European Society & State Development 1500-1750 Chapter 16

Social Hierarchy Kings Nobility Merchants, professionals, bourgeoisie (urban merchants), and gentry (landowners, but not nobility) Urban dwellers, peasants

Cities Grew because of trade, manufacturing, & finance Much competition for labor Conditions worsen because rural poor move to cities for work Rise in crime Rebellions: Food shortages High taxes

Amsterdam, Netherlands Dutch textile industry Europe’s financial center Most of Europe’s shipping in 17th century Joint-stock companies

Rural Areas Even though peasants are free, conditions worsen Warfare Environment Raise in prices Grain too expensive Turn to maize & potatoes Much deforestation

Women Status/rights dependent upon husband Class & wealth of family determines freedoms Unmarried & widows have worst conditions Much more choosing of spouses here as compared to rest of world, BUT the higher the status, the less of a choice Most barred from education

State Development

Political Centralization Separate kingdoms Competition between them created a balance of power – temporary alliances to prevent any one state from becoming too powerful Internal conflicts Building of impressive armies

Holy Roman Empire Charles V Inherited Spanish thrones of Castile & Aragon Wanted to centralize power & unite against Ottomans Francis I of France jealous; supported attacks German princes prefer Protestantism (power) Peace of Augsburg (1555)

Spain Successful in defending Catholicism against Protestantism Spanish Inquisition King Philip II Brought central unity Strengthened monarchy

England Separation from Catholic Church Henry VIII Church of England (Anglican) Puritans (Calvinists) Power struggle between monarchs & Parliament Charles I - English Civil War Oliver Cromwell James II – Glorious Revolution Bill of Rights (1689) Parliament must be called Reaffirmed power of Church of England

France Catholicism maintained Monarchs able to maintain absolutism Louis XIV Versailles