The Making of Modern The Making of Modern Europe (1450-1700)Europe (1450-1700)

Europe began devising new Europe began devising new techniques to increase its power techniques to increase its power and force to such an extent that and force to such an extent that

European dynastic states achieved European dynastic states achieved global domination.global domination.

I. A New Way of ThinkingI. A New Way of Thinking

A. The “New World” (A. The “New World” (Mundus Mundus NovusNovus))

• First applied to Columbus’ First applied to Columbus’ voyagesvoyages

• Later applied to a new Later applied to a new societal outlooksocietal outlook

• Francis Bacon’s Francis Bacon’s The Great The Great ReversalReversal (1620) (1620)

• Priority of seeking Priority of seeking knowledge through reason knowledge through reason and the scientific methodand the scientific method

• Observation Observation andand experimentation valuedexperimentation valued

• Practical knowledge was Practical knowledge was prizedprized

B. The Role of Doubt in the B. The Role of Doubt in the New Search for TruthNew Search for Truth

• Breakdown in the Breakdown in the medieval system of medieval system of unitary beliefunitary belief

• Aggravated by the Aggravated by the ReformationReformation

• Humanism competes Humanism competes rather than rather than complements the complements the Christian traditionChristian tradition

• The Essay: a new The Essay: a new literary genreliterary genre

• Removal of politics from Removal of politics from the realm of religionthe realm of religion

C. The Printing PressC. The Printing Press

• Intellectual Intellectual Revolution through Revolution through the spread of the spread of books and tractsbooks and tracts

• Literacy growsLiteracy grows• Communication Communication

between scholars between scholars growsgrows

• Standardization of Standardization of textstexts

D. The Scientific RevolutionD. The Scientific Revolution

• Aristotelian universe Aristotelian universe comes under scrutiny comes under scrutiny and attackand attack

• The challenge of The challenge of CopernicusCopernicus

• Theological application of Theological application of Aristotle’s cosmologyAristotle’s cosmology

• The medieval, The medieval, Aristotelian cosmosAristotelian cosmos

• Aristotle’s understanding Aristotle’s understanding of motionof motion

• Concept of matter and Concept of matter and formform

II. A “New World” To II. A “New World” To ExploreExplore

A. MotivationA. Motivation

• Western trade route to Western trade route to AsiaAsia

• Lust for WealthLust for Wealth• Religious motivesReligious motives• Notion of mercantilismNotion of mercantilism• Joint Stock Companies Joint Stock Companies

formedformed• Nationalistic Nationalistic

CompetitionCompetition• Curiosity and Sense of Curiosity and Sense of

AdventureAdventure• Leave personal Leave personal

problems behindproblems behind

B. MethodB. Method

(1) New Inventions(1) New Inventions

• Medieval Medieval Navigational Navigational methodsmethods

• Earliest compass Earliest compass appears in Europe appears in Europe in the 1200’sin the 1200’s

• The development The development of the astrolabeof the astrolabe

• Improvements in Improvements in CartographyCartography

(2) New Ships(2) New Ships

• Medieval Galley Medieval Galley ShipsShips

• The new Caravel or The new Caravel or “Fully-Rigged” Ship“Fully-Rigged” Ship

• Required new, Required new, “tumble home” hull “tumble home” hull designdesign

• Ships become Ships become floating cannon floating cannon platformsplatforms

(3) Results(3) Results

• European domination European domination of the globe—at a priceof the globe—at a price

• Brutal warfare of Brutal warfare of Europeans and Native Europeans and Native AmericansAmericans

• Ecological RevolutionEcological Revolution

• Epidemiological Epidemiological DisasterDisaster

• The importation of The importation of African slavesAfrican slaves

III. A “New Warfare” to III. A “New Warfare” to WageWage

A. The Introduction of A. The Introduction of GunpowderGunpowder

• Chinese originsChinese origins

• First guns in Italy First guns in Italy during the 14during the 14thth century century

• Cannons introduced to Cannons introduced to Europe during the Europe during the Hundred Years WarHundred Years War

• Cannons were Cannons were instrumental in the instrumental in the Ottoman siege of Ottoman siege of Constantinople in 1453Constantinople in 1453

B. The Impact of this B. The Impact of this Technological RevolutionTechnological Revolution

• Warfare was Warfare was “royalized”“royalized”

• Associated industries Associated industries were stimulatedwere stimulated

--Between 1460-1530, --Between 1460-1530, there was a 500% there was a 500% increase in metal increase in metal production in Europeproduction in Europe

• Infantry became the Infantry became the primary fighting unit primary fighting unit instead of the cavalryinstead of the cavalry

C. The New Significance of the C. The New Significance of the InfantryInfantry

• CostCost

• ProfessionalismProfessionalism

• Social ImpactSocial Impact

• Ennobling Aspect Ennobling Aspect of War questionedof War questioned

• New TacticsNew Tactics

• Vulnerability of Vulnerability of mounted troopsmounted troops

D. New Technologies Resulting D. New Technologies Resulting from Gunpowder Warfarefrom Gunpowder Warfare

• Improvements in the Improvements in the quality of gunpowderquality of gunpowder

• Shape, size and Shape, size and mobility of cannons mobility of cannons are improvedare improved

