Alimentos - History Lab

Pasquines threatening the Governor of Cartagena over the price of bread (1766)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:33:11 +0000

The increase in prices in Cartagena in the middle of the 18th century provoked unrest among the population. Some people sent a letter to the Governor of the city asking him to reduce the price of foodstuffs, on pain of being “burnt and fried in boiling oil”. The document then continues with the news that the following day bread was sold for eight quarters, made of water and flour; there would be enough for everyone.

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Increase of bakers to prevent a riot in Palencia (1766)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:33:11 +0000

In the second half of the 18th century, the price of bread increased in many Spanish cities. The unrest among the population meant that the authorities tried to take measures to avoid riots. In Palencia, we know that in 1766, the corregidor José Firmat informed the Count of Aranda (president of the Council) of the increase in the number of bakers with ovens paid for by the Town Council in order to avoid riots. The date of the document, 22 April, only foretold the riot that took place a day later in the city, where gangs of young men asked for a reduction in the price of foodstuffs, which was immediately granted by the mayor.

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Request and approval of the supply of meat to 400 poor people in the city of Zaragoza (1747)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:33:11 +0000

The City Council of the city of Saragossa receives a request from the Casa de Misericordia of that city to provide 400 poor people with a certain amount of meat for each day. These poor, of both sexes and all ages, help the Casa de Misericordia by working with wool, linen and silk. The request was sent to Ferdinand VI who accepted it on the grounds that it was “for the known benefit of the public cause”.

The post Request and approval of the supply of meat to 400 poor people in the city of Zaragoza (1747) first appeared on History Lab.

Sanded agriculture on Lanzarote: water crops

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:18 +0000

The volcanoes, although they caused destruction and losses of cereals and livestock, brought about new forms of agriculture using volcanic materials. On the island of Lanzarote, following the eruption of the volcano in the 1730s, a process of agricultural transformation took place. The technique of sanding, which consisted of covering the soil with a layer to buffer the climatic conditions, found its maximum expression on the island with “lapilli”, a volcanic material with a hygroscopic effect (accumulation of ambient humidity). With this method, the soil was covered with lapilli, where the seeds were planted, and ploughed. With the volcanic material, the scarce autumn rains were sufficient to irrigate crops that required water, such as vegetables, pulses or potatoes.

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Migration of locusts in Extremadura, La Mancha and Córdoba, 1776-1783

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:32:18 +0000

Locust infestations were a major concern in the primary sector during the Modern Age. In an agricultural economy, where the possibilities of growth and development were linked to the production of the harvest, the total or partial loss of the crop caused considerable devastation, or even death by starvation. How were these pests formed and how did they move through the different localities and fields? The author hypothesises that these invertebrates underwent frequent changes in their phenotypes, which led them to change their behaviour, far from their usual solitary behaviour, and to become pests in search of food. The resource shows the advance of the locust in the provinces of La Mancha, Extremadura and Cordoba at the end of the 18th century. Coming from La Mancha, the invertebrate followed its apparent usual south-north direction, passing through Almadén, branching off towards Trujillo and Guadalupe in Extremadura to, on the one hand, head towards Plasencia in 1781, while on the other hand turning towards Talavera de la Reina and Toledo. The plagues began to subside from 1783 onwards and ceased in 1785, when the swarms were dissolved due to climatic and human causes.

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General tariff of prices and positions of Madrid in 1795

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:31:14 +0000

In the Modern Age, a tariff could be understood as a monetary levy on passing through specific customs offices, or as the price at which goods were to be sold, and in our case, the general tariff referred to here refers to the latter concept. In our case, the general tariff referred to here refers to the latter concept. How many types of tariffs were there? There were two types of tariffs: specific, for each specific shop, and general, for each population centre. The latter served to establish a general framework of prices and positions of the shops in the locality. They were printed weekly and variations were noted in them. The products subject to this type of control ranged from vegetables, butter and meat to brooms. The marked prices could not be exceeded by the shops under their jurisdiction; otherwise, they were threatened with a penalty “in proportion to their excess”.

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Certificate of position with unfilled food prices. Toledo, 1760.

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:31:14 +0000

The Modern Age concept of tariff that we have here refers to the price at which goods are sold, not to the economic levy on them after passing through customs. The “cédulas de postura” were specific templates that sellers used to set the prices of the products they had for sale. This price was “prefixed” with a tariff that guaranteed the stability of the price range over long periods. This example of an unfilled cédula was placed in the shop or trading post in a visible manner. Each type of shop had its own ticket adapted to the goods on offer. It shows fruit products (pears, plums, peaches, etc.), spices (saffron, oregano, coriander, etc.) and products of animal origin and treatment (cheeses). Selling prices could not exceed those marked on the certificate, under penalty of being punished. Were all types of certificates and tariffs like this? Without prejudice to the example shown, there were several different models of documents depending on whether they were general (municipality level) or specific (shop).

The post Certificate of position with unfilled food prices. Toledo, 1760. first appeared on History Lab.

The ports of the Kingdom of Valencia (circa 1250-1520)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:31:14 +0000

The map shows the Valencian port line with more than 40 ports between 1250 and 1520. The seaways and ports contributed to the economic development of the region. There were 9 important ports: Valencia, Alicante, Denia, Gandía, Gandía, Cullera, Sagunto, Burriana, Castellón and Peñíscola; and smaller ports oriented to the proximity of the rural or semi-urban world. From the latter, products were shipped in kind to the city of Valencia to supply the market, or beyond the borders of the Kingdom. The maritime connection between Valencia and the towns by sea was extremely important during the second half of the 15th century, and there is evidence of the arrival of numerous cargoes in light sailing ships.

The post The ports of the Kingdom of Valencia (circa 1250-1520) first appeared on History Lab.

Moderation of prices of all tradable goods… (1680)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:31:09 +0000

The control of prices in the supply market or shops was determined by the town councils and the government. In the city of Toledo, a printed document was published entitled Moderación de precios de todos géneros comerciables, hecha en virtud de Real Provisión de su Magestad, y señores de su Real Consejo, por la Imperial Ciudad de Toledo. Year 1680, which established the control of non-food manufactured goods. Subsequently, the articulated control system evolved towards more specific positions, such as the so-called “shop tariffs” where each shop had its own stipulated price.

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Market

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:30:26 +0000

The women were actively involved in the work as saleswomen, as well as in agricultural and livestock tasks and in the transformation of the products generated by the economy. As well as working as poultry, fish or vegetable sellers, they also occupied positions as innkeepers or bakers. The age of the women implied the development of a different activity. The laws, on the other hand, placed limits on the exercise of certain jobs according to age or marital status. This image allows us to approach history from a female perspective, as it makes women visible in areas other than the domestic sphere, carrying out professional activities.

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