Notes from 7/11/08, part 2

18th Century Europe

Open-field system: farmland split into several sections for crop rotation or soil replenishment
Grains
Nitrogen-storing crops
Fallow period
Common lands: community-owned grazing land. Absolutist rulers may restrict use
Enclosures for experimentation
Agricultural Revolution: technological progress that increased food output, e.g. Horses, manure, better plows

Population Explosion

Black Death ended in the 1400s
-Labor shortages
-Low food prices
-Led to overpopulation
By 1600, overpopulation limited resources
-Less food
-Fewer births
-More war
Agricultural Revolution brought permanent population growth in the 1700s
More predictable food supply
Healthier citizens
Industry
“Industry” originally was homemade goods made in a family's spare time for profit
Also known as a “cottage industry”

“Putting out”

Peasants got raw materials
Peasants made finished goods, such as clothing
Finished goods were sold back to merchants
Europe, especially England, became known worldwide for the quality of textiles
Europe sold manufactured goods to Africa, who
Sold slaves, to America, who used slaves to
Gather raw materials to sell to Europe

Mercantilism

European nations tried to monopolize trade and contact with their colonies
“Second Hundred Years War.” England and France fought in Europe and America for supremacy
War of Spanish Succession: Louis XIV of France gets control of Spain, then attacks England. Other nations join England; France gives up parts of Canada
War of the Austrian Succession: Frederick the Great (Prussia) attacks Maria Theresa (Silesia). England and France take sides; fighting in America and India. No change in Europe

Seven Years' War

Maria Theresa fights Prussia back
France fights England again
No change in Europe, but England forces France out of North America
Treaty of Paris (1763): Britain completely controls NA
American colonists were sick of war and expected the British army to leave
Merchantilism and absolutist practices cause England to consolidate power. Enlightenment law theories cause Americans to revolt
Merchantilism leads to
Mass migration (forced or not)
Overpopulation in Europe

Slavery

Debt peonage, much like serfdom
Banking and investment
Powerful European navies
International “triangular” trade
Middle and merchant classes
Mixed races: “Creoles”
Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations (1776) argues for fewer laws. “The invisible hand” would guide the Market Economy

Everyday life

Many Europeans married late until they could afford it
Most lived with their extended families
The poor often worked for other families
“Community Controls” put laws in villagers' hands
With greater chances for wealth, greater populations were possible. With more people, less community control was possible
High infant mortality due to poor health. Were children worth much?

Religion

Everyone's gonna die
Churches found rationalism critical of religion and previous understandings of the universe
Pietism: a Protestant revival for religious purity
Puritans secluded themselves from outsiders and moved west
Methodists, led by John Wesley, believed salvation from God came through faith alone
Catholics reformed by trying to include their practices in everyday life, e.g. Carnival