4º session: Absolutism in Spain. Questions and answers.

1. Why was Charles II´s succession such a political problem?
He had appointed a french prince as heir, and the erst of Europe feared this could threaten the Balance of Power.

2. Why didn´t all Spanish territories support Philip V, who was the lawful heir?
Because in Aragon his centralism was feared, and they preferred sticking to the decentralized system of the Habsburg dinasty.

3. What was the punctual fact that determined the end of the war?
Charles inherited the imperial crown.

4. The treaty of Utrecht meant the loss of territories, state those permanent and those non permanent.
Permanent: Milan, Naples, Flanders and Sardinia, Gibraltar. Non permanent: Menorca.

5. According to the French model, what became the ultimate source of power? How do we call that kind of monarchy? WATCH IMAGES P. 19.
TÚ.

6. Compare the American government to that of the victorious first Spanish Bourbon. Why did Philip V issue the Nueva Planta Decrees? READ TEXT P. 18
Decentralized federalism against Centralism. TÚ.

7. Who were in Spain equivalents to the Enlightened men of knowledge? Name three common goals they all shared.
Floridablanca, Campomanes, Olavide, Ensenada, Aranda. Also Jovellanos.
ELLOS.

8. Remember what was Enlightened Despotism. Who is its symbol in Spain? WATCH IMAGE P. 20 AND TEXTS P. 20.
TÚ.

9. Why did all this project ultimately fail? With what consequences?
Lack of burgher ranks, conservatist intellectuals and the catholic Church. They collaborated with Absolutism (Charles III), renouncing deeper reform. This failed too (The Esquilache revolt). TEXT P. 20 DOWN.

10. Name two factors of Spain´s economic underdevelopment in the XVIII century. By which two ways was this situation slightly changed?
The privileged class held the majority of the land. No technical improvement. Population grew and thanks to Charles III´s reform agricultral output was stimulated.

11. Which two measures did the king take to improve trade and industry?
He let every one of the spanish kingdoms do trade with american colonies. He established royal manufactures and protected those private. SEE IMAGE P. 21 DOWN.

12. What was the unsolved and gravest problem?
The peasantry´s short demand. Enlightened intelectuals claimed for an agrarian reform to ensure the peasants access to land property and thus more income. SEE TEXTS AND IMAGE P. 21 UP.