European Society in the Age of Enlightenment

1. European Society in the Age of Enlightenment Chapter 18: Trade and Empire pp. 525-531

2. Comfort and Privacy • Upper and Middle Classes of Europe sought greater privacy • Separate rooms in their homes • Hallways • Servants housed outside the home • Separate bedrooms • Dining • Separate silverware, napkins, dishes, glasses

3. Why this change? • Examples of those at the highest levels of society – Louis XV, Marie Antoinette • A result of the Enlightenment’s emphasis on individualism

4. The Poor • Deserving Poor • Old, sick, disabled • Deserved support • Undeserving Poor • Healthy beggars, vagabonds • Should be employed – voluntarily or involuntarily • How were they managed? • Sent off to overseas colonies • workhouses

5. The Poor continued… • Enlightenment taught the natural rights of each human person • Idea that each person had the right to support of the state – even undeserving poor • Attempt to resolve the problem of poverty by government sponsored plans or agencies

6. Popular Social Protest • The poor protested high increases in prices, when harvests failed • Usually they paid what they could afford for any food/products that were looted during the rioting • Workers tried to protest to get higher wages • Destroyed tools for production • Labor Unions outlawed in France and England

7. Gordon Riots • 1778: an act of Parliament gave Catholics the right to own land and serve in the army • Lord George Gordon protested – obtained over 60,000 signatures on a petition against the act • Parliament refused to receive the petition • A riot broke out – catholic schools, churches, homes, pubs were destroyed • The Royal Army had to be called in to stop the rioting

8. The Social Order • Society of the 18th century was made up of orders or estates • social groupings based on hereditary principles • Orders • Clergy, nobles, commoners • Defined legally • Each order had specific rights called privileges • A hierarchical structure – more privileges for the higher ranking • This organization is being challenged during the later 18th century • Money is now an important determinant of order

9. The Nation • During the mid-18th century people began to think of themselves as citizens of a particular nation

10. Review • How did European ideas of home life change during the 18th century? • How did people think about the poor? • Who should bear the responsibility for the poor/the problem of poverty? • How was society’s organization changing during the mid-18th century?