Se trata de una presentación para 4º de ESO bilingüe en el IES Ornia de La Bañeza. Geografía e Historia

1. Oscar González García

2. Mis presentaciones tienen tan solo una finalidad didáctica y sin ánimo de lucro,
estando disponibles en Internet para todo aquel que las encuentre útiles. Salvo en
casos excepcionales, no cito las fuentes escritas ni audiovisuales que utilizo por
razones de economía de espacio y tiempo; de igual forma, no requiero que se cite
lo que yo elaboro.
Sin embargo, si algún autor reconoce sus textos o imágenes en mis trabajos y
considera que debe ser citado, no tiene más que ponerse en contacto conmigo e
incluiré su nombre donde sea necesario.
Gracias y disfruten de la Historia…
Prof. Oscar González García – IES Ornia (La Bañeza) 2017/2018

3. What are we going to study?
ORDEN EDU 362/2015 de 4 de mayo – currículo ESO CyL
CRITERIOS DE EVALUACIÓN
1. Explicar las características del
“Antiguo Régimen” en sus
sentidos político, social y
económico.
2. Conocer los avances de la
“revolución científica” desde el
siglo XVII y XVIII.
3. Conocer el alcance de la
Ilustración como nuevo
movimiento cultural y social en
Europa y en América.
ESTÁNDARES DE APRENDIZAJE
EVALUABLES
1.1 Distingue conceptos históricos como
“Antiguo Régimen” e “Ilustración”.
2.1. Aprecia los avances científicos y su
aplicación a la vida diaria, y
contextualiza el papel de los científicos
en su propia época.
2.2. Comprende las implicaciones del
empirismo y el método científico en una
variedad de áreas.
3.1. Describe las características de la
cultura de la Ilustración y qué
implicaciones tiene en algunas
monarquías.
3.2. Establece, a través del análisis de
diferentes textos, la diferencia entre el
Absolutismo y el Parlamentarismo.

4. 1. THE ANCIEN RÉGIME
The Ancien Régime is a period that covers the 17th and 18th centuries. During
this period, a series of political, economic and social transformations took place
modifying some aspects of the feudal system. These changes brought about
the start of the Modern Age.
• The European monarchs became more powerful and forced the feudal lords
to accept their authority. They exerted their power over all three estates of
the realm. As a result, absolute monarchy was established.
• New forms of skilled craftsmanship and increased trade created a more
open economy; because of that, the bourgeoisie became wealthier.
• Humanism developed. It was a new way of thinking that placed human
beings, rather than God, at the centre of the Universe.
• Lots of advances in science and philosophy increased the human interests
on knowledge.

5. Feudal system

7. Europe during the 17th century

8. 1. 1. The politics of the Ancien
Régime
In the 17th century, absolute
monarchy came to predominate
in Western Europe. It was called
like that because the crown had
unlimited authority, which was
believed to come from God.
Louis XIV of France (1643-
1715), was the model for
absolute monarchy, and exerted
his authority by imposing his
will, controlling the government
and intervening in the economy
with protectionist measures.
Louis XIV (Rigaud)

9. In England, Charles I faced opposition from
Parliament when he tried to rule as an absolute
monarch. This led to a civil war between the
supporters of the king (Royalists) and the supporters
of Parliament (Parliamentarians).
The Royalists were defeated and the king executed; a
republic was established under the control of
Parliamentarian commander Oliver Cromwell in 1649.
When he died, the monarchy was re-established
under Charles II, who tried to get on well with the
Parliament.
In 1688 tensions between Parliament and James II led
to the Glorious Revolution, and the king was expelled.
The throne was offered to William of Orange, a Dutch
prince, who swore to uphold a Bill of Rights written
by Parliament. In fact, this led to the establishment of
a parliamentary monarchy, in which the monarch´s
powers were limited by Parliament. Very soon, that
model would be an important example for the rest of
Europe.
Charles I
Oliver Cromwell

10. In the following link you could find a video about the differences between absolute and
parliamentarian monarchies, and about the History of France; watch it and complete
the next activities on your notebook!!
Royal Absolutism in France: Monarchical Power & Louis XIV
• What are the main differences between absolute monarchy and parliamentary
monarchy?
• Look to the painting of Louis XIV above. In what ways does it symbolise his power as
an absolute monarch?
• Why do you think absolute monarchy is no considered to be an appropriate form of
government today?

11. 1. 2. Economy and society of the
Ancien Régime
The Ancien Régime´s economy had the following characteristics:
• A traditional agriculture with very low productivity: people farmed to meet
their own needs and used outdated techniques and tools.
• Dominance of guilds: associations of craftsmen in the same trade that regulated
aspects such as working hours, prices, wages and tools.
• Domestic trade grew very little due to internal customs duties and the poor
quality of the roads. However, foreing trade was expanding due to the
geographical discoveries and the establishment of new sea routes.
• During the 17th century, the monarchs imposed a new economic system called
MERCANTILISM that was based on the idea that a country´s wealth depended
on how much gold and silver is possessed. In order to that, they implemented
protectionist policies.

