The Early Modern Age
Beginning and end
Began in 1453
Fall of Constantinople
Ended in 1789
French Revolution
Economic transformation
Increased agricultural production
Intensified commercial activity
The expansion of craftsmanship
Domestic system
New products
The development of mercantile capitalism
Banking
Providing loans
Creating new forms of payment
An increase in the amount
Of land under cultivation
Three-field system
Rotating crops
One section fallow (uncultivated)
Main crops
Cereals
Main source of economic activity
Agriculture and livestock farming
Societies were very vulnerable
Bad crops, hunger and disease
Surplus in production
An excess of food produced
Sold in the city markets
Merchants and traders
Travelled in search of new markets
Establishing trade routes
Products
Were made in workshops
Associations of craftsmen
Guilds
Products
Were made in people's homes
Merchants provided the families
Tools and raw materials
To make these products
Voyages of exploration to new lands
Brought new products to Europe
Precious metals, foods and spices
An economic system
Capital belonged to private owners
Members of the bourgeoisie
Created trading companies
To generate profits
Bankers started changing money
And looking after the money and precious metals
Of their clients
Bankers lent money in exchange
For returning the same amount
Plus an additional amount
Interest
Traders made larger profits
They could pay their loans back
Bankers became rich
Monarchs also asked the banks for loans
To cover the costs of running their states
Banking played a vital role
In the new system
Mercantile capitalism
By financing the trading companies
The bill of exchange
A document
Guaranteed that the banker would pay a merchant
A quantity of money
On a specified time
At specified place
No longer necessary
To travel with cash
Was unsafe
Social change
Economic prosperity
An increase in population
A reduction on the number of big epidemics
Cities grew
Especially cities with
Trade routes
Important ports
Society divided
Different social groups
Classes
The priviledged class
Nobility and clergy
They were a minority
But owned most of the land
Access to high political positions
They had numerous privileges
Didn't pay taxes
Were judged by special tribunals
They lived in
Castles in the countryside
Palaces in the city
The unprivileged class
They were also called commoners
The majority of the population
They paid numerous taxes
They didn't have access to high political positions
This group was divided
Various sub-groups
The peasants
The largest group
Serfs of the feudal lord or noble
Had to pay them
Rent
A part of their harvest
Many of them went to the cities
They had more freedom
The bourgeoisie
The city inhabitants
Were not ruled by a feudal lord
During the Early Modern Ages
Increased in number
Became wealthier
Gained more political influence
Differences within this group
The upper bourgeoisie
Important merchants, bankers and officials
Lived in richly decorated urban places
Formed the ruling class
Together with the city nobles
The most powerful and influential group
The petite bourgeoisie
Small merchants, artisans, servants, etc.
Formed the largest group in the cities
Lived in humble houses
In buildings with several floors
Some social groups
Protested for their rights
Most violent protests
Carried out by the peasants
These revolts were severely suppressed
Some of the upper bourgeoisie
Became wealthier than the nobles
Some families from the nobility
Began marrying into families of the bourgeoisie
The bourgeoisie demanded
An end to the privileges
Enjoyed by the nobility and the clergy
Not to pay so many taxes
Have access to all political positions
The monarchs supported
Either the bourgeoisie or the nobility
Depending on their own interests
