Historical Evolution: From Prehistory to the Old Regime
Item 1: From Prehistory to the Modern Age
Prehistory: From the appearance of man until the invention of writing.
- The Stone Age:
- Paleolithic: Nomadic and predatory humans (rock art).
- Neolithic: Agriculture. Humans became sedentary.
- The Age of Metals: Use of metal for tools and weapons.
The Ancient Age: From the advent of writing until the fall of the Roman Empire.
- Urban civilizations: Egypt and Mesopotamia – Governors with absolute power. Scripture.
- Classical Civilizations: Greece (democracy of Athens), Rome (Republic and Empire).
The Middle Ages: From the 5th century until the 15th century.
- The Byzantine Empire: The highest peak in the reign of Justinian the Great.
- Islam: Belief in one God (Allah); thriving economy (cities); caliph centralized political power.
- Western European Christian-Feudalism: relations of vassalage; rural economy around the fief; organized society.
- From the 11th century, cities or towns resurfaced (bourgeoisie).
- Art: Romanesque and Gothic.
The Modern Age: From the second half of the 15th century until the late 18th century.
- The geographical discoveries: Portuguese Expansion (Africa, Brazil); Castilian expansion (discovery of America by Columbus).
- Changes: Economics (origin of capitalism), political (authoritarian monarchy), thought (humanism), religion (Protestant Reformation and Counter-Reformation).
- Catholic Monarchs: Religious territorial expansion.
- Hispanic Empire: Charles V, Philip II.
- Art: Renaissance: Inspiration in the Greco-Roman legacy and anthropocentrism.
- The 16th century: Economy (mercantilism), politics (absolute monarchy).
- Spain: Decline of the ‘minor’ Habsburgs.
Item 2: Changes in the Old Regime
Old Regime: From the late 15th century to the last third of the 18th century: reduced natural growth, traditional agriculture, class-based society, absolute monarchy.
Transformations in the Old Regime:
- Economy: Agriculture (Netherlands, part of Germany, England: saving fallow, crop rotation); Crafts (home industry boom); Trade (growth).
- Population: Increase.
- Society: Estates (transformations).
England: Civil war, republic, “Glorious” revolution, parliamentary monarchy.
The Enlightenment:
- Features: Confidence in human reason; faith in progress; the right to happiness; nature as the principle of right.
- Enlightenment thought: Egalitarian society; government with citizen participation; deism; physiocracy; instruction.
- Enlightened despotism: Reforms in policy, society, economy, and culture. Representatives: Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine II of Russia, Charles III of Spain, and Joseph II of Austria.
Relations: Balancing forces among European powers. Conflicts: War of Austrian Succession, the Seven Years War.
The Bourbons in Spain: Changing Dynasty. War of Spanish Succession – Felipe V, king of Spain.
Enlightenment in Spain: Ideas: Spanish decadence caused by economic backwardness and the survival of an antiquated social organization.
Enlightened absolutism in Spain:
- Foreign Policy: Alliance with France.
- Domestic Policy: Reforms in politics and administration, relations with the church, farm economy, and culture.
- Society: Abolition of statutory working disgrace. Rise of the Bourgeoisie.
- Political Problems: Esquilache Riots.
Spanish America in the 18th Century:
- The Creoles considered themselves discriminated against.
- Reform measures: Creation of new viceroys, freedom of American trade, missionary work.
Rococo Art: Architecture (abundant decoration), Sculpture (grace and delicacy), Painting (nice themes, soft colors).