2º A BILINGÜE: CLASE DEL 8 DE JUNIO DE 2020

Good morning everybody!

Last week, we focused on the reigns of the Catholic Monarchs, Carlos I and Felipe II. We could study how Spain entered in the Early Modern Period and the changes that it supposed. Today, we are going to read and explain page 181 of your textbook, where you can find everything about economy and society. 

5.2. ECONOMY AND SOCIETY

First of all, we are going to listen and copy the vocabulary related to this section: LISTENING

FLEMISH: coming from Flanders (territory which corresponds to part of modern Belgium). (Flamenco: procedente de Flandes, territorio de la actual Bélgica). 

BANKRUPTCY: situation in which a person, a company or the state is unable to pay their debts. (Bancarrota: situación en la que una persona, compañía o Estado es incapaz de pagar sus deudas). 

HIDALGO: member of Spanish lower nobility. Some were wealthy but others lived in poverty. (Hidalgo: título nobiliario español. Corresponde al nivel más bajo de la nobleza, pero ya se considera dentro del estamento privilegiado. Algunos podían tener un alto nivel de vida, mientras que otros vivían igual que el pueblo llano como, por ejemplo, el hidalgo del Lazarillo de Tormes. En el caso de los que vayan a vivir a América, recibían directamente el título de hidalgo). 

- Economy: 

The monarchs earned income from taxes. They also received precious metal from America. However, the cost of administration and armies grew all the time, so that the kings had to ask European bankers for loans. The Spanish crown wasn't able to pay back the loans and, because of that, there were several cases of state bankruptcy, especially in the 17th century; there were a rise in taxes and prices; there was an increasement in imports; and there was a serious crisis in the craftwork sector. 

You can watch this video in order to clarify this point: 

- Society:

Spanish society continued to be based on the estates of realm:

1. Nobility: there were big economic differences between the high nobility (counts, marquises) and the low nobility (hidalgos). 

2. Clergy: there were also big differences between the high clergy (archbishops, bishops, etc.) and the low clergy (priests). 

3. Common people: the majority of the population, including peasants, craftworkers, merchants, etc. They were the ones who had to pay taxes. 

However, at the beginning of the Early Modern Age, rhere were some changes in Spanish society: 

1. The Catholic Monarchs carried out reforms within the clergy in order to improve their education and training. They also increased their authority over the nobles. 

2. There were many conflicts between the nobles and the petite bourgeoisie. 

3. There was an increase in the number of government officials who came from the bourgeoisie. 

Now, make this exercise in your notebook. Match the words in the left column with the description on the right: 

1. Petite bourgeoisie                                    a. They had to borrow money from European bankers. 

2. Nobles.                                                    b. They had to pay a lot of taxes. 

3. Common people.                                     c. They came into conflict with the nobles. 

4. Kings.                                                      d. There were big economic differences between them.