HIS 106 –Chapter 16

1. HIS 106 –Chapter 16 The Age of Reformation and Religious Wars

2. The West by 1750 • The most dynamic force in the world • Contacts with other civilizations had increased • International trade was growing • Ships and ships’ instruments had improved; this led to explorations • There were new weapons using gunpowder; ships could now mount guns • New empires emerged, ex: Russia

3. There were advances in printing, agriculture, science, politics, and social thought • New colonization efforts, ex: India, Americas

4. There were several revolutions by this time that laid the foundations for our societies today • The Renaissance in Europe • The Protestant and Catholic Reformations • A Commercial Revolution • Agricultural • Manufacturing

5. Scientific Revolution • The Enlightment • Political Changes -- Absolute Monarchies Parliaments

6. Renaissance • Re-birth, re-discovery • Began in Italy in 15th century • Period of questioning old, traditional beliefs • Many felt life, as it had always been lived, needed to be re-examined • Medieval logic, literature, and theology were questioned

7. Writers wrote in the vernacular on secular subjects • Religion was questioned and declined somewhat as the central focus of light and art • Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo brought more realism to the human body in paintings and in sculpture

8. Niccolo Machiavelli discussed realistic ways to seize power and to govern -- the ends justify the means as expressed in his book, The Prince • New focus on human capabilities; humans can progress through their own efforts and capabilities

9. Religion was downplayed ; people did not blindly accept what the Church said anymore • Capitalism and profit-seeking took hold • Some states experimented with new ways of governing • People did not want a ruler who could not advance the people’s general well-being

10. The Renaissance was open to new ideas; it encouraged innovation • The Renaissance lost some of its vigor in Italy around 1500, but their ideas spread northward to other parts of Europe -- primarily to France, the Low countries, Germany, and England • Emphasis on classical styles in art and architecture

11. Writers wrote in the vernacular like Rabelais and Shakespeare • Those in northern Europe blended secular ideas with religion • Political changes: • Kings became Patrons of the Arts • Kings tried to impose controls on the Christian Church • Kings sponsored trading companies & colonizers

12. Education Changed, primarily for Elites • Emphasis was on the classics, service, literary study, & Christian morality • Emphasis on individual excellence, re-examination of traditions, and on scientific discoveries Life for the lower classes went on pretty much as before but with new taxes to pay for kings’ palaces and for colonizing efforts

13. Protestant Reformation • Began in 1517 by German monk, Martin Luther • He questioned the practices of the pope and of the Church • He wrote a list of 95 Theses or points of objection and tacked them to the door of the church in Wittenburg

14. Luther’s main objection had to do with the Church’s sale of indulgences • Basically, people paid money to win salvation for themselves and for their relatives who may be in purgatory • Other objections: • Felt one could gain salvation through faith alone • Felt sacraments and other ritual was not needed

15. Felt monasticism was wrong; priests should be able to marry Luther wanted to discuss these objections. He did not wish to break up or destroy the Church The Church did not like being questioned and did not care to discuss anything with Luther. He was excommunicated

16. There were side-effects to Luther’s questioning of Church authority • German princes who became Protestant felt they could increase their power by seizing Church property • Other Germans – peasants – rebelled against another authority, their landlords

17. Different Protestant Groups • Anglicans – begun by Henry VIII when pope wouldn’t allow him to annul his marriage that had produced only a daughter and no sons; resembled Catholicism in many ways • Calvinism – begun by John Calvin with his belief in predestination • Huguenots of France, Quakers and Puritans of England etc.

18. Catholic Reformation or Counter -Reformation • Catholic Church tried to restore unity by • Re-emphasizing Catholic teachings and discipline • De-emphasizing money issues and extravagances • Refuting Protestant issues • Attacking heresy, superstitions, and magic • Beginning the Jesuit order that became involved in politics, education, missions, and regained some areas in Europe for the Catholic Church

19. Church unity had been broken • Now there would be Catholic and Protestant • That brought on conflict; there were wars in Germany, France, Poland, England, and the Low Countries • Thirty Years’ War – German Protestants vs. Holy Roman Emperor backed by Spain • English Civil War – religious and civil issues resulting in beheading of Charles I

20. Religious issues dominated Europe for a hundred years • At the end, some toleration or religious pluralism was accepted • Because of all this religious questioning, more people made distinctions between what was religious and what was secular

