1. Mr. Meester AP European History Pages 480-493
The Old Regime
Mr. Meester
AP European History
Pages

2. Features of the Old Regime
Socially, pre-Revolutionary Europe was based upon 4 premises.
Legal privilege benefited the aristocracy.
Church benefited also from system.
Formation of labor guilds.
Peasants paid high taxes and feudal dues

3. Traditional Lifestyles
Most aspects of social life during the 1700s in Europe supported the ideas of traditional lifestyles.
Many nobles and peasants desired the return of the feudal manorial system and its stability.
An agrarian lifestyle was preferred to that found in the growing cities.

4. Hierarchy & Privilege
During the 18th century a strict sense of class distinction was supported
The nature of social relationships helped to promote class distinction.
Individual rights were subservient to the rights granted to one’s social class.

5. The Aristocracy
During the 1700s most nobles enjoyed a great deal of wealth.
They were usuaully the dominant social, political, and economic force within a society.

6. British Nobility Few nobles in comparison to rest of Europe.
Made up of only 400 families
Representation in House of Lords & Commons
Controlled a lot of land
Invested in trade, commerce, and industry
Controlled the social and political make-up of the English shires.

7. French Nobility Approximately 400,000 nobles
Sword Nobles vs Robe Nobles
Worked together to maintain the status quo
French nobles received greater status if they were the favorites of the court at Versailles. (hobereaux-provincial nobles)
Regardless all noble enjoyed certain special privileges

8. Eastern Aristocracy In the East the nobility became more repressive
The military traditions of these nobles was important.
Poland
Austria
Prussia
Russia

9. Aristocratic Resurgence
A reaction to the monarchies around Europe moving towards Absolutism
Saw this as a threat to the social position and feudal privileges and took action
Made it more difficult to become noble
Wanted elite positions in the Army, Church, & Bureaucracy to be Nobles only
Wanted control of government institutions to use as a check against the power of the monarch
Improved financial position through higher rents and fewer taxes

10. Peasants & Serfs
In the early 1700s almost ¾’s of Europe’s population lived in rural areas
Most were either peasants or serfs
Serfs were bound to a particular piece of land

11. Peasant Obligations
French peasants were subject to Banalites and the Corvee
Serfs in Austrian and Prussia had much less freedom (Robot)
Serfs in Russia had things the worst
Barshchina
In Ottoman controlled regions peasants were free, but dependent on landlords

12. Peasant Rebellions Rebellions were relatively common during the 1700s
The largest was in Russia, Pugachev’s Rebellion
Smaller revolts occurred in Eastern Europe and Austria
Almost nothing happened in the west

13. English Game Laws
An excellent example of the Aristocracy’s control of the rural areas is the English Game Laws
Only landowners were allowed to hunt
Poaching was a capital offense
The laws would be changed in the early 1800s

14. Households in the West Tended to be nuclear (5-6 people)
Usually only 2 generations
Children moved out in their early teens
Couples generally got married in their early to mid-twenties
The couple would hire a live in servant
Servants were very different from today

15. Households in the East Very different from the west.
Multi-generational, 9-20 members
Couples marry younger
Brides often older than husbands
The landholding structure in the East had much to do with this
Serfs didn’t have near the freedoms of peasants in the west

16. Family Economy
Prior to industrialization the household was the basic unit of production
Small farms, workshops, small merchants, etc.
Everyone contributed to the family business
The death of the father could be a disaster

17. Women & Family Economy
For women it was all about establishing and maintaining the household
Would start by age 7
Varied depending on the family business
Dowries were essential to getting married
Occupations varied between rural & urban
Many professions were close to women

18. Kids & Family Economy
Childbirth was extremely dangerous to both mother and child
Wet nurses were common
Childbirth wasn’t always welcome
Illegitimate births, infanticide, lack of birth control
The early 1700s saw an awareness in helping abandoned children
There many reason for abandonment across social classes
Literacy and education became more important especially in upper classes