Transformation of Western Europe: 1450-1750 CE Early Modern Period Unit 3.

Transformation of Western Europe: 1450-1750 CE

Early Modern PeriodUnit 3

Major Trends

Renaissance: 14-16th centuries Reformation: 16th - 17th centuries Scientific Revolution: 16th - 17th

centuries Absolutism: 17th - 18th centuries Age of Enlightenment: late 17th - 18th

century

RenaissanceSocial

• Some upper-class women receive education; maintain traditional social structures

• European-style family; emphasis on nuclear family• Later marriage ages - regulated family size; population

control• Increased tensions between upper and lower classes

Political• Machiavelli• Competitive regional city-states in Italy created new ideas of

competitive political families (Medicis in Florence)• Rulers influenced by banking, commerce and humanism

Interactions• Result of commercial activities with other regions based in

Italy trading port cities • Spreads from northern Italy through Northern Europe

(France, Germany, Low Countries, England, Eastern Europe)

Renaissance Culture Renaissance art focused more on the

individual and on secular affairs - very influenced by humanism

Realism Perspective Influence of Greek and Roman art and

architectural details Realistic body proportions; domes; sculptures Northern Renaissance artists still paid close

attention to religion, however

RenaissanceEconomic

– Commerce initiates all of the other changes during the Renaissance

– Created more global economy based on Italy port cities

– Result of the Crusades and contact with the Middle East

– Also result of invention of printing press– Emphasis on household economy – Surge in banking thanks to families such as the

Medicis in Italy – Feudalism still present in some Northern

European areas

Reformation - Main Details 1517 - German priest Martin Luther posts 95 Theses on Church door in Wittenberg, Germany

Challenges papal authority, monasticism, indulgences, nepotism, role of church in government, human relationship with God

Faith alone brings salvation Spreads very quickly throughout Europe -

gain support of many German princes Major religious conflicts in Holy Roman

Empire, Eastern Europe (Bohemia), England, France, Spain, the Netherlands

ReformationSocial:

– Promotes greater educational opportunities to lower classes - Bible printed in vernacular

– Increased emphasis on equality through religion– Emphasized marital love

Political– Princes see opportunity to take control from Emperor and pope– Challenged role of Religion in Government– Great political turmoil due to religious wars– Treaty of Westphalia - Netherlands gains independence; rulers

choose religion of their people– Edict of Nantes (France): ends persecution of Huguenots (French

Protestants) – Act of Supremacy (England): English monarch is head of Anglican

Church – Parliamentary power is promoted by many Protestant ideas – Spanish Inquisition

Reformation Interactions

– Religious wars hurt European population – Thirty Years War kills approximately 1/3 of Germany’s

population (Germany, France, Sweden, England, Switzerland, Eastern Europe, Austria)

– Increased missionary work through Roman Catholic Church - Counter Reformation

Cultural– Spreads thanks to the printing press– Emphasis on personal connections - de-emphasized role

of priests, religious authority figures – Promote reading the Bible– New religions: Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglican, etc– Counter-Reformation - Jesuits– Witch hunts (Europe, American colonies)

Economic - religious wars dramatically decreased economic potential during periods of warfare

Absolute Monarchies Divine Right of Kings Monarchs gain power over:

– Legislation– Taxation– Armies

Strong centralized authority Control over bureaucracy Vastly limited power of the nobles Absolute monarchies in France, Prussia, Austria,

Russia Constitutional/Parliamentary governments in Britain

and the Netherlands More on Absolutism (and the Enlightenment) later….

Europe after the Peace of

Westphalia (1648)

Population Growth and Urbanization

Rapidly growing population due to Columbian Exchange– Improved nutrition

Role of the potato (considered an aphrodisiac in 16th and 17th centuries)

Replaces bread as staple of diet– Better nutrition reduces susceptibility to

plague– Epidemic disease becomes insignificant

for overall population decline by mid-17th century

Population Growth in Europe

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20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1500 1700 1800

Millions

Urbanization

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50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

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450000

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1550 1600 1650

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