AP European History Demographic Trends 1450-2000

**Demographics, 1450-1600**

• Population slowly recovers after devastating Black Death

– High birth rates

• Significance – Population growth 🡪 Price Revolution

• Most families are nuclear, but large

– Marriage age was under 20 for women 

– Short life spans

– More kids needed to help work in the fields 

**Demographics, 1600-1700**

• Century of Crisis

– Population remains level due to war, disease, and famine

• Mortality rates = birth rates

• Most families are still nuclear and large 

– Marriage age for women and men increase due to need for economic establishment

– Low rate of illegitimate births 

**Demographics, 1700-1800**

• Dramatic population growth due to decline in mortality rates

– Population checks have been solved: 

• Disease, war, and famine! 

• The Agricultural Revolution is the most important reason!!!

• Most families are still nuclear

– Marriages become more based upon romance in the lower classes

– Marriage age for men and women remains high due to need for economic establishment

• Factory system

– Urbanization increases freedom of young people 

– Increase in illegitimate births and foundling hospitals 

**Demographics, 1800-1900**

• Dramatic population growth continues

– 1850-1900: Population growth due to decline in mortality rates 

• Improved standard of living in urban environments

– Despite high emigration and declining birth rates

• France was first country to experience declining birth rates due to contraception 

• Most families are still nuclear

– Romance is now #1 reason among lower classes

– Marriage age declines in urban areas due to greater availability of work

– Illegitimacy declines after 1850 

– Families have fewer children between 1850-1900

**Demographics, 1900-2000**

• 1900-1960

 – Emigration continues until 1940

 – World Wars bring horrendous demographic destruction 

• Baby boom in 1920s; falling birth rates during depression 

• Baby boom after WWII 

• 1960-2000

 – Zero population growth in Europe 

• Declining birth rates, Immigration + Declining mortality 

– Smaller, nuclear families 

• birth control 

• More women working – marry early and have children early