Transcript The Transformation of the West

The
Transformation
of the West
1450-1750
The Italian Renaissance
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14th/15th Century artistic movement
which challenged medieval intellectual
values and styles
Writers such as Petrarch and Boccaccio
stress secular subjects such as love and
pride
Renaissance Art
Renaissance Art
The Italian Renaissance
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Painting:
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Realism, classical, and human centered themes
Religion is on the decline!
Machiavelli: Political discourse
Humanism: focus on humankind as the center
of intellectual and artistic life
The Northern Renaissance
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After invasions from France and
Spain, the renaissance moved North
Centered in France and England
– A more religious renaissance than the
Italian
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Blended secular interests with
Christian devotion
The Northern Renaissance
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England: Shakespeare
Spain: Cervantes
France: Francis I becomes a patron of
the arts
Kings were still confined by the old
feudal order
The Protestant Reformation
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1517: Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses in
Wittenburg
Protestantism pushed for state control of the
church, rather than papal authority
Protestantism was attractive to ordinary
people as well
The Protestant Reformation
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Henry VIII sets up the Anglican
church(England)
Calvinism: The idea of Predestination,
eventually makes its way to the New
World
Catholic Reformation is launched to
counter Luther’s attacks
The Religious Wars
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France: Edict of Nantes in 1598 grants
religious toleration to Protestants
Thirty Years’ War: 1618, German
Protestants against Catholic Holy
Roman Emperor
– 1648: Treaty of Westphalia grants
territorial tolerance
English Civil War
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Parliament claims right of control over
Absolute monarchy
Charles I is beheaded
Oliver Cromwell becomes “Lord
Protector” (not King)
The Commercial Revolution
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Colonial Markets stimulate
manufacturing
Proletariat: Growing class of people
without access to wealth producing
property
– Manufacturers and Laborers
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Throughout the 1600’s popular
protests were waged to help gain
political rights for peasants
The Scientific Revolution
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Copernicus (or whomever) figures out that
the earth revolved around the sun
Galileo publishes Copernicus’ works, and
adds laws of gravity etc.
Harvey demonstrates movement of blood in
animals (heart)
Descartes: skeptical review of all received
wisdom
Absolutism and Parliamentary
Monarchies
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The Feudal Monarchy becomes
undone in the late 17th Century
French kings slowly built up power
throughout the 17th Century, crushing
nobles power…
France and Louis XIV
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Louis XIV
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Absolute Monarch
“I am the State”
Patron of the Arts
Palace at Versailles
Tariffs were set high and colonies were
sought for raw materials and markets
Other Absolute Monarchies
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Spain: Philip II
Prussia (Germany)
– Strong army and bureaucracy
– State sponsored school system
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Austria-Hungary: Habsburg Rulers
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Britain (the different
one) and the
Netherlands
Emphasized role of central
state, but encouraged
parliamentary regimes
where king shares power
with representatives
1688: Glorious Revolution
finally puts Parliament in the
driver’s seat!
Growing Political Ideologies
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John Locke (and others)
– Power to rule comes from the people (not
from a divine right)
– Kings should be restrained to that which
operates only towards the public interest
– Rights to freedom, property
– Revolution could be justified to oppose
unjust rule
Absolute Monarchies and
Parliamentary Monarchies
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Nation-States rule people who share a
common culture, and language (unlike
former Empires).
Nation-States begin to take on
additional welfare-like functions (even
though those that need it aren’t
represented)