Transformations in Europe THE EARLY MODERN WORLD (1450 1750)
RELIGIOUS CHANGES in EUROPE By 1500, the Catholic Church had for centuries been a power broker in Europe, but this power was often rooted in corruption. In order to raise funds to build St. Peter s Basilica in Rome the church sold indulgences pardons that enabled sinners to buy their way into heaven.
A German monk named Martin Luther protested the selling of indulgences. In 1517 he wrote 95 theses, formal statements attacking the church for what he considered improper conduct. He nailed them to the door of a castle church. Whereas in the past such protesters (Jan Hus, John Wycliffe) were immediately silenced, the ideas of Martin Luther quickly spread throughout Europe with the aid of the printing press.
Before we continue with Martin Luther, take a minute to understand the significance of the printing press... Centuries before Johann Gutenberg the Chinese had developed a form of movable type. However, it wasn t until Gutenberg s invention did printing take off. With the ability to produce large quantities of written works, the thoughts of social commentators, religious critics, and scientists with controversial findings could deliver their writings to the masses in a timely manner. A manner for which religious and political authorities had troubles trying to stop.
Back to Martin Luther - Luther s teachings were based on 3 main ideas: 1) People could win salvation only by faith in God s gift of forgiveness 2) All Church teachings should be clearly based on the Bible, thus Church traditions and popes were false ideas 3) All people with faith were equal, therefore priests were unnecessary He wanted to see a full reform take place in the Church, instead it led to the founding of the Protestant faith.
Quick Video 1 Martin Luther Biography This is a short and informative biographical video of Martin Luther. http://safeshare.tv/v/ss563765cf2c05c
Different forms of Protestantism formed: John Calvin started a strict theocracy in Switzerland, and stressed predestination. Calvinists lived a life of simplicity (plain clothing, churches devoid of statues). John Knox started Presbyterianism in Scotland.
King Henry VIII of England started the Church of England (Anglican Church) after the Pope refused to annul his marriage (Henry wanted a son to be his heir, but his wife bore him a daughter. He eventually married 6 times). As a result, everyone in England was now a Protestant.
Quick Video 2 Henry VIII and the Church - Timelines.tv History of Britain B07 This video summarizes the English king s affects on Christianity. As you watch it, think about whether or not Henry s actions were motivated by religion or politics and what the effects of his actions had on society. http://safeshare.tv/v/ss563765f638366
The Catholic Reformation or Counter-Reformation took place as an attempt to fix problems within the Catholic church and find ways to stem the growth of Protestantism. (church leaders met at the Council of Trent). A new religious order known as the Jesuits came about. These missionaries preached and taught Catholic doctrine.
Although Catholicism and Protestantism were spreading if crops failed or domestic animals died unexpectedly, people blamed unseen spirits and accused people of witch craft. Since women were often in charge of tending animals, the sick, & children they were easy suspects (widows or independent women were often targets because they were not directly under the control of a male figure). (It is estimated that over a 100,000 people were tried for witchcraft, 75% of which were women, more than half were executed).
Due to the various forms of Christianity now present in Western Europe, religious tension was a frequent problem in the region: Catholics vs. Protestants in France: For nearly 6 weeks in 1572 thousands of Huguenots (French Protestants) were killed by Catholic mobs in and around Paris. In 1598, the French King Henry IV declared religious toleration with the Edict of Nantes.
The Spanish Inquisition: Beginning in the late 1400s (even prior to the Reformation) the Spanish Inquisition was established where Jews and Muslims that had converted to Christianity were tortured, because they were still suspected of heresy.
Quick Video 3 The Spanish Inquisition This video summarizes the Spanish Inquisition by showing the extent the Spanish government would go for the sake of their faith. http://safeshare.tv/v/ss56376625823ba
Catholics vs. Protestants in England: In England, after Henry VIII s son s short reign, his Catholic daughter Mary took over and tried to force the country back to Catholicism, earning her the nickname Bloody Mary. After Mary, Henry s daughter Elizabeth became queen. There was some protest to her reign in that her cousin the Mary Queen of Scots should have been given the throne, but Queen Elizabeth I took over and ensured England would be Protestant. Spain (Catholic) attacks England (Protestant): In 1588, King Phillip II of Spain sent the Spanish Armada to England as a way of punishing the Protestant country, however it was outmaneuvered by Elizabeth s smaller warships equipped with longrange cannons.