• Standardization of Standardization of the caliber of the caliber of weaponsweapons

• Science of ballistics Science of ballistics developsdevelops

IV. New European Dynastic IV. New European Dynastic StatesStates

A. Comparison to Medieval A. Comparison to Medieval MonarchyMonarchy

• Royal power was Royal power was restricted regionallyrestricted regionally

• Complex pattern of Complex pattern of overlapping overlapping jurisdictions jurisdictions

• FeudalismFeudalism• Changes in warfare Changes in warfare

described previously described previously increased the power of increased the power of the monarch at the the monarch at the expense of the nobilityexpense of the nobility

• Royal efficiency in Royal efficiency in collecting taxescollecting taxes

A. Comparison to Medieval A. Comparison to Medieval Monarchy (cont)Monarchy (cont)

• Royal bureaucracy became Royal bureaucracy became a national administrationa national administration

• Global domination by Global domination by European monarchies for European monarchies for the first time in historythe first time in history

• No standing army leads to No standing army leads to a less powerful kinga less powerful king

• Tax immunity for noblesTax immunity for nobles• Medieval institutions Medieval institutions

“devolved” over time“devolved” over time• Geographic shift in Geographic shift in

European political and European political and economic powereconomic power

B. “Absolutism”: The B. “Absolutism”: The French AlternativeFrench Alternative

(1) The Definition and (1) The Definition and Evolution of AbsolutismEvolution of Absolutism

• Sovereignty Sovereignty embedded in the embedded in the person of the rulerperson of the ruler-- “L’etat c’est moi.”-- “L’etat c’est moi.”

• National crisis in National crisis in France between 1570-France between 1570-1600 is ended by the 1600 is ended by the Edict of Nantes (1598)Edict of Nantes (1598)

• The regency of Louis The regency of Louis XIII: Cardinal RichelieuXIII: Cardinal Richelieu

• Political power more Political power more important than important than religious purityreligious purity

(1) The Evolution of (1) The Evolution of Absolutism (cont)Absolutism (cont)

• Richelieu attacks the Richelieu attacks the power of the French power of the French nobilitynobility

• The regency of Louis The regency of Louis XIV: Cardinal MazarinXIV: Cardinal Mazarin

• The “Fronde” The “Fronde” RebellionRebellion

• Louis’ near drowning Louis’ near drowning during the “Fronde”during the “Fronde”

• Reign of Louis XIV is Reign of Louis XIV is the longest of any the longest of any European monarch in European monarch in history: 1643-1715history: 1643-1715

(2) Symbol of French (2) Symbol of French Absolutism: Louis XIVAbsolutism: Louis XIV

• Versailles is the stage for Versailles is the stage for this drama of absolutismthis drama of absolutism

• The “Sun King”The “Sun King”• Louis’ use of gunpowder Louis’ use of gunpowder

warfarewarfare• The financial policies of The financial policies of

ColbertColbert• Revocation of the Edict of Revocation of the Edict of

NantesNantes• Use of secret policeUse of secret police• French manners and French manners and

absolutism copied all over absolutism copied all over EuropeEurope

C. Constitutional Monarchy: C. Constitutional Monarchy: The English AlternativeThe English Alternative

(1) Background(1) Background

• Elizabeth I dies Elizabeth I dies without an heirwithout an heir

• Advent of the Stuart Advent of the Stuart DynastyDynasty

--James I: 1603-1625--James I: 1603-1625

--Charles I: 1625-1649--Charles I: 1625-1649

• Power of the British Power of the British ParliamentParliament

• Powerful minority of Powerful minority of Puritans in ParliamentPuritans in Parliament

(2) Crisis(2) Crisis

• The “Long The “Long Parliament” (1640)Parliament” (1640)

• English Civil War: English Civil War: 1642-16491642-1649

• Execution of Execution of Charles I in 1649Charles I in 1649

• The InterregnumThe Interregnum

--Oliver Cromwell--Oliver Cromwell

(3) Restoration(3) Restoration

• Charles II agrees to call Charles II agrees to call Parliament often Parliament often (1660-1685)(1660-1685)

• Charles II develops a Charles II develops a primitive cabinet primitive cabinet systemsystem

• Secret deal to re-Secret deal to re-Catholicize EnglandCatholicize England

• Reign of James II Reign of James II (1685-1688)(1685-1688)

• Produces a Catholic Produces a Catholic male heirmale heir

(4) “The Glorious (4) “The Glorious Revolution”Revolution”

• James II with wife and James II with wife and child fled to Francechild fled to France

• Bloodless RevolutionBloodless Revolution• Parliament offers the Parliament offers the

throne to William and throne to William and MaryMary

• English monarchs English monarchs accepted they were accepted they were under the rule of law under the rule of law and sovereignty and sovereignty rested with the peoplerested with the people

V. William Shakespeare: The V. William Shakespeare: The Prophet of Modern Europe (1564-Prophet of Modern Europe (1564-

1616)1616)• Renaissance focus Renaissance focus

on Classical Cultureon Classical Culture• Nationalistic Nationalistic

impulsesimpulses• Exorbitant AmbitionExorbitant Ambition• Increasing Increasing

IndividualismIndividualism• The Anguish and The Anguish and

Uncertainty of Uncertainty of Modern ManModern Man