Unit Review Powerpoints
Renaissance - Known as the Renaissance, the period immediately following the Middle Ages in Europe saw a great revival of interest in the classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome. Against a backdrop of political stability and growing prosperity, the development of new technologies–including the printing press, a new system of astronomy and the discovery and exploration of new continents–was accompanied by a flowering of philosophy, literature and especially art. The style of painting, sculpture and decorative arts identified with the Renaissance emerged in Italy in the late 14th century; it reached its zenith in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, in the work of Italian masters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael. In addition to its expression of classical Greco-Roman traditions, Renaissance art sought to capture the experience of the individual and the beauty and mystery of the natural world.
"Renaissance Art." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.history.com/ topics/renaissance-art>.
Age of ExplorationThe Age of Exploration or Age of Discovery as it is sometimes called, officially began in the early 15th century and lasted until the 17th century. The period is characterized as a time when Europeans began exploring the world by sea in search of trading partners, new goods, and new trade routes. In addition, some explorers set sail to simply learn more about the world.Writer, Amanda Briney Contributing. "A History of the Age of Exploration." Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/ a/ageexploration.htm>.ReformationThe Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era. In northern and central Europe, reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin and Henry VIII challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Church’s ability to define Christian practice. They argued for a religious and political redistribution of power into the hands of Bible- and pamphlet-reading pastors and princes. The disruption triggered wars, persecutions and the so-called Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church’s delayed but forceful response to the Protestants."The Reformation." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/reformation>.
Absolutism and Constitutionalism
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Europe was going through hard times. The reformation that took place before this time left ideas of individual liberty, which brought about instability in the different countries. Eventually the leaders of these countries realized that the only way to control the population was through complete control, or Absolutism. The philosopher Thomas Hobbes believed that this absolute rule was necessary in order to maintain a level of security within the society. Eventually this form of government evolved into Enlightened Absolutism, which had the same major ideals as Absolutism however it also gave the citizens more rights. Some of the major countries involved in the Absolutism movement were England, Prussia, Austria, and Russia. England, able to avoid Absolutism, became a Limited Monarchy with the English Bill of Rights adopted in 1689.
"Summary of Absolutism." Home. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/staff/hermansenjoel/apmuseum/GambleKeane/Home.htm>.
Age of Reason
In the Age of Reason, new inventions and discoveries in science were paired with a new-found respect for an egalitarian and reason-seeking public. An incredible amount of important discoveries made in the realms of astronomy, mathematics, physics, and other sciences as well as an outpouring of philosophy on the nature and rights of man marked this period in history. Our instructors have broken this chapter into smaller lessons so that you can study one concept or person at a time. Much of the discovery and thinking has had profound impacts on society that have permeated into life today, especially in the following areas:
Writer, Amanda Briney Contributing. "A History of the Age of Exploration." Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://geography.about.com/od/historyofgeography/a/ageexploration.htm>.
- Enlightenment thinking, ideas, philosophy, and theories
- The scientific inventions and discoveries made in this period
- How society shifted to a more rational mode of thinking
- About the explosion of scientific and philosophical work
Agricultural Revolution
The Agricultural Revolution was a period of agricultural development between the 18th century and the end of the 19th century, which saw a massive and rapid increase in agricultural productivity and vast improvements in farm technology. The Agricultural Revolution led to population increases across Europe as farming improved. In addition to this, the plague began to disappear, leaving people to live longer. The rise in population led to new problems and challenges, but life became much better due to the benefits of the Agricultural Revolution.
“The Agricultural Revolution.” About.com Inventors. About.com, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://inventors.about.com/od/ indrevolution/a/agriculturalrev.htm>
French Revolution
A watershed event in modern European history, the French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. During this period, French citizens razed and redesigned their country’s political landscape, uprooting centuries-old institutions such as absolute monarchy and the feudal system. Like the American Revolution before it, the French Revolution was influenced by Enlightenment ideals, particularly the concepts of popular sovereignty and inalienable rights. Although it failed to achieve all of its goals and at times degenerated into a chaotic bloodbath, the movement played a critical role in shaping modern nations by showing the world the power inherent in the will of the people.
“French Revolution.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/french-revolution>
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, which took place from the 18th to 19th centuries, was a period during which predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America became industrial and urban. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late 1700s, manufacturing was often done in people’s homes, using hand tools or basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories and mass production. The iron and textile industries, along with the development of the steam engine, played central roles in the Industrial Revolution, which also saw improved systems of transportation, communication and banking. While industrialization brought about an increased volume and variety of manufactured goods and an improved standard of living for some, it also resulted in often grim employment and living conditions for the poor and working classes.
1848 Revolutions
Altogether, demands for constitutional government were granted during the early days of the 1848 revolution in the Austrian Empire, throughout the German and Italian states where it had not existed before, in Wallachia, and in Denmark, while existing constitutions were significantly liberalized in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and many German states. Except in the Netherlands, wherever constitutions were liberalized, the suffrage was expanded, often significantly. Thus in France, those enfranchised increased from about 250,000 to over 8 million with the March 5 proclamation of manhood suffrage, in Hamburg the electorate mushroomed from 1,500 to 30,000 and in Belgium 25,000 new voters were added to the previously-eligible 55,000. In many areas where constitutions or popular voting were implemented for the first time, strikingly liberal suffrage laws were introduced, as in Denmark where over 15% of the population was enfranchised under the 1849 constitution and in Austria and Prussia where constituent assemblies were elected by universal male suffrage. On the other hand, in Sardinia the royally-decreed 1848 constitution limited the suffrage to about 2% of the population (typical of most pre-1848 constitutions).
“Civil Liberties And the 1848 Revolutions.” Civil Liberties and the 1848 Revolutions. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. <http://www.ohio.edu/chastain/ac/civillib.htm>
“Industrial Revolution.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution>
Conservatism
Conservatism became the credo of those--kings, aristocrats, and clergy--who opposed the French Revolution and the movements it spawned. To these men, Enlightenment ideas of natural rights, equality, the innate goodness of man, and progress led directly to Robespierre and the Terror. Hence, for those who defended traditional ideas of absolute monarchy, aristocracy, and church conservatism emerged as the answer to the thought of the Enlightenment. Among the first conservative spokesmen to appear was Edmund Burke, author of Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), who predicted (correctly, as it turned out) that the Revolution would lead to terror and military dictatorship. Burke appealed to history, wisdom, and experience as the only true guides in politics, arguing that human society, like a living organism, is infinitely complex and can only change slowly. He also rejected the Enlightenment concepts of natural rights and the social contract
“Intellectual And Cultural Life, 1815-1848.” Intellectual and Cultural Life, 1815-1848. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 May 2015. <http://www2.uncp.edu/home/rwb/ideas_19c.htm>
Imperialism
With the wealth of the Industrial Revolution burning in their pockets, the powerful nations of Europe were ready to formally expand their empires into Asia and Africa. Known as New Imperialism, this desire for expansion was motivated by many things, not the least of which were the promise of economic growth, the sting of national rivalries, and a sense of moral superiority. Prior to the 19th century, Europe's interactions with Asia and Africa had mostly been limited to holding trading posts on the continent. Content to make money from these commercial outlets, Europe usually didn't impose direct rule onto these areas. However, as the 19th century progressed, a shift occurred. In this period of New Imperialism, Europeans began to seek formal political control over foreign and overseas areas. Now that we have the definition down, let's take a look at the reasons for this change.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/european-imperialism-characteristics-motives-effects.html