Monarchs & Constitutional Monarchies
Monarchs & Constitutional Monarchies
Case Studies
Spain: Religious dominance (Catholicism)
Netherlands: Commercial revolution (Capitalism)
England: Constitutional monarchy (Limit power of King)
Russia: Absolute Monarchy - Modernization
Take out workbook
Complete Spain vs. Netherlands chart on page 10
Spain vs. Dutch Republic Comparison Chart
Sources of Authority
Spain:
Authority derives from the monarch justified through Catholic religious unity.
The king’s duty is to defend the true faith and enforce unity for stability. (Document 1)
Dutch Republic:
Authority is shared among provincial leaders and merchant elites domestically.
Overseas, the state charters a company (e.g., Dutch East India Company) that acts with government power (monopoly + enforcement). (Documents 3, 6)
Economic Foundation
Spain:
Imperial extraction resulting in wealth from overseas conquests/bullion (gold/silver).
Prosperity measured by possession of precious metals rather than productive capacity. (Document 2)
Dutch Republic:
Wealth arises from trade networks, shipping, finance, investment, and joint-stock structures (shares, profits, reinvestment). (Documents 4, 6)
Funding of War
Spain:
Funded through imperial revenues (silver/gold) that allow compensation for armies and fleets, until costs outweigh shipments. (Document 2)
Dutch Republic:
Funded through a hybrid model involving private capital raised via shares along with state-backed authorization; the VOC finances armed action through commercial profit and monopoly control. (Documents 3, 4)
Risk Management
Spain:
Risk is concentrated; the crown’s power relies heavily on continued silver flows, making it unstable when revenue drops or prices increase. (Document 2)
Dutch Republic:
Risk is distributed; investment is pooled and spreads risk among many investors, allowing for profit reinvestment. However, risk also burdens colonized areas through coercion. (Documents 4, 5)
Primary Vulnerabilities
Spain:
Vulnerable due to overreliance on bullion leading to inflation/debt, creating an illusion of strength while harming long-term productivity. (Document 2)
Dutch Republic:
Vulnerable to privatized coercion; the expansion depends on monopoly power and force, leading to risks from resistance and conflict due to profit-driven violence. (Documents 3, 5)
Geographic Context
Map Representation
Depiction of Global Empire of Charles V and major geographical regions involved in the Spanish and Dutch empires, including the New World and Old World distinctions.
Religious Dominance and Conflict
Unified Religious Control:
Warfare against heretics (Inquisition).
Role of New World missionaries.
Comparative Conflicts:
England: Included the Spanish Armada battle against Queen Elizabeth.
Netherlands: Sought independence from Spain based on differing linguistic, religious, and economic foundations.
Ottoman Empire: Focused on Mediterranean control and halting the spread of Islam.
Spain’s Economic System
Mercantilism:
Economic framework prioritizing internal trade and control of resources.
Goals: Include acquiring colonies, exploiting raw materials, increasing power, avoiding foreign trade, and accumulating precious metals.
Spain’s Economic Problems
Initial extreme wealth diminished due to excessive costs of maintaining colonies, emphasizing religious expenditures, leading to diminishing returns.
Inflation:
Gold's value declines while good prices escalate, affected by the ‘tragedy of the commons’ where individual pursuits hinder societal welfare.
Major Historical Events: Columbian Exchange
This term signifies the global redistribution of plants, animals, and diseases following initial European contact with Native populations.
Networking and Impact of Disease
Columbian Exchange: Holdings affected by significant mortality of indigenous populations (50-90%) due to diseases.
Slave Trade: Approximately 10 million African slaves were transported to the Americas from the 16th to 19th centuries.
Increasing international competition included France, Britain, the Dutch, and the Portuguese intruding upon Spanish territories.