The Transformation of the West, 1450–1750

1. The Transformation of the West, 1450–1750 18

2. Figure 18.1 This tapestry with a Tree of Life design from India dates from the early 18th century. This particular design is on cotton, but it shows the colors and artistry that made Indian fabrics such a popular global commodity in the postclassical and Early Modern periods.

3. Chapter Overview • The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce, 1450–1650 • The Commercial Revolution • The Scientific Revolution: The Next Phase of Change • Political Change • The West by 1750

4. TIMELINE 1300 C.E. to 1750 C.E.

5. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • A New Spirit • Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) • Secular writing • The Italian Renaissance • Begins 14th, 15th centuries • In northern Italy

6. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The Italian Renaissance • Italy • Urbanized • Merchant class • Political rivalry • Petrarch, Boccaccio • Use Italian • Secular topics

7. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The Italian Renaissance • Painting • Use of perspective • Shadow, distance • Focus on humans • Michelango Buonarotti • Leonardo da Vinci • Niccolo Machiavelli

8. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The Italian Renaissance • Humanism • Looking back to classical past • Study of texts, especially ancient • Encouraged innovation

9. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The Renaissance Moves Northward • By 1500, impetus moves north • Northern Renaissance • France, Low Countries, England, Germany • Thence to eastern Europe • Francis I • More concerned with religious matters • William Shakespeare • Miguel de Cervantes

10. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • Changes in Technology and Family • Johannes Gutenberg • Movable type • Advances in literacy • European-style family pattern • Late marriage • Nuclear family • Limit birth rates

11. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The Protestant and Catholic Reformations • 1517, Martin Luther and Protestantism • Attacks church institutions • Bible the only authority • Vernacular translations • Protestant protest used for political gain • German opposition to the papacy • Rulers seize church lands

12. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The Protestant and Catholic Reformations • Henry VIII • Establishes Anglican church • Jean Calvin • Calvinism • Predestination

13. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The Protestant and Catholic Reformations • Catholic Reformation • Renewal • Jesuits • Missionaries • Education

14. Map 18.1 Western Europe During the Renaissance and ReformationDifferent Protestant denominations made inroads in much of northwestern Europe with the Reformation, but Catholicism maintained its hold on significant portions of the continent.

15. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The End of Christian Unity in the West • Religious Wars • France • Calvinists v. Catholics • 1598, Edict of Nantes • Promises Protestants' toleration • Thirty Years War (1618–1648) • Devastating to Germany • Netherlands independent • Treaty of Westphalia

16. The First Big Changes: Culture and Commerce • The End of Christian Unity in the West • Religious Wars • English Civil War • 1640s • Calvinists, Anglicans, remaining Catholics • Dominated politics for almost a century • Lessened connection between God and nature • Literacy increases

17. Figure 18.2 Civil war over religious issues and the relative power of king and parliament resulted in the beheading of Charles I in London in 1649. As this painting suggests, the regicide was one of the most controversial events in English history.

18. Map 18.2 Europe Under Absolute Monarchy, 1715The rise of absolute monarchies led to consolidation of national borders as states asserted full control of areas within their boundaries. For example, a recent study shows that villages that straddled the French–Spanish border were undifferentiated before 1600, but by 1700 they showed marked national differences because of different state policies and the greater impact of belonging to one state or another.

19. The Commercial Revolution • The Impact of the World Economy • Inflation, 16th century • Gold, silver from New World • Demand outstrips supply • Prosperity increase for ordinary people and merchants

20. The Commercial Revolution • Social Protest • Proletariat develops • Attitudes towards poor change • Protests • Witchcraft persecution • A Balance Sheet • Europe more commercial • Religion remained strong despite role shift

21. Map 18.3 European Population Density, c. 1600Europe experienced new levels of population concentration in some urban areas by 1600, although by Asian standards, city size remained fairly modest.

22. The Scientific Revolution: The Next Phase of Change • Scientific Revolution • Did Copernicus Copy? • Nicolaus Copernicus • Polish monk • Planets move around sun • Work of al-Urdi, al-Tusi • Earlier Arab scientists • May have had knowledge of them

23. The Scientific Revolution: The Next Phase of Change • Science: The New Authority • Johannes Kepler • Observations confirm earlier work • New instruments add to data collection • Galileo Galilei • Uses Copernicus' work • William Harvey • Circulatory system

24. Figure 18.3 Johannes Kepler, one of the leading figures in the Scientific Revolution.

25. The Scientific Revolution: The Next Phase of Change • Science: The New Authority • Methods • Francis Bacon • Empirical research • René Descartes • Skepticism • Isaac Newton • System of natural laws

26. The Scientific Revolution: The Next Phase of Change • Science: The New Authority • Deism • God does not intervene with nature • John Locke • Use of reason

27. Visualizing the PastVersaillesThe palace at Versailles.

28. Political Change • Absolute Monarchies • 17th century, medieval balance disrupted • France dominates • Centralized monarchy • Bureaucracy • "Absolute monarchy" • Louis XIV the best example • Nobles kept at court

29. Political Change • Absolute Monarchies • Other absolute monarchs • Spain, Prussia, Austria-Hungary • Territorial expansion

30. Political Change • Parliamentary Monarchies • England • Difference of representatives selected by noble and upper urban classes • Civil War • Glorious Revolution • Parliament triumphant

31. Elites and Masses • End of the witchcraft hysteria • Not brought about by leaders • Ordinary peoples' openness to change • Older women maintain low profile • Who makes the changes • Elite vs. ordinary • Science opens gap among educated • Innovation of family by ordinary people • New parent–child relationships

32. Political Change • The Nation-State • Common language, culture • National literature, songs, foods • Territorial aspect • Common allegiance

33. The West by 1750 • Political Patterns • Great change in central Europe • Frederick the Great of Prussia • Religious freedom • State regulates economy • Overseas commercial networks

34. The West by 1750 • Political Patterns • Continual warfare • France v. Britain • Rivalry over overseas territory • Prussia v. Austria • Territorial conflicts

35. The West by 1750 • Enlightenment Thought and Popular Culture • Scientific Revolution leads to Enlightenment • Scientific methods applied to other fields • General principles • People are good • Reason the answer • Belief in progress

36. The West by 1750 • Enlightenment Thought and Popular Culture • Political science • Adam Smith • Laissez-faire • Denis Diderot, Encyclopédie • Mary Wollstonecraft

37. The West by 1750 • Enlightenment Thought and Popular Culture • Journals, books • Society • Women's rights • Protection of children • Attack inequities

38. Figure 18.4 Portrait of feminist Mary Wollstonecraft.

39. The West by 1750 • Ongoing Change in Commerce and Manufacturing • Mass consumerism • Agriculture • Nitrogen-fixing crops • Stockbreeding • Swamp drainage • Potatoes, etc. introduced

40. The West by 1750 • Ongoing Change in Commerce and Manufacturing • Domestic system • Households produce finished goods • Innovation and Instability • Change becomes the norm • Commercial • Cultural • Political