TRANSFORMATION OF THE WEST1450-1750 (EARLY MODERN PERIOD)
By Chandler Clark
THEME 1: INTERACTION BETWEEN HUMANS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Contacts with Asia led to improvements in technology
Literacy became more widespread Population growth, urban growth After 1730, the changes in economic
activity caused a rapidly growing population
More people lived longer
THEME 2: DEVELOPMENT AND INTERACTION OF CULTURES
Science became the centerpiece for the first time in the history of any society
Printing helped to expand religious and technological thinking
Renaissance: challenged medieval intellectual values and styles
ITALIAN RENAISSANCE New realism appeared in painting, and religion declined as
a central focus Secular topics such as love and pride; critical thinking Da Vinci and Michelangelo changed styles in art & sculpture Political theory: Machiavelli advanced ideas similar to those
of the Chinese legalists Examples from Greece and Rome Humanism: focus on humanity as the center of intellectual
and artistic endeavor Italy declined as center of Renaissance 16th century (French
and Spanish invasion cut political independence, while new Atlantic trade routes hurt the Mediterranean economy)
NEW REALISM
LEONARDO DA VINCI’S MONA LISA
NORTHERN RENAISSANCE Centered in France, the Low Countries, Germany, and England,
spread to eastern Europe More religious than the Italians Writers(Shakespeare, Rabelais, and Cervantes)mixed classical
themes with elements of medieval popular culture Northern rulers became patrons of arts, tried to control the church,
& sponsored trading companies & colonial ventures Classical styles replaced Gothic Education changed to favor Greek and Roman classics, plus
Christian morality A spirit of individual excellence and defiance of tradition was
widespread Feudal political forms remained strong Ordinary people were little touched by the new values, and
general economic life was not much altered
NORTHERN RENAISSANCE
PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC REFORMATIONS German monk Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to door of church
taught that only faith could gain salvation, challenged many Catholic beliefs, including papal authority, monasticism, and priestly celibacy
Bible should be translated into the vernacular Luther picked up widespread support among German elite because: German princes
who turned Protestant could increase their independence from the emperor, seize church lands, and control the church in their territories; gained power at expense of Catholic holy Roman emperor
peasants interpreted Luther's actions as a sanction for rebellion against landlords Henry VIII in England: Anglican church Frenchman Jean Calvin, based in Geneva, insisted on the principle of
predestination of those who would be saved Calvinism: sought participation of all believers in church administration, which
had the political implications of encouraging the idea of a wider access to government; stressed education to enable believers to read the Bible
Catholic Church was unable to restore unity, but much of Europe remained under its authority
Catholic Reformation worked against Protestant ideas, revived doctrine, and attacked popular beliefs
Jesuits spearheaded educational and missionary activity, including work in Asia and Americas
MARTIN LUTHER- 95 THESES
SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION Western view of science compared to other civilizations: West was
not alone in developing crucial scientific data, but its thinkers were the only ones to see science in broader philosophical terms as central to intellectual life
Copernicus: astronomical observation and mathematical calculation to disprove Hellenistic belief that earth was center of universe
Newton established the principles of motion, defined the forces of gravity, and refined the principles of scientific methodology
Spread among educated New attitudes toward religion: Deism argued that God did not
regulate natural laws Locke stated that people could learn all that was necessary through
their senses and reason Science was central to Western intellectual life (different from other
civilizations) Led to…
ENLIGHTENMENT Centered in France Rational laws could describe both physical and
social behavior Produced a basic set of principles concerning human
affairs: humans are naturally good, reason was the key to truth, intolerant or blind religion was wrong
Adam Smith: governments should stand back & let individual effort & market forces operate for economic advance
Methodism demonstrated the continuing power of spiritual faith
THEME 3: STATE BUILDING, EXPANSION, AND CONFLICT
Overseas expansion and growing commercial dominancechange in West Governments increased their powers Renaissance sketched brasher spirit create new Western interest in
exploring Protestant and Catholic Reformations led to religious wars 16th and
17th centuries In France, Calvinists and Catholics disputed until the edict of Nantes in 1598
gave Protestants tolerance. The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) pitted German and Swedish Protestants
against the holy Roman emperor and Spain, established principle of territorial toleration; reduced German prosperity and power for a full century; some princely states in Germany chose one religion, some another; treaty that ended the war granted political independence to Protestant Netherlands
Religion was an important issue in English civil strife; most Protestants, but not Catholics, gained toleration
Religious wars led to very limited concepts of religious pluralism France gained power, the Netherlands and England developed international
trade, and Spain lost dominance
THEME 3 CONTINUED Protestant theory encouraged parliamentary power Feudal balance between monarchs and nobles came
undone in 17th century Monarchs gained new powers in warfare and tax
collection France became the West's most important nation
centralized authority, professional bureaucracy and military
Louis XIV: absolute monarchy Louis XIV followed economic theory of mercantilism,
supported measures improving internal and international trade, manufacturing, and colonial development
LOUIS XIV
THEME 3 CONTINUED Similar policies occurred in Spain, Prussia, and Austria-Hungary Absolute monarchs pushed territorial expansion Britain and the Netherlands formed parliamentary regimes English political settlement occurred in 1688 and 1689; parliament
won basic sovereignty over the king Power came from the people, not from a royal divine right, and that
they had the right to revolt against unjust rule Many competing nation-states kept the West politically divided and
at war Political changes were the least significant England and France continued with their previous patterns Frederick the Great of Prussia introduced greater religious
freedom, expanded state economic functions, encouraged agricultural methods, promoted greater commercial coordination and greater equity, and cut back harsh traditional punishments
FREDERICK THE GREAT
THEME 4: CREATION, EXPANSION, AND INTERACTION OF ECONOMIC SYSTEMS
15th century: Europe moved to a new role in world trade While remaining an agricultural society, West became
unusually commercially active & developed strong manufacturing sector
Renaissance was built on more commercialized economy Greater commercialization was spurred by substantial price
inflation during 16th century New World gold and silver forced prices up, and product
demand surpassed availability Trading companies formed to take advantage of colonial
markets Increasing commerce stimulated manufacturing Specialized
agricultural regions
THEME 4 CONTINUED Italian Renaissance: Merchants and bankers moved into
profit-seeking capitalist ways Mass consumerism Paid, professional entertainment as part of popular leisure New agricultural methods New World crops, like the potato, increased the food supply Led to… Manufacturing: 18th century witnessed rapid spread of
household production of textiles and metal products, mostly by rural workers who alternated manufacturing with some agriculture
Technological innovations (flying shuttle in weaving) improved efficiency
FLYING SHUTTLE
THEME 5: DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFORMATION OF SOCIAL STRUCTURES
Enlightenment treatment of children: parents became more interested in freer movement & greater interaction for young children
Inflation and commercialization in West produced group of people without access to producing property called the: proletariat
European-style family Late marriage agebirth control, limited overcrowding Nuclear families of parents and children vs. extended families of
most agricultural civilizations Husband-wife relations; linked family to individual property
holdings Women, however, if unmarried, had fewer alternatives
when Protestants abolished convents
AFFECTION WITHIN THE FAMILY
THEME 5 CONTINUED Commercialization created a new rural and urban proletariat
that suffered from increased food prices For the more prosperous, commercialization supported a
more elaborate family life and demystification of nature Stimulated popular protest during the first half of the
seventeenth century Witchcraft hysteria reflected economic and religious
uncertainties; women were the most common targets The Renaissance created a new wedge between the elite and
the masses; elite pulled away from a shared popular culture Enlightenment: less harsh punishment for children, affection
among family members
THE END