18th Century Economy and Society

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    Agricultural Revolution

    For the vast majority of modern history, farming techniques and technology have remained relatively the same. Even this revolution did not bring super impactful changes, as they are no where near the technologies and tools we have now. Mild advancements were made in plowing, tilling, and planting, but the common farmers still struggles to produce enough to provide for everyone.
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    Peak of the Atlantic Slave Trade

    Slavery has always been a part of human history. In one form or another, it has existed in Europe, whether through serfdom or servitude or blatant slavery. The only difference here is that the people are being brought in such massive quantities. They aren't even being brought to Europe, but rather their colonies because of the massive expansion in their trade and economic capabilities.
  • Foundation of St. Petersburg

    Foundation of St. Petersburg

    Est. by Tsar Peter the Great, marked Russia becoming a European nation rather than an isolated nation that didn't advance. Through this city, Russia was able to establish maritime trade routes through the Balkan Sea. A perfect example of how Western European influence completely changing an outside country, a trend that has been consistent throughout history.
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    Enlightenment

    In a way, the Enlightenment was just a revival of ancient Greco-Roman ways of thought. Philosophes and other Enlightenment thinkers challenged themselves to push beyond the standard ways of thinking and questioned everything, particularly authoritative figures and structures. This, coupled with the widespread distribution of books due to the printing press allowed people of all social classes to participate and add to the Enlightenment, something that had never before been possible.
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    Last Appearance of the Bubonic Plague

    For centuries, the bubonic plague had greatly impacted European culture and society, wiping out entire groups of people, and killing about a quarter of Europe's population, as well as many millions in the rest of Asia and Northern Africa. The Scientific Revolution led to a better awareness and understanding of disease, and the introduction of the Asian brown rat took out the black rat which caused the disease. Countries took preventative measures in order to avoid spreading the plague.
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    Poverty

    One thing that remained consistent throughout the 18th century was the high rate of poverty. While the exact rate varied from country to country, the majority of European citizens were working low wage jobs or un rural areas with limited means of income. These rates of poverty increased around the middle of the century when food and living prices went up in France, England, Germany, and Italy, to name a few. This sparked riots demanding higher wages and better accessibility to food.
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    Seven Years' War

    Territorial wars are something that have always been a part of history, no matter where in the world they take place. England and France have had many conflicts over the centuries over territory, like the Anglo-French Wars and the French Invasion of Normandy. The difference here is that they are fighting over land that wasn't already part of their nations, its all the way across an ocean, which is harder to govern and heavily based on economic outcome, not so much wanting a new place to live.
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    American Revolution

    All throughout history, we see people rebelling against governments. Furthermore, those places that are being governed by a foreign nation almost always fight for autonomous rule. So while the American Revolution against the British is predictable in the long term themes of history, it is the first of many countries that fought against the colonial rule that came from the age of expansion.
  • "Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith

    "Wealth of Nations" by Adam Smith

    Adam Smith called into question mercantilism, a form of government which had long been favored in Europe. This critique marked a turning point in which European governments began to favor more modern economies that favored free competition and the elimination of monopolies.
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    French Revolution

    Inspired by the American Revolution, the French rebel against the monarchy. Historically, monarchies, especially absolute monarchies, go through periods of increased and decreased popularity throughout time. As more and more countries were moving towards a more democratic or republican form of government, the authority of divine rulers like Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, was questioned. The assassination of the French rulers broke the centuries long tradition of monarchy in France.