Politics Has Contributed to Shape Our Daily Lives and Future

7/30/2019 Politics Has Contributed to Shape Our Daily Lives and Future

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Ashley PadronNovember 16, 2012

Period:1Political history of human history through the Late Middle Ages to the Enlightment

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Politics has contributed to shape our daily lives and future. Strong political

figures have always tried to guide us in the right direction, others have abused theirlust of power in order to inflict fear and use us as puppets for their necessities.Either way, we can all agree that without the trial and errors that our past leaderscommitted, we wouldn't have the experience we have today. Without history orknowledge we will become ignorant foul souls that walk on earth doing nothing butinsanities. But since we have urged our people to learn our history and encouragedthem to learn history of other countries, we now have gained the right knowledge inorder to grow as a nation, as one. I shall continue this starting with the Hundred

Years War.

Hundred Years War.Now the Hundred Years War was a series of battles between the French andEnglish kings. The war was interrupted numerous of times by truces and treatieswhich is why the war had ended by its 116thyear mark. What started this war?May have been when English king Edward III ( grandson of Philip the Fair ofFrance) claimed the French throne when French king Charles IV died without amale heir. But the French barons had no intent into making Edward their king soinstead Philip VI of Valois started a French new dynasty into the 16thcentury. Notonly did this claim start the war but also of the territorial powers in too closeproximity to one, which is what brought air the fiery flames. English possession ofany French land threatened the royal policy of centralization. England and Francedid fight for control over Flanders which brought political influence from England inorder to function in industry. Either though France had three times the populationof England which brought on more money, the English had stunning victories. Thisoccurred because of the feudal societies of France transitioning into a moremodernized state wise. (they basically were unstable.) French king turned to Italianbankers for money which caused a few conflicts so then the kid turned on the clergyand nobles for support. Another win-win situation was that English armies weremore disciplined than the French and had better weapons. French weaknessthroughout this war was just merely lacking royal leadership. In 1356, the Englishwon their greatest victory by taking French king John II the Good which led France

into a complete political breakdown. The power of France now lay within the armsof Estates General, which led by merchants of Paris Etienne Marcel who tookadvantage of the royal weakness. He demanded to receive rights similar to theMagna Carta that the English granted to their privileged classes. This didnt work

due to the fact that English nobility were unified as one. France general estate wasto divided to be a tool in an effective government. On May 9, 1360 milestone of thewar was reached and English was forced into the peace of bretigny-Calais whichstated a declared end to Edwards vassalage to the king of France and sovereignty


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over English territories in France. France also had agreed to pay 3 million gold

crowns for John the Good release, in return Edward renounced his claim over theFrench throne. After the death of Edward English war effort was lacking partlybecause of domestic problems. With hope to become unified after long years to beingvictory over the English, it was shattered by the death of the Duke of Burgundy.Dukes son determined to avenge his fathers death joined forces with the English.

Finally the dream of Edward III was realized when Paris claimed that Infant HenryVI of England will be the King of both France and England.

Italian RenaissanceDuring this time five major states: Milan, Florence, Venice and Naples which

remained free to expand on their own, becoming more independent than anything.But this also created social strife and competition for political power which becameso intense that most evolved into despotisms just to survive. Venice on the otherhand was quite successful with ruling with Oligarchy. Their government consistedof three hundred members and a ruthless judicial body. Florence showed a greatexample of social division and anarchy. Cosimo deMedici was one of the wealthiestmen in Florence. He controlled most of the city internally from the inside andmanipulated everything to his advantage. Eight members of the Signoria governedthe city and the men were chosen from the importance of labor. Lorenzo theMagnificent was a cautious and determined ruler in a very fashionable mannerbecause the reason that rival family, the Pazzi, who had plotted with the popeagainst the Medicis. Both families Visconti and Sforza ruled without seriouspolitical competition. Political conflict and rough warfare times gave birth toDiplomacy. Ambassadors not only represented them in ceremonies and handlednegotiations but also became watchful eyes and ears at rival courts. DisciplinedItalian city proved to be full of thought and culture.

Fast review of Spanish Voyages.Voyages in order to explore more of land and world, to perfect the map so others canlearn of it became expeditions of conquest instead. This benefitted Spain in tradingindustry which brought in money that came into support political wards of the 16th

and 17thcenturies while giving them economic expansion.