More religious tension in England... Following the English Civil War England s new leader Oliver Cromwell enforced strict Puritan principles (no dancing, sports, or theatre). Years later when the English King James II became a Catholic, Parliament forced him into exile and had him replaced with his Protestant sister Mary in what became known as the Glorious Revolution because it was bloodless.
The Holy Roman Empire (Germany) & the Thirty Years War (1618 1648): German princes had been allowed to pick which faith would exist in their state (this was decided after the previous German Wars of Religion and the Peace of Augsburg), but when a new Catholic emperor began to shut down Protestant churches war broke out.
At this time there was also a Scientific Revolution (remember there was a Renaissance! And humanism stirred curiosity), where thinkers from around Europe began to question previously accepted teachings about the universe. For example, Aristotle had taught that the world consisted of 4 elements (earth, water, air, & fire) and that the earth was the heavier object and lighter objects (sun, moon, stars) revolved around it. Aristotle was wrong.
Major contributors of the Scientific Revolution Newton Copernincus Developed the heliocentric theory that planets orbit around the sun. Theorized that gravity ruled the motion of the planets Kepler Discovered elliptical orbits Descartes Boyle Mathematicians who used logic thought everything should be doubted until proven by reason Founder of chemistry; theorized about atoms Galileo Proclaimed the moon had mountains & valleys Vesalius Dissected human bodies and made drawings of what he found Religious authorities were not pleased with these theorists (nevertheless, the printing press will spread these ideas).
SOCIAL CHANGES in EUROPE Before, during the Middle Ages Peasants / serfs knights nobles kings / popes Now, 1450-1750 The poor bourgeoisie After the decline of feudalism and the rise of urban centers in the late Middle Ages & early Renaissance, a new class (almost middle class) was beginning to emerge called the bourgeoisie. This was propelled by increased trade & commerce and education. The old noble class royalty / clergy
The bourgeoisie (this new wealthier urban class) devoted long hours to their businesses and reinvested their profits (Some even became wealthy enough to buy exotic luxuries like rum and sugar from the Caribbean or tobacco from Virginia). In Holland, this enterprise spirit was evident with the Dutch. Amsterdam was the site of Europe s largest port city, major banking center, and stock exchange.
The Dutch government pioneered the idea of joint stock companies. Companies would sell shares (partial ownership of their company) to individuals to raise large sums of money. As the company made money, they shared the profits (and losses) with the investors. Shares of stock could be bought and sold at financial markets called stock exchanges (although an Italian innovation, they become more dominant in northern Europe).
Quick Video 4 Tulip Mania: The First Bubble [Debt & Doubt - Animation 6] Just like today s modern Wall Street, the price of shares at stock exchanges go up and down depending upon what people are willing to pay for them, usually under the assumption they can still make a profit. Sometimes a bubble will occur when a price skyrockets well beyond what something is actually worth. Watch the video to find out what happened with tulips in Holland. http://safeshare.tv/v/ss5637664c28cc9
Some Europeans (not of noble ancestry, i.e. bourgeoisie) used their newfound wealthy to buy country estates thus making them part of the gentry class. Europe s long established noble class often formed alliances with these new families through arranged marriages.
However, life for the average European (the poor) may have actually worsened between 1500 and 1750. Competition for work caused wages to go down. Many worked in the fields harvesting grain, but were too poor to buy it so they relied on potatoes. Massive deforestation led to less berries and wild nuts (wood was used as fuel for expanding industries, but dramatic declines in forestry forced the use of coal). The urban poor often joined gangs becoming pickpockets, some women resorted to prostitution. The poor were often forced to pay taxes that noble classes were not. In contrast to the wealthy, educational opportunities were almost nonexistent (thus social classes remained).
Women? The status of women at this time rested on their social class. For example, a bourgeoisie woman would have had a much better life than a poor man. Europeans in general married later (late 20s) compared to the rest of the world. Upper classes tended to have arranged marriages (to protect their social status) whereas peasants had more freedom to choose a mate.
POLITICAL CHANGES in EUROPE Over the course of this unit (1450-1750) monarchs will achieve a higher degree of centralized power within their own individual kingdoms (England is somewhat of an exception). Absolutism: a form of government where the monarch has the power to rule their land freely, with no laws or legally organized direct opposition in force. King Phillip II s reign in Spain resembles absolutism. He was wealthy from his overseas colonies, dominated Spain at home, and his decision to send an armada to attack England went virtually unchecked.
