2. I. Culture and Ideas
Martin Luther insisted that the only way
to salvation was through religious faith
The Protestant Reformation began with
rejection of the pope’s authority.
The printing press promoted Luther’s
ideas
John Calvin preached that salvation was
granted by predestination
Calvinism simplified religious rituals
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3. In response the Catholic Church reformed
the education of the clergy at the Council
of Nicaea
Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuits
To enforce religious orthodoxy, King
Philip II of Spain used the Inquisition to
punish heretics
Bitter “wars of religion” resulted from the
challenged to the church
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4. English Reformation led by Henry VIII
was different because
He challenged the pope’s authority in England
He wanted an annulment from his Catholic
wife
He seized land of monasteries/churches
He gave seized land to his supporters
He had parliament make him head of the
Church of England
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5. Europeans mostly believed natural disasters
were the cause of super-natural forces
They had two belief systems:
Folklore including magic
Christian and Judaic teachings
Devil the source of evil and witchcraft
Scientific Revolution – reintroduced ancient
Greek writing and Roman science – universe
could be explained by natural causes
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6. Nicholas Copernicus – heliocentric universe
Isaac Newton – mathematical laws governed
the universe
Galileo Galilei – discovered spots on sun and
mountains on the moon
Galileo’s new science viewed with suspicion
by religious and intellectual leaders- Galileo
condemned
Church did embrace the Gregorian calendar
based on the new astronomy
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7. “Enlightened” thinkers often persecuted
Enlightenment in Europe was a blending
of intellectual schools of thought from
many diverse areas with the idea of
improving the human condition
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8. II. Social and Economic Life
Wealthy urban class = Bourgeoisie who
thrived on manufacturing, finance & trade
European merchants relied on family and
ethnic networks – just like Islamic world
Partnerships between merchants and
governments led to development of jointstock companies and stock exchanges
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9. Dutch East &West Indies Company
Established a monopoly on products from
India
Form as a joint-stock company(selling shares
to individuals to share the risk and profits)
Overseas cargo trade risk reduced because
many investors spread out the financial
burden
Allowing trade of stocks in the market in
Amsterdam
English build a larger navy, able to
overcome the Dutch trade monopolies
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10. Most European peasants were free but their
standards of living declined between 1500 –
1750
New crops of potatoes and corn from new
world helped the rural poor from starving
High consumption of wood for
heating, cooking, construction, shipbuilding
and industrial uses = deforestation
Deserving poor = permanent residents while
undeserving poor =
migrants, peddlers, beggars, and criminals
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11. Women’s status and work closely tied to
husband/family
European marriage patterns reflected a freer
choice of one’s marriage partner
Women not a greater part of the cultural
movements – barred from schools, guilds
and professions.
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12. III. Political Innovations
The Holy Roman Empire ruled by
Habsburgs
Peace of Augsburg – HRE Charles V
allowed German princes to choose
Catholicism or Lutheranism
Charles V failed to unify all of Europe, but
Spain, France and England limited the
power of the church and nobility in their
states.
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13. The English Civil War started when
Charles I refused to grant rights to
Parliament and tried to arrest his critics
Results of English Civil War - Charles I
executed replaced by Oliver Cromwell
Glorious Revolution established a
constitution and a bill of rights with
William and Mary who agreed to limit the
power of the crown
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14. Royal Absolutism in France – gigantic palace
Versailles symbolized the triumph over the
rights of the nobility
Edict of Nantes –revoked in 1685 by Louis
XIV eliminating religious freedom for French
Protestants
Increase revenue through efficient tax
collection and promoting economic growth
Louis made the French nobility to attend his
court at Versailles
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15. The wars and devastation of the early
modern era in Europe resulted in better
European armies, weapons and
maneuvers
Pay for large war expenses by making
alliances with the rising commercial elites
and protecting markets overseas
Netherlands revolted against Spain due to
Spanish sales tax/Catholic orthodoxy
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16. Balance of power - forming alliances with
other European states to ensure that no
one state became too powerful
John Locke – English political
philosopher asserted that if the monarch
abused his or her power, the people had a
duty to rebel
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