Results of the Enlightenment - Legislative Bodies in Europe

Results of the Enlightenment Period =================================== 1. Enlightenment period ended with the French Revolution where it transformed into the Romantic Period. 2. Some of the monarchs became enlightened monarchs and granted more freedom. 3. Many countries will start a l...

Results of the Enlightenment Period =================================== 1. Enlightenment period ended with the French Revolution where it transformed into the Romantic Period. 2. Some of the monarchs became enlightened monarchs and granted more freedom. 3. Many countries will start a legislative body in their government. 4. The intellectual revolution will start the industrial revolution, the American revolution, the Latin American revolution, and the French revolution. Legislative Bodies in Europe ============================ 1. **Great Britain** A. **Act of Union (Wales, England, and Scotland) 1707** B. They kept the legislative body of England called **Parliament** 1. Parliament is divided into two houses a. House of Lords 1. Its members inherited their seats 2. In the beginning it had more power and made all the decisions b. House of Commons- Its members were middle class and were elected to their seats 2. **Parliament was created in 1215 when King John signed the Magna Carta** a. The Magna Carta was created because King John heavily taxed the people b. Parliament controlled all the finances of the monarchs and England c. The monarchs could not pass taxes unless they had permission from Parliament d. The monarchs had power over Parliament because they called it in to session and they could dissolve it at any time e. The Magna Carta also forced the monarch and royal officials to obey laws and be accountable to the people C. Great Britain is a **constitutional monarchy** 1. The monarch is a figurehead with little power 2. The real head of the government is the **prime minister** who is elected from the House of Commons D. Parliament became a role model for the new colonies E. The only people allowed to vote were white males owning land 2\. **France** A. In **1302 the Estate- Generals were formed** 1. **First Estate** a. Made up of clergy b. Owned 10% of the land c. Paid no taxes 2. **Second Estate** a. Made up of royalty and nobles b. Owned 20% of the land c. Paid no taxes 3. **Third Estate** (97%) a. Largest estate b. Owned only 1-3% of the land c. It was divided into three groups 1. Bourgeoisie -- doctors, lawyers, middle class, educated 2. Culottes -- servants, city workers, skilled workers, serfs 3. Sans -- poor. Peasants were the largest group of the third estate, uneducated and poor. Paid all the taxes and were always outvoted by the higher estates d. By 1789 the Estates only met twice e. If the third estate protested for more rights, the monarch would dismiss the estates general B. France had an absolute monarch who gave the people very few privileges C. By 1789, the third estate will start the French revolution 3. **Spain** A. The Spanish legislative body was called the **Cortez** 1. It was only an advisory council to the monarch 2. The monarch was an absolute ruler who gave the people very little freedom B. The **royal advisory council** was set up to govern and control **Spanish colonies** 1. It appointed governors called **viceroys** who were wealthy nobles 2. Only wealthy male landowners could vote in elections for local leaders a. Its monarch was chosen by the nobles b. The middle class and everyone else had few rights c. In **1772** a religious body called the **Diet** was created d. The Diet had little power because they had to have unanimous votes to make decisions e. In 1772 Poland was invaded by Prussia, Russia, and Austria How the monarchs were alike =========================== 1. **Theory of divine right.** a. In divine right, the monarchs believed that God gave them power through their birthright b. Became absolute rulers who the people had to obey 2. They were jealous of each other and always at war 3. They all practiced the right of mercantilism a. **Mercantilism** was an economic system in which colonies existed for the good of the mother country b. The monarchs needed money, so they exploited their colonies natural resources as markets for trade and their people c. Monarchs would begin the slave trade in all the colonies d. The European nations started tariffs which forced colonies to only trade with their mother country 4. **Slave trade** a. First began in North, Central, and South America, and Caribbean 1. Many native people were made slaves 2. Spanish, British, and French intermarried with the natives b. Because many of the native people died from diseases such as smallpox, so the European nation began the **Trans-Atlantic trade slave to Africa** 1. **Slave trade in Africa started in 1200-1300 by Portugal** 2. In 1300, British took over the slave trade. 3. Slaves were seldom freed, and their children also became slaves How the monarchs were different =============================== 1. Religion a. Catholics (Italian kingdoms- France, Spain, Portugal, Austria) b. Protestants (Prussia, England) 2. Economics a. Rural and urban areas. 1. Eastern Europe was mostly rural and depended on farming 2. Most of Western Europe was urban 3. The **industrial revolution** does not start in eastern Europe until the late 1800s 4. Eastern European monarchs also used serfs and peasants for labor, and they were bound to the nobles 5. Examples of Eastern European countries- Russia, Poland, Hungary, and Austria 3. Military a. All the absolute monarchs used the military to stay in power b. The Eastern European monarchs used the military more often c. The military was divided into the army and the navy d. The strongest Catholic nation was France and the strongest Protestant nation was Great Britain Strongest navy- Great Britain, The Netherlands, Sweden ====================================================== Strongest army- Prussia, France ===============================