The Changing Life of the People Before and After 1750

1. The Changing Life of the PeopleBefore and After 1750

2. Marriage and the Family • Extended and the Nuclear Families • Previous thought – Extended families gives way to Industrialism

3. New thought – Extended family was a rarity in western and central Europe by 1700 • Parents would move in with their children rather than the reverse

4. Who Married ,When and Why

5. Many never married • Those that did, married late – 27 yrs old • Economic conditions • Peasant sons would wait for inheriting land

6. Peasant daughters would have to accumulate a dowry

7. Marriage Ceremony

8. Why… continued • Community controls • Many needed permission from local officials • Poor would be discouraged because they became a burden on the community

9. Work Away from Home • Boys would go where the work was • Sometimes as an apprentice at 14 – forbidden to marry • Always subject to economic fluctuation

10. Girls jobs were more limited • Domestic service was most common • Physical and mental abuse by the mistress of the house • Sexually exploited by family and friends of family

11. “The Carnival”Social Inversion

12. Premarital Sex and Community Controls • Up until 1750 illegitimacy was rare • Premarital sex was common • Going steady • Promised

13. Community controls • Open field systems led to patterns of cooperation • Moved quickly to protect unwed mother • Carnival Season – humiliation rituals

14. Community Controls…continued • Family planning was up to the couple • Contraception; 1700’s in urban areas- sheath • Created by Fallapio in 1564. He claimed to have invented a linen sheath,, as protection against syphilis • Coitus interruptus- Withdrawal

15. The Cottage Industry • Cottage industry – wages made people independent • Courtship becomes freer

16. New Patterns of Illegitimacy • 1750 to 1850 – “Illegitimacy Explosion” • Germany – rose to 25% • France 36% • More women were active • Fewer men would marry • Cottage industry – wages made people independent • Courtship becomes freer

17. Illegitimacy…continued • Urbanization – growing population sent villagers to the city • Mobility … not subject to traditions • Promises were made, but not kept? Sincere or not?

18. Children and Education • If the couple lived to 45 they had six or more children • One in three or one in five died - depending on social class • Parents neglect was a reason for mortality: Vicious circle • Schools • Most never learned to read but literacy was growing • The book hungry Public

19. Child Care and Nursing • Lower class women breast fed • Longer then today • Reduces chance of pregnancy • Increases immunities • Upper-class rarely breast fed • Hired a wet nurse • Middle class women used a wet nurse so she could go to work

20. Wet Nursing • Women were exploited • If they dried they were fired • Their own babies were neglected • Attitudes toward the nurses • Passed their bad traits to babies • Killing nurses – let the baby die to take another fee

21. Foundlings and Infanticide • Christian Church through Jewish scriptures denounce practice • Overlaying … Austria made it illegal to take toddlers to bed with them. • Abortions were rare and dangerous • Foundlings – St Vincent de Paul. The wealthy donate to the cause… demonstrates social concern

22. Foundlings continued… • Even so, by 1770 1/3 of all babies born in Paris were abandoned. 1/3 of those were from married couples… The working poor. • ½ of these died early

23. Attitudes Toward Children • A minor concern of parents regardless of class- High infant mortality • “ One blushes to think of loving one’s children • But … What about evolution • But… What about Christianity • Child mortality rates were high so don’t become attached? • No doctors for the children • Vicious circle …

24. Attitudes… continued • When attention was given was often abusive • “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” • Mother of John Wesley “conquer the will of the child.” • Cry silently to avoid more punishment

25. Attitudes… • Early paupers were beaten in factories because it was considered normal • Enlightenment ideas appear • Rousseau.. Emile 1762 • Greater love and tenderness • Nurse your own child • Stop swaddling

26. Schools and Popular Education • Aristocrats • 16th century often sent children colleges – Jesuits • Elementary education for the common – 18th century • Boys and girls 7-12 • Literacy and religion • The Reformation fostered education… competition for the mind of the people • Prussia leads the way 1717... Mandatory elementary ed. • Literacy rates skyrocket from 1600-1800.

27. What Did They Read? • The educated public – Philosophical works • The commoners… • The Bible • Chap books • Fairy tales, Fictions, Adventures • Morality lessons • Almanacs – practical information

28. Food and Medical Practices • The poor … Grains - bread, wine and beer and some vegetables, fruit was uncommon… Feel full • Ate less meat in the 1700’s then in the 1500’s • Poor were not allowed to hunt game. • The Just Price… bread was important. • Against free market ideas • So what this is bread

29. Diets… Continued • The wealthy • Meat and more meat • Cheeses, nuts, sweets • Alcohol and more alcohol • Middle class – mixture of all • England, Holland’s poor ate best among the poor.

30. The Impact on health • The poor lacked important vitamins – A and C • The rich had gout • The middle class mixed their diet. • The potato… A and C • 18th century tropical fruits appeared in maritime Europe • White bread • Sugar

31. Medical Practitioners • The Enlightenment – courses are created • Women were restricted by the 1700’s • Faith healers – the countryside • Apothecaries – Purging • Physicians • Men • Wealthy • Served the wealthy • Practices – Bloodletting and purging • Surgeons – war allowed for practices to advance

32. Medicine… continued • The Midwife • Witch hunt craze • Doctors helped eliminate the tradition • But may still remained • The Hospital • Dirty • Enlightenment – hospital reform • Mental hospitals – discipline, the lunatic, male masturbation… epilepsy, acne, and premature ejaculation… • Quacks … electricity • Small Pox … inoculation… Jenner

33. Religion and Popular Culture • Religion • Church was woven into society • Charity • Education • Priest for Protestants was no longer the intermediaries. • Catholics less subject to the Pope… State controls Church • Jesuits… 1773 were dissolved by Rome. • Abolition of contemplative orders… Edict of Idle Institutions… Austria

34. Protestant Revival • Germany – Pietism • Warm emotional religion • Priesthood for all believers • Christianity in everyday affairs • John Wesley – Methodists – England • Church of England was corrupt • Took his emotional appeal to the people • Rejects predestination

35. Catholic Piety • Condemns paganism • Festivals were to remember Biblical events • The Piety of the people and the theological purity was mostly a compromise

36. Leisure and Recreation • Carnival… wild release • Oral tradition for the common • Drinking and talking in a public place, taverns. • More Gin being made

37. Leisure • Commercialization • Fairs • Entertainment • Blood sports • Gambling • Wedge grows between the common and the elite