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HISTORY 4th

The 18th century: The Ancien Régime in crisis


THE ANCIEN
RÉGIME.
The Ancien Régime (french word for Old
Regime) is the term used by french revolutionaries
to refer to former times previous to French
Revolution in 1789 (an absolute monarchy under
Louis XVI). Then it changed to refer to the social
and political organisation in Modern Europe,
where definitely breakdown with feudalism was
done.
THE ANCIEN
RÉGIME.

Its main features were the absolute


monarchy based on king’s divine right
(God’s will) on the top of social pyramid,
and a rigid social division into three estates:
the aristocracy, the clergy and the Third
Estate. (Wikipedia)
Estates of the Realm
Privileged Nobility of the court
Higher clergy

Monarch

Lower clergy Nobility of the provinces


Unprivileged
Farmers

Bourgeoisie

Urban working classes


The absolute monarch
Charles III Spain
Royal Palace

Louis XVI France


Palace of Versailles
Rural economy and commercial
development
European population since 1500 to 1800
THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION

William of Orange

Oliver Cromwell
Charles I

Houses of Parliament: London


ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM
“All for the people, nothing by the people”

Charles III Fredrick II the Great Maria Theresa Catherine the Great
Spain Prussia Austria Russia
THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES
George Washington Thomas Jefferson

1st president of the U.S.


Main author of the U.S Declaration of
Independence and 3rd president of the U.S.

Being ready for the war


is one of the most You mustn’t be too severe
effective means to keep with people mistakes, but
the peace try to eliminate them
through education.
Benjamin Franklin

Politician, inventor and U.S. Constitution 1787


scientist.
“The securest place is a prison
cell, but there is no liberty”
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was a historical time and
a cultural and intellectual movement that
developed since end of 17th century.

It was called that way due to its purpose of


removing the dark, the humanity ignorance,
with the lights of reason. The 18th century is
known, for that cause, as the Age of
Enlightenment.
The Enlightenment
The new bourgeoisie adopted
these ideas for a revolutionary
programme to end absolutism.
Economic thinking

Physiocracy
Mercantilism

Economic liberalism
Political thought
Political liberalism
VOLTAIRE
ROUSSEAU
MONTESQUIEU
MONTESQUIEU
Diderot

From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step.

D’Alembert

Just go on and faith will come later


AN ERA OF
REVOLUTIONS
The 18th century: The
Ancien Régime in crisis.


• Liberal
revolutions and
nationalist movements.

The industrialization
of
european societies.

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