21. Commercial Revolution • At the same time Europe was experiencing religious revolt, it was also experiencing • changes in commerce • New markets were opening as a result of explorations and colonies • New products were available • As the market grew, more people entered business

22. New wealth and new raw materials were coming in from new colonies • Trading companies were formed often with government backing -- Dutch East India Company and British East India Company • New raw materials helped stimulate manufacturing

23. Not everyone fit in to this new commercial world • As small farms were bought up by larger estates, so they could specialize in a certain product, some found themselves displaced • These people would become farm workers, manufacturing workers, or the wandering poor

24. Some governments set up aid for the poor • Some governments built new prisons • Prosperous families furnished their homes better, more comfortably, and spent more time together • Better educated elites separated themselves from the common folk by emphasizing refined manners and more devoutness

25. In response, the propertyless folk rebelled and asked for more say in their government; their rebellions were crushed • There were new ideas and new tensions • Added to these came new discoveries in science with Copernicus, Galileo and others discussed in Chapter 23 • Scientists emphasized their reasoning abilities

26. Science did not blindly accept traditional beliefs that often proved inaccurate • Their ideas were spread quickly with the help of the printing press

27. Politics • Absolute rule of kings • Many areas of Europe had absolute monarchies like Spain, Prussia, and Austria-Hungary • By the 17th century France had the most powerful of absolute kings, Louis XIV • Reigned for 72 years • Passed laws as he saw fit • Expanded the power of the state • Had a professional army

28. Parliamentary Monarchies • Britain and the Netherlands • Created strong central governments • Had shared power between a king and a parliament

29. Britain • By 1688 the Parliament in England had a Bill of Rights – a government based on a contract between the governor and the governed The idea that a parliament had certain powers and the people had certain rights came from John Locke and others in the 1700s during a period called the Enlightenment

30. Magic and Witchcraft • 1400 – 1700 was a period when many believed in magic and witchcraft • 70,000 – 100,000 were put to death for harmful magic and witchcraft from 1400 – 1700 • Witches were accused of inflicting harm, flying, appearing as animals, being cannibals (eating Christian babies), and insulting Christian beliefs

31. How did this come about? • Cunning Folk – found in villages and helped people cope with tragedy. They gave comfort sometimes by using magic. This could give them influence that those governing did not have • Clergy – thought to practice magic through the sacraments and through exorcisms. In 13th century the Church declared that only priests had magical powers that came from God. Others’ power must come from devil.

32. Woman Hunts? • 80% of all witch hunt victims were women who were single and between the ages of 45 and 60 Witch hunts ended as people started relying more on science and when important people began being accused. When they were accused, they called a halt to witch hunts

33. Philosophers and Writers • Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) • Seen as greatest of Spanish writers • Wrote Don Quixote, 1603 • About a not too stable middle-aged romantic • Believes he must prove he is worthy of knighthood by battling a windmill (dragon) to defend a noble lady (peasant) • Humiliated by a well-meaning friend who wished to bring him to his senses by defeating him in combat • Quixote died broken-hearted; we need our dreams

34. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) • Seen as greatest playwright in the English language • Wrote plays about individual rulers, commercialism, and Elizabethan bawdiness • Wrote histories, comedies, and tragedies • Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth • His plays are for all times. - Ben Johnson

35. Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) • French mathematician and scientist • Torn between skepticism and Christian dogma • Didn’t like Jesuits • Did think a belief in God improved earthly life psychologically

36. Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) • Jewish, Dutch • Criticized religion • Wrote Ethics • Was attacked by both Protestants and Jews

37. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) • An original political philosopher • Became a Calvinist • Had a very low opinion of humans • 1651 wrote Leviathan about political consequences of people’s actions • Believed much could be accomplished through the use of science

38. Believed people should sign a social contract for the sake of peace and self-defense to agree to set aside personal rights to all things. There should be restrictions on liberty. • Was for absolute rule

39. John Locke (1632-1704) • Most influential political thinker of 17th century • Said power to govern comes from the people • Kings should not have total power and was against the divine right of kings • Said people have the right to life, liberty, and property • Believed that if there is an unjust government, the people have a right to overthrow it

40. By the beginning of the 17th century, there had been Voyages of Discovery, the Reformation, Religious Wars, Superstition and the Enlightenment