The French wars of religionHuguenots became a term derived Political revolt against the house of Savoy. WhenFrench king Henry II was mortally wounded his son took over and died soon after ayear. Everyone started to compete for the young kings throne who were: Thebourbons ( power lays in the south and west), Motmorency-Chatillons (controlled


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central France), and the most STRON STThe Guises (dominated easternFrance). Even though the Guises were one of the most strongest families they had alittle trouble to control the king. Catherine De Medicis first concerns was topreserve the monarchy so in order to do so she sought out allies within theProtestants from the Guises. Like the Guises though Catherine wanted a CatholicFrance but was afraid of a Guise-dominated monarchy. But a new problem surfacedand that was when she finally realized the hold Coligny had on the king. Thistriggered Catherine into plotting with the Guises to go against Coligny, but at itsfailure she feared the king will find out and influenced him to believe that Colignywas trying to can the crown and the only way to secure it was the eliminate him.Henry III was one of the last son of Henry II to wear the crown. Henry prepared toattack the Guise stronghold of Paris but enraged Dominican killed Henry III. Theedict of Nantes is what ended all the war and political conflicts of France yet again.

he hirty Years WarThis war was held in the holy roman empire, also one of the last and mostdestructive wars. Germany was affected by this entirely because it was an almostungovernable land. Germany, growing into the 17thcentury was decentralized anddivided. Four periods of year we drawn mostly by the Western European nation andthese were: The Bohemian, The Danish, The Swedish, and the Swedish-french. Warbroke out in Bohemia after the ascent to the throne in 1618 who Ferdinand washeir. He was determined to restore the traditional faith of the land. During theDanish Period the Lutheran King Christian IV of Denmark, had territories withinthe Holy Roman empire but was eager to expand Danish influence over the coastaltowns of the north sea. During the Swedish period became deeply unified whenGustavus Adolphus II became the leader. His death was in the hands ofWallenstiens forces during the battle of lutzen. Then Ferdinand had Wallensteins

assassinated. Swedish-French entered war in 1635 sending a bunch of men andfinancial support. Germans that were close to being devastated were too disunitedto repulse the armies they just suffered in silence. This war whipped out 1/3 of theGermans population. The treaty of Westphalia ended all the hostilities within theHoly Roman Empire. Treaty gave several of important religious ties to all the

certain groups involved.The French InvasionsItaly had remained at peace and safety from different invasions during half of the15thcentury thanks a political alliance called Treaty of Lodi. Treaty of Lodi broughttogether Milan and Naples with Florence. They stood together for decades against

Venice, but when there is a threat presented against Italy all five states could come


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together and present a united front. The peace ended because Naples started to be

supported by Florence the Pope Alexander VI, started to threatened Milan.Ludovico broke a very important rule and allowed the French to reenter Italy toclaim Naples in order to seek French aid. Ludovico had not noticed that by lettingthe French camp in Italy he had risked opening France appetite for new territories.Charles VIII had to calm his temptation to invade Italy so when he got Ludovicocall he immediately sprang to action. Charles fast march through Italy struck terrorinto non-Italian hearts. BUT Ludovico had long wanted a French invasion becauseit will weaken his enemies. As that happened he joined the League Of Venice whowas strong enough to send Charles to return and to end the fear he inflicted onItaly.

Age of ReformationDuring the reformation like any other change or conflict with situations there was adeep social and political division among the people. People started to favor each sideand so society became unbalanced. This political experience influenced a religiouschange all over the town and countryside. When Martin Luther came to be who hadmany followers and he stood for his cause, it did not just touch religious authoritynerves but as well as political. Peasants also started to hear about the movementsfor political liberation which caused social torment.

Scientific Revolution Enlightment AgeEven though the scientific revolution had to do with a lot of philosophy, it shapedthe political world as we know it today, thanks to John Locke and Thomas Hobbes.Kings, Queens, Church, and the people had difficulty accepting the scientific ideasthat had contradicted the biblical scripture. But these ideas were hard to ignore dueto the printing culture which the great minds had used in order to share theirknowledge with people. Thomas Hobbes was one of the greatest politicalphilosophers. He wrote of political philosophy before the English civil war which ledhim to publish Leviathan. In this book he stated the fact of philosophical

justification for a strong political authority. He thought us humans focused more onour daily lives then reaching a goal in life, as well as we increase pleasure to

minimize pain. This led him to say that we are egoistical creatures who have lustfor power, so in order to function without any chaos we need to trust one personwith our liberty to ensure of safety. He also strongly believes that Rulers should bein absolute and unlimited in their power once they are claimed. But once the ruleris granted the authority the request can no longer be appealed. His ideas werent oneffect immediately as he shared them liberally but it did influence philosophicalliterature from the late 17thcentury onward.


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Now John Locke was a total different story, strongly disagreeing with Thomas

Hobbes. He was the one who provided foundation for both Europe and America. Heregarded humans as creatures of reason and goodwill rather than full of selfishness.Humans possessed strong capacity for being more or less peacefully in society beforethey enter a political contract. The only way we will enter a political contract is if itwere to preserve the rights of liberty and property. Government exists to protect theand to serve for the people. The relationship between the ruler and the people isimportant cause its built on trust, but once that trust is gone the people have achoice to replace them. He also supported religious toleration and all.

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Politics Has Contributed to Shape Our Daily Lives and Future