12. The society was divided in estates of the realm…
• The nobility and the clergy maintained traditional privileges and did not pay
taxes. They have economic power by collecting tithes from the peasants and
through the income they received from their lands. However, the lesser nobility
and the lower clergy were often very poor.
• The third Estate did not have any privileges and its members had to pay taxes.
There were differences between them:
• The upper middle class or
bourgeoisie became richer and
more powerful.
• The lower middle class declined
because they could not compete
with new forms of production.
• The peasantry and day labourers
suffered during the 17th century
because of poor harvest, rising
prices and the higher taxes they
had to pay.

13. 2. Scientific advances during the
Ancien Régime
Descartes, a French philosopher,
founded modern rationalism during
the 17th century. According to him,
human reason is the only valid source
of knowledge.
On the other hand, advocates of
empiricism, such as Locke and
Hume, maintained that knowledge
could only come from sensory
experience and from observation.
Both theories combined to become the
basis of the scientific method, which
led to significant scientific
developments in the 17th and 18th
centuries.
Hume
Descartes

14. Some important advances were:
• Astronomy: in 1609 Galileo Galilei used the telescope to prove the
heliocentric theory that the Sun is at the centre of the Solar System, and that
the Earth revolves around it.
• Physics: in 1643 Evangelista Torricelli invented the barometer to measure
atmospheric pressure. In 1666 Isaac Newton used the scientific method to
formulate the law of universal gravitation.
• Medicine and biology: in 1674 Anton Leeuwenhoek perfected the
microscope. He used it to observe red blood cells and microorganisms
(bacteria) for the first time.
• Mathematics: in 1643 Blaise Pascal invented the first mechanical calculator
capable of adding and subtracting.

15. During the 18th century, the influence of the Enlightenment and the scientific
legacy of the previous period resulted on great scientific and technological
developments such as:
• In 1750 Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod that attracted
lightning and conducted it to Earth.
• On the field of medicine, in 1747 it was discovered that eating lemons
prevented scurvy, that was a disease that sailors suffered from due to a lack
of vitamin C. Longer voyages could be made.
• In 1796 Edward Jenner discovered a vaccine for smallpox.

16. 3. The Enlightenment: a change
in thinking
The Enlightenment was an important intellectual
movement that emerged in Europe during the 18th century.
Enlightenment thinkers criticised the traditional
structures of the Ancien Régime and suggested new ideas
to change society.
Their main principles of Enlightenment thought were:
• REASON is the only real source of knowledge, rather
than irrational beliefs and dogma.
• TEACHING and LEARNING are essential. People must
learn as much as possible and share their knowledge in
order to educate and ‘enlighten’ society.
• EQUALITY and LIBERTY are the key elements of an
enlightened society; all people should enjoy the same
legal rights and freedoms.

17. Enlightment ideas were spread through newspapers, books, and
through schools and special academies. In addition, Enlightenment
thinkers organised meetings in the salons of their homes to discuss
new ideas.

18. Some intellectuals, such as D’Alembert
and Diderot, created an extensive
collection of writings called
Encyclopaedia. It summarised knowledge
from many areas of study, including
science, philosophy, art and grammar.

19. 3.1. Enlightenment criticisms and
proposals.
These thinkers wanted to make substantial changes in
various areas of society.
1. POLITICS. They proposed measures to limit the
power of absolute monarchs.
• Motesquieu argued for the separation of powers
(legislative, executive and judicial). The three
branches should be separated from one another.
• Voltaire favoured a strong monarchy, but he also
supported the existence of parliaments.
• Rousseau introduced the idea of popular
sovereignty. He wrote Du Contract Social.

20. 2. ECONOMY.
A group of intellectuals called the
Physiocrats argued that agriculture was
the true source of wealth. They rejected
Mercantilism, and believed that the state
should not interfere with trade and other
economic activities. They shared this idea
with the followers of economic liberalism,
founded by Adam Smith.
3. SOCIETY
Enlightenment thinkers criticized the
social inequalities of the estates system.
They argued that no group should have
special privileges under the law.

21. 3. 2. Enlightened Despotism
Enlightened despotism was a new form of government that developed in some
European countries in the 18th century. Its objective was to modernise the
country by combining absolute monarch with Enlightenment ideas aimed at
modernising the country and improving people´s wellbeing.
Enlightened despots had the following characteristics:
1. They maintained their absolute power through centralised governments that
implement their policies.
2. To promote reform, they appointed enlightened thinkers to important
positions, for example ministers.
3. They tried to make changes peacefully, through education and new laws.

22. Examples of enlightened despots were:
Catherine the Great of Russia
Joseph II of Austria (Maria Antonieta’s
brother)
Frederick II of Prussia
Carlos III of Spain
Did they really carry out all these
enlightened ideas?
In the end, enlightened despotism did not
succeed as a form of government because it
maintained the privileges of the estates system.
In addition, the legal reforms were not
sufficient to guarantee equality and
freedom for all members of society.
Frederick II
of Prussia
Carlos III of Spain

23. Glossary
Popular Sovereignty: political theory that states that power resides in the will of
the people, and that this power is expressed through the right of vote.

24. HISTORICAL NEWSPAPER
We are going to start our course project. This is going to be the first time we
work on it so I have decided to recommend you some topics you could
investigate about and make news. Choose one of them!!
• Charles I lost his head.
• Newton formulates the universal gravitation law.
• Franklin invented the lightning rod.
• Publication of the encyclopaedia.
• Rousseau wrote a book.
• Reforms of any enlightened despot.