Social History 18 th Century: Pre-French Revolution

Enlightened Philosophes Social Backgrounds varied – Montesquieu = Aristocrat – Diderot & Rousseau = Lower Middle Class Common people/Peasants little affected Salons were important

Art of the Era Rococo: Aristocratic & ‘frilly’ – 1700’s – Antoine Watteau (pg 522) Neoclassicism: Classical revived – Late 1700’s-early 1800’s – Jacque-Louis David (pg 523)

Music Rise of Opera, Sonata, Concerto, & Symphony Italy & Germany were musical leaders Baroque Style: – Bach & Handel (pg 523) Classical Era: – Hayden & Mozart (pg 524)

Literature Development of the Novel Fiction, No rules, open to experimentation – Samuel Richardson: Pamela: or Virtue Rewarded – Henry Fielding: History of Tom Jones, a Foundling History written without a God force – Edward Gibbon: Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire

High Culture & Popular Culture High Culture: Educated & wealthy Popular Culture: The masses Rise of Periodicals & Publishing – Pamphlets, Newspapers, Magazines, etc Wide appeal to Popular Culture

Education Schools grew in number Grammar & Public Schools in England – Gymnasiums in Germany – Colleges in France School was still for the elite – Rich & powerful families – Perpetuated class distinctions Eton School, Britain

Crime & Punishment Series of courts used to try criminals – Torture used everywhere except England Executions were public events Criticism grew – Beccaria: On Crimes & Punishment – Prison rather than execution serves as a better deterrent

Medicine & Health Physicians at the top: Surgeons below them: Apothecaries, Midwives, and faith healers at the bottom Early on Galen still reigned – Late 18 th Century saw more changes & acceptance of Scientists that deviated from Galen Hospital conditions poor Medical advancements played a minor role in expansion of populations – Most population increases were: end of Little Ice Age. Agricultural revolution & better diet, Decline of plague outbreaks

Bourgeoisie Designates the middle group between the nobility & the masses of peasants – Merchants, guild members, elite non-nobles, Lawyers – Upper, Middle, Petty Bourgeoisie – Social mobility within this group – Some social mobility between upper level and nobility Wealth primarily from trade About 10% of population except England (25%) and Holland (50%)

Belief in: – Property, virtue, talent, frugality, work ethic, religious values, and a heavy emphasis on material comfort Saw themselves as morally superior to the idle aristocracy and the lower class peasants The ideology of domesticity emphasized the importance of harmonious familial relations, a moral private life, prescribed gender roles, and the celebration of the home as a haven from the rational, but heartless, world of the market Women in a domestic role was vital to creating and maintaining a moral center for the family Work centered around towns & commerce Leisure life was in the country home where they copied aristocratic styles

Families & Children Primarily nuclear families in Western Euro (extended families in East) Marrying age around mid to late 20’s – Delayed marriage until men could care for a family Men, women, and children worked together as a single economic unit (agricultural life) Women worked to acquire a dowry to guarantee a favorable marriage Social stigma to premarital sex, yet between 1750 and 1850 there was a rapid increase in children born out of wedlock – Led to infanticide – Foundling homes set up by wealthy people & Catholic Church

Children viewed as sinful – “Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child” – Rule of Thumb (thickness of stick used to whip children) Changes began to occur in 18 th century – Locke’s Tabula Rasa and Enlightenment – Changed to view children as innocent creatures needing care and comfort