1789 to summon the Estates-General, an assembly of all three estates presided by the king (it had not been convened for 175 years, since 1614).

Opening of the Estates General at Versailles in May 1789. Engraving by Isidore-Stanislaus Helman and Charles Monnet

The trigger for the revolution was the way in which they vote in the Estates-General: traditionally, each estate deliberated separately and then cast one vote. As a result, the privileged always imposed their views, as they had two votes (nobility and clergy), while the third estate, although representing the vast majority of French people, had only one vote.

YES

NO

NO

What?!

The representatives of the third state asked for three things:

We want:

1. To deliberate in common with the nobility and the clergy.

1. The "vote by head" and not by estates.

1. To double our number of representatives.

The king agreed to double the number of deputies, but the other two demands were denied. In addition, the privileged classes refused to meet jointly with the third estate. The third estate left the Estates-General and did their own assembly, they were joined by a few people from the privileged classes. The revolution had began.

We don't want to join you.

I grant you a request for all three.

🔥

*Curiosity: This assembly was called the National Assembly and still exist today.

The National Assembly is the lower chamber of the French bicameral system (the upper chamber is the Senate). Following a tradition that began in 1789 in the French Revolution, left-wing parties sit on the left and right-wing parties on the right.

This decision, of course, was a revolutionary act and the king decided to close the session hall.

I forbid you to assemble!

Let´s go to other place!

On 20 June 1789, faced with the closure of their meeting hall, the deputies of the third estate met in a fronton hall that has gone down in history as the Tennis Court Hall and swore not to dissolve until they had given France a Constitution, an event that has gone down in history as the Tennis Court Oath (*El Juramento del Juego de Pelota).

We promise to give France a Constitution!

The Tennis Court Oath. Jacques-Louis David

Tennis Court Game, currently with the painting in the background (Versailles)

The king, in response, called in the army. On 14 July 1789 the people of Paris stormed the fortress prison of the Bastille to obtain weapons to defend the Assembly.

We attack the Bastille!!!

I send my army!!!

The Bastille was the place where political dissidents were imprisoned, although there were none at the time. The revolutionaries launched a massive attack and, after eight hours of fighting, the defenders surrendered. This event became the symbol of the revolution, and since then, 14 July has been France's bank holidays. This day, often called la fête nationale in France, became an official holiday in 1880.

The storming of the Bastille (14th July 1789)

Louis XVI had no choice but to recognise the revolutionaries and accept its decisions.

OK! I recognise you.

Finally!!!!

The revolutionaries abolished the privileges of the nobility and the taxes, they published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) and the Constitution (1791).

In 1791 Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette tried to escape disguised as servants. They wanted to get to Austria and put an end to the revolution. However, they were recognised and arrested, and forced to return to Paris, where they were taken into custody. This increased the anti-monarchist sentiment.

I told you I accepted the changes, but I was buying time to run away....

Traitor!!!!

In 1792 the revolutionaries decided to abolish the monarchy and proclaimed the Republic. They argued over what to do with the King, finally they decided to condemn him to death.

That will create many more enemies!

He must be killed! He is a traitor!

Louis XVI was executed by guillotine on 21 January 1793. Marie Antoinette was executed on 16 October of the same year.

The execution of Louis XVI alarmed European ruling houses, which did not hesitate to mobilise actively against the revolution. France was at war.

Inside France there were also people against the revolutionaries. The so-called counter-revolutionaries (*contrarrevolucionarios). To suppress them, the revolutionaries used violence and repressive measures, this part of the Revolution was called The Reign of Terror.

It was in this context that Napoleon Bonaparte appeared ...

He was an ambitious young military man who had achieved great fame for his victories in the European war against France. In 1799, supported by the army, he seized power and promised the French a return to calm.

In 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France. He was 35 years old at the time.

Napoleón I en su trono. Ingres, 1806

La consagración de Napoleón (Jacques-Louis David)

In 1805, several European powers formed an anti-French coalition and declared war on Napoleon. Napoleon began to accumulate victory after victory (except for the Battle of Trafalgar against the British), and within a few years he spread his empire across Europe, eventually dominating a vast empire where he carried the ideals of liberty of the French Revolution. His empire was the largest in Europe since the Roman Empire.

Napoleón I en su trono. Ingres, 1806

However, from 1812 onwards Napoleon began to lose battles, and with it a loss of popularity.

- First in Spain. - Then in Russia.

In 1814 Napoleon is finally deposed and abdicates to Louis XVIII to retire to the island of Elba. The French Revolution had come full circle and had a Bourbon king on the throne once again.

😡

Louis XVIII

Isla de Elba

Abdicación de Napoleón en Fontainebleau. Paul Delaroche (1845)

A year later, he received some good news: in France the reign of Louis XVIII had quickly proved to be a failure, the French people had become accustomed to the reforms of the revolution. Napoleon came back arriving in Paris on 1 March 1815.

In Paris, many men joined him, Louis XVIII sent his troops, Napoleon stood in front of them and told them:

No one did. Napoleon thus established his "Empire of the Hundred Days" (from 20 March to 8 July 1815).

- If you can shoot your emperor, do it! -

In Europe an allied army was armed against him again. In Belgium (Waterloo) he lost the famous battle against Britain, Prussia and Belgium in June 1815 against Wellington, a military genius of his own calibre. Napoleon's dream was finally dead, the borders were restored to their former state.

La Batalla de Waterloo, óleo de William Sadler.

On 22 July 1815 Napoleon again abdicated the throne and was exiled to the small island of St Helena in the South Atlantic. There he lived six years of despair and desolation until his death on 5 May 1821.

Isla de Santa Elena

As stipulated in his will, his remains were transferred from St Helena to Paris in 1840 and he is now buried with honours in the French mausoleum surrounded by spectacular paraphernalia in the crypt of the Pantheon of the Invalides Church (Paris).

La tumba de Napoleón en la Iglesia de los Inválidos Les Invalides (París)

4.3. AFTER THE REVOLUTION

After napoleon, there was an intention to return to the past. The old monarchies were restored and attempts were made to return to the situation before the French Revolution. This is why this period was called the “Restoration" (*la Restauración)

The European powers met at the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) to draw up a new political map and restore the balance of power between them.

BUT THE INFLUENCE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION WAS STRONGER...

However, a return to the Ancien Régime as if nothing had changed was no longer possible in many countries. The Napoleonic Empire had spread the ideas of the French Revolution.

That is why revolutions followed one after the other

1848

1830

1820

During the 19th century, there were several waves of revolution. The struggle between the old and the new political and social order was settled in favour of the liberal and nationalist cause.

Also, the influence of liberal ideas reached America and was the cause of the emancipation process in Spanish-Portuguese America.

Exercise page 277

Exercise page 277