Catastro of Ensenada facts for kids

In 1749, a big survey and study happened in a part of Spain called the Crown of Castile. This survey looked at about 15,000 towns and villages. It didn't include some areas like the Basque provinces or Navarre. The survey collected lots of information, like how many people lived there, who owned land and buildings, how much cattle they had, what jobs people did, and how much money everyone earned. It even gathered details about the geography of each place.

King Ferdinand VI of Spain and his minister, the Marquis of Ensenada, encouraged this huge project. Today, it's known as the Catastro of Ensenada. The "general answers" from each town to 40 questions created a massive amount of documents. These documents are super helpful for historians. They allow us to understand the economy, society, and even the environment of Spain in the 1700s. It's considered the best record from that time in Europe, before modern statistics existed.

The word "catastro" today means a "register of properties," like a list of who owns what land. But its original meaning comes from "to enquire" or "to investigate." In the 1700s, a "catastro" was done by central government officials who traveled to towns to ask questions. A different type of survey, called an "amillaramiento," was done by local authorities.

Why the Catastro Was Created

The Catastro started because of an idea for a new, single tax. This idea was discussed by many important people, including members of the King's Council and treasury officials. After much debate, the King decided to start the survey. This happened on October 10, 1749. Along with the King's order, there was a detailed handbook. This guide explained exactly how the survey should be done by the officials and the public.

Making Sure It Was Fair

To stop people from cheating or giving wrong information, several steps were taken. The survey findings were read aloud in public in each town. If local officials weren't trusted, officers from other areas were brought in. Small test surveys were also done in one town in each province. This helped to catch any mistakes in how the survey was being carried out.

The number of officials working for the central treasury grew a lot. They were now under the command of a special royal commission for the single tax. The main goal of this new system was to change the old tax system. This old system was a mix of many different taxes. The idea was to create one single tax. This new tax would be based on how much money each person earned, using the information from the Catastro.

The Idea Behind the New Tax

The idea for a single tax came from a very modern economic way of thinking. This new idea believed that the old tax system was bad for the country. It was unfair because only the working people paid most of the taxes. Rich nobles and the clergy (church officials) were usually exempt from many taxes. They could also avoid sales taxes because they grew their own food and didn't buy things in regular markets where these taxes were paid. The old tax system also made it very hard for people to trade freely.

What Happened Next

Even though the Catastro was a huge effort, it didn't lead to a big change in Spain's tax system. Powerful groups who benefited from the old system resisted the changes. While other countries, like France, had big revolutions over similar tax problems, Spain managed to make changes more quietly. There were some small protests, like the Esquilache Riots in 1766, but these were quickly calmed down.

Other important documents were created around the same time. One was called the Census of Ensenada. This census estimated that about 9.4 million people lived in Spain in 1756.

The quality of the information collected varied. Some provinces and towns provided better answers than others. The data from the province of Jaén was so accurate that it was copied and sent out as an example for other areas.

Today, the "Respuestas Generales" (general responses) documents are kept in different Spanish archives. The General Archive of Simancas has copies of all the answers. Most of these documents were put on microfilm in the 1980s. Now, you can even find them online!

See also

In Spanish: Catastro de Ensenada para niños