1. Expansion of Social Classes
AP European
Agricultural and First Industrial Revolutions

2. What classes existed? from 16th – late 19th, early 20th century
landed aristocracy
peasantry/agricultural workers
misc. middle classes
urban poor

3. Government
contribute to rise of capitalism & business class through trading companies
governmental jobs often secured (upper) middle-class or aristocractic position
titles of nobility could be granted
tax exemption of higher classes
royal court at top of social pyramid

4. Aristocracy 1-5 % = former feudal/noble class
held offices in king’s army, government or prestigious offices of the church
became more interested in education of children, civilian pursuits
from impoverished nobles to grands seigneurs
bloodline became increasingly important as financial status fell
began buying shares in overseas trading companies and also taking products to market

5. Bourgeoisie – Upper Middle Class
bourgeois – French; burgher – English; Bürger – German
person living in a chartered town and enjoying its liberties
began buying land in the country and living off the rent
some economic crossover with aristocracy, but social consciousness remained distinct

6. Middle Classes urban elites – sometimes intermarried w/ nobility
merchants, bankers, ship-owners, lawyers, doctors, judges, tax officials, other government employees
most clergy came from middle classes
Artisans: members of trade guilds
diverse professions: goldsmiths, tanners, barrel makers, retail shopkeepers, innkeepers, workshop owners

7. Agricultural Prices Rise
Landowners & peasants with land holdings profit
class of yeoman (small freeholders) develops
rural workers w/o land suffer
Food prices rise but wages remain static
Landowners affected
After enclosure must accept cash payments vs. crop payments – Cash can’t buy as much as it used to.

8. Working Class Poor majority of population, included:
unskilled wage laborers: worked the land, the sea, or in the domestic realm
unemployed, unemployable
prices rose, wages didn’t
English Poor Laws
charitable relief, workhouses, hospices
poor worse off, due to growth of social differentiation

9. Eastern vs. Western Europe
Western Europe – middle class benefits from commercial revolution & falling value of money
Eastern Europe (Germany, Bohemia, Poland, Russia, Hungary) – Aristocrats benefit as they own majority of land and workers, “hereditary subjection” (serfdom) still strong
Robot / barschchina = weekly forced unpaid labor
could not leave manor, marry or learn a trade with permission of lord

10. Industry & Population: 18c Europe

11. 18c Population Growth Rate

12. Population Takeoff in Europe

13. European Urbanization

14. “Gin Lane” William Hogarth 1751

15. “Beer Street” William Hogarth 1751