The French King Louis XIV was the ultimate symbol of absolutism kings who thought they could do whatever they wanted; he liked to be called the Sun King. During his long reign (over 70 years) he... built the Palace of Versailles involved France in a number of wars of his choosing By the end of reign put France in financial difficulties due to his lavish spending
Why is England somewhat of an exception to absolutism? Parliament will act as a check to the desires of kings. After Queen Elizabeth I died, her cousin James from Scotland will take the throne. Scotland + England = Great Britain King James version of the Bible His son Charles I fights with Parliament (like his father) over money. He is forced to sign the Petition of Right in order to get more money (he could no longer levy taxes without parliament s consent, or imprison subjects without due cause). Although he signs it, he refuses to obey it, causing angry mobs to force him to flee London and an eventual civil war.
The English Civil War (1642-1651) was a political struggle (not a religious war). Cavaliers those loyal to King Charles. Roundheads those loyal to Parliament. In 1645, the Roundheads begin to defeat the Cavaliers under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell. Two years later the king is taken prisoner and he is publicly executed, Cromwell takes over. Significance: Parliament is flexing it s muscles to the king.
Cromwell takes over and imposes firm control over Scotland and Ireland; however he is reluctant to share power with Parliament. After having enough of Cromwell s rule England goes back to having a royal family. Charles II takes over. However, when the son of Charles II James II comes to power, Parliament asks him to step down because he is Catholic (i.e. Glorious Revolution).
The Glorious Revolution of 1688 ensured that Great Britain would not be ruled by a Catholic. These events reflect how Parliament was beginning to flex it s muscles and take actual power away from monarchs. The Bill of Rights of 1689: Parliament had to consent to the changes in law, it gave people the right to a fair trial, and the right to petition the king.
As noted in our last unit with the Hundred Years War, Europe is also moving toward the idea of nation-states. - The exceptions to this are the Holy Roman Empire (Germany) and Italy.
The Thirty Years War Catholics versus Protestants, but becomes a continental conflict as other countries enter the war. European armies increase in size with more soldiers. The Peace of Westphalia ends the war, resulting in the following effects: Weakened Habsburg rulers, German princes become more independent Holy Roman Empire shrinks, France gets some land, Austria & Prussia become new countries The end of religious wars in Europe The rise of nation states, no Catholic Empire
Quick Video 5 The Thirty Years' War http://safeshare.tv/v/ss56376674a5870
Europe as a region will become a place of competing (sometimes going to war) nation-states, whereas in the Middle East or Asia unified caliphates / empires or dynasties will exist.
The use of cannons and rigid drilling of armies became characteristics of European armies. Countries throughout Europe formed temporary alliances as a way of creating a balance of power and preventing any one country from getting too powerful. For example, France a mostly Catholic country will help out the Protestants in the 30 Years War because they fear that if the Habsburg family & Spain win they might get too powerful and eventually crush France. They will also compete for colonies in the New World.
Who were the powers? 1500s, Spain: benefited from New World colonies, but expensive wars and failure to promote economic development caused their decline. 1600s, the Dutch: decentralized government and market / trade encouragement helped, but rising competition with Britain dampens their superiority. 1700s, France: New World connections, a large army, & the financial improvements of Colbert cause it to rise, but excessive spending and social unrest cause it to fall, plus nobles refuse to be taxed. Britain will tax landowners and built a large navy, allowing it to be the power of the 1800s.
What you should be aware of... Holy Roman Empire: it wasn t holy, Roman, or really even a empire, but it began with Charlemagne around 800 and would last nearly 1000 years. It was a grouping of various central European territories that were multi-ethnic in nature and these lands were generally ruled by Catholic leaders, for many years by the Habsburg family. Along with their allies they controlled vast parts of Europe. Between 1450 1750 (really beginning with the Hundred Years War & accelerated with the 30 Years War) European kingdoms started to resemble nationstates (countries with a unified culture / ethnicity), for which the Holy Roman Empire was surely not. As a result, Hapsburg rulers had difficulty ruling over a population that wasn t really a nation. (Think of how the 30 Years War played out for them)