Transformations in Europe
Changes in Europe
15th century, Western Europe was
undergoing major changes
 By




Age of Exploration
Renaissance
Reformation
Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment
Renaissance
 Dark Ages


Medieval Europe largely backward
Underdeveloped
 Renaissance

“rebirth”
Revival of Classical Past
• Greco-Roman culture & learning

Began in Italy, spread to Northern Europe
 Europe
saw increase in learning, literature,
art, social change
Renaissance

Increase in learning

Literacy still very low, but increase in education
opportunities
• Wealthy families emphasized importance of education &
professional training

Universities (Granted degrees & licenses for
professions)
• Law, medicine, theology (study of religion)


Usually allow only male students
Scholasticism: synthesis of theology & reason
• Popular among students because it combined religion and
science for more complete view of the world

Controversial among conservative thinkers
• Religion still huge part of daily life
Renaissance
 Literature

More widespread due to printing press
• Perfected by Gutenberg (1454, Gutenberg Bible)


Writing in vernacular (language spoken by
common people)
Both religious and secular themes
• Dante’s Divine Comedy
• Petrarch, poet
• Machiavelli, The Prince
Renaissance
 Humanism

Emphasis on humans and worldly experience
• Reflects Greco-Roman culture, emphasis on
learning, beauty, wisdom
• Promoted greater sense of individuality
 Reflected
period
in literature and art of the time
Renaissance
 Art



Middle Ages: religious images dominated art
Renaissance: more realistic depiction of
religious scenes, people and daily life became
subject of art
Many artists trained in Italy
• Florence: Medici family patronized art
Reformation
 By
1500’s, the Catholic Church and
papacy had grown very rich

Construction of elaborate Cathedrals
• St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome


Selling indulgences: pardons for sin
Some began to view the Church as being out
of touch and corrupted by wealth
• Movement to reform the Church became known as
Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
 Martin


Luther:
Monk, theological professor
1519: launched criticism of Catholic Church to
spark the Reformation
• 95 Theses
• Used printing press to spread his ideas


Disapproved of Indulgences
Believed faith in Christ was only key to
salvation
Protestant Reformation
 John

Calvin:
Frenchman inspired by Luther
• Believed in predestination
• Promoted simplicity in life & worship

Later groups of Calvinists became known as Puritans in
England and the New England colonies
 As
result of Reformation, Christianity saw
another split

Protestants
Reformation
 In
response, Catholic Church attempted to
preserve its image


Promoting some reforms
Known as Counter-Reformation
• Stricter training of church officials, reasserted
power of Pope, stopped selling indulgences, etc.
 Protestant
Reformation set stage for
series of bloody “religious wars” in Europe

Catholics and Protestants fight for control of
various states
Government & Religious
Policies

Governments became concerned with the
religious identity of their country


Some promoted Catholicism, others promoted
Protestantism
Spain enforced Catholicism

King Phillip II used Spanish Inquisition to identify and
eliminate “heretics”
• Targeted Jews, Muslims, and Protestants; many flee country
to escape persecution

Hurt Spain’s economy b/c many of those who were persecuted
were active in the economy (merchants, artisans,
businessmen)
Government and Religious
Policies

France also promoted Catholicism



Bourbon family of rulers
1685: Louis XIV revoked Edict of Nantes, which had
previously granted religious freedom to Protestants
England became a Protestant state

1533: Henry VIII broke with Catholic Church
• Pope denied him an annulment from Catharine of Aragon
• Established Church of England (Anglican Church) and
disbanded monasteries and convents

However, the Anglican Church did not depart from
Catholic ritual and theology enough to satisfy some
people
• Calvinists in England became known as Puritans b/c they
wanted to “purify” the Church
Scientific Revolution

In early modern period, Europeans’ world view
shaped largely by folklore/magic and religion

Attributed events to supernatural phenomenon
• Examples




God’s punishment for sin
Demonic possession
evil
The revival of Classical learning led some
Europeans to seek other explanations for
occurrences in the natural world

Led to advances in science
Scientific Revolution
 Astronomy:

Sun at center of Universe
• Challenged earlier belief that Earth was center



Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543)
Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler discover that planets
move in elliptical orbits around the sun
Galileo: (1564-1642)
• built telescope powerful enough to view surface of
planets

Isaac Newton: (1643-1727)
• physics of motion and gravitation
Enlightenment

Spun out of Scientific Revolution

Began to apply reason to other aspects of life
• Government major area of concern

Enlightenment philosophers would develop new
ideas to explain the existence and role of
government

John Locke: Social Contract Theory
• Governments get their power from the governed, not god


People have duty to overthrow an unjust government and
establish new one
Profound impact during Age of Revolution