UNIT 2The Early Modern Age: the Ancien

Régime

4th graders

(ESO)

Social Studies

Department

Almudena Corrales Marbán

Almudena Corrales Marbán

VOCABULARY

NEW WORLD

ANCIEN RÉGIME

TO EXERT

PRINTING PRESS

OTTOMAN TURKS

TREATY

CURRENCY

CORTES

PROTECTIONIST

REFORMATION

COUNTER-REFORMATION

https://quizlet.com/almusociales

FIND THE

SPANISH

WORD !

1. The importance of the Early Modern Age (1492-1789)

During this period, a series of political, economic and social changes brought about the establishment of a system historians call the ANCIEN RÉGIME (ANTIGUO RÉGIMEN).

These changes including significant advances were:

Europeans’ discovery and conquest of new lands redefined the limits of the known world.

Europeans monarchs became more powerful, exerting their power over feudal lords.

New forms of skilled craftmanship and increased trade over the world created a more open economy.

Johannes Guttenberg’s invention of the printing press in 1440 facilitated an exchange of information.

2. The Age of Discovery

The fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453

interrupted traditional transport and trade routes between Europe and

Asia. As a result, European traders could not import silk, gold, spices and other

luxury goods from the East.

NEW ROUTES TO EAST ASIA

In the 15th century, Spain and Portugal started making voyages to

find alternative routes to Asia. These explorations were successeful because

of three factors:

1. Spanish and Portuguese navigators already had a lot of experience sailing

along the coasts of Africa.

2. They had ships, such as caravels, which were well designed for long ocean

voyages.

3. Compasses and more accurate maps were helped them to navigate

3.Monarchy during the Early Modern Age

In this period there were three types of monarchy. Some monarchies

were authoritarian, while others were absolute. In England a parlamentary

monarchy was established in the 17th century.

3.1. AUTHORITARIAN MONARCHY

Monarchs in the 16th century are describe as ‘authoritarian’ because

they had forced the nobility to accept their authority. However, these monarchs

also had to respect institutions that were able to limit their power, such as the

Cortes in Spain of the Estates General in France.

These monarchs implemented various measures in order to govern

their kingdoms more effectively:

They unified all the territories that were under their control.

They established administrative unity for the entire kingdom.

They created royal armies to end their dependence on the nobility for military

support.

In Spain

authoritarian monarchy was

established by the Catholic

Monarchs, who expanded

their kingdoms to include

territories in Italy, North

Africa and the New World.

In the 16th century, the authoritarian

monarchy was consolidated by Carlos I

(1516-1556) and his son Felipe II (1556-

1598). In this period, Spain also became

global imperial power, with posessions in

the New World, Africa and Asia.

3.2. ABSOLUTE MONARCHY

In the 17th century, absolute monarchy came to predominate in Western Europe. It was called ‘absolute’ because the crown had unlimited authority which was believed to come from God.

Absolute monarchs exerted this authority in various ways:

they did not allow representative bodies which could limit crown’s power

they controlled the government and economy of their kingdoms

they expanded the army to increase their control

SPAIN’S POLITICAL DECLINE

In this period Spain’s power began to decline with the reigns of the Lesser Hapsburgs (Austrias Menores) Felipe III, Felipe IV and Carlos II, who left their government in the hands of the validos.

The causes of this decline include Spain’s defeat in the Thirty Years War.

3.3. PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY

In England, there was a civil war in the

1640s between supporters of the king and the

supporters of Parliament. As a result, the absolute

monarchy was replaced by a republic under the

control of the former Parliamentarian commander

Oliver Cromwell.

After Cromwell’s death, the absolute

monarchy was restored, but it only lasted until the

Glorious Revolution of 1688. This led to the

establishment of a parliamentary monarchy- with

William of Orange and Queen Mary- in which the

monarch’s power were limited by the Parliament.

In 1689 the Bill of Rights

established the need for

regular parliaments, and

stated that the monarch could

not imposed taxes without

Parliament’s consent.

4. Exchange and global trade

5. ARTRenaissance art developed

during the 15th and 16th

centuries. The name of this

style refers to the rebirth of

Ancient Greek and Roman

traditions in art and

architecture, such as the

importance of proportion and

an absence of excessive

decoration.

Baroque style was popular in Europe

during the 17th and early 18th

centuries. The name of the style may

come from the Portuguese word which

describes an irregular or rough pearl.

This style is characterised by natural

forms an abundant decorative elements,

which created a sensation of drama and

movement.

In Catholic countries, absolute

monarchs used Baroque art to affirm

their religious doctrine and political

power.

Bernini, Baldaquino en San Pedro del Vaticano, Roma, 1623-34. (28, 5 m high)