European transformation 1500-1800: political fragmentation, monarchy, and secularism

¶ … Europe transformed 1500-1800? Discuss political and religious fragmentation, the creation of monarchies and the genesis of nations, the rise of capitalism, and the rise of secularism, science and technology. Why did Europe progress along this unique pattern of development and what was the impact for world history?

Economic, Social and Religious changes in Europe (1500-1800) and their influences on the modern society

This period of 1500-1800 could be characterized by intense modifications in the structure and the operation of the economic, social and religious system in Europe. Structural changes and reforms represent ideas which would constitute a premise for what Europe, and the world in its assembly, has managed to become today.

Europe played an important on the history of human kind for the period mentioned (1500-1800). The society of Europe as a whole was reformed in many ways and field, bringing its contribution on what today represent ordinary things. All the main economic powers were concentrated in this area, so it was natural, in a way that this zone will become the engine for development, using the resources of colonies, the knowledge of the educated person within that particular period and the political and commercial powers of the State powers. In the next paragraphs, we would tackle the main events that occurred in the political, commercial and religious field.

Industrial revolution changes that improved the life of people, enabling discoveries such as the steam engine-which permitted people to travel long distances, electric power generation, internal combustion engine, development of textile industry, metallurgy developments and chemical substances brake-through, improved the life of individuals. The basis for the industrial revolution relied on the pre-industrial technological innovations, like the gunpowder made an influence on the warfare situation and the military caste nature of society - the cannon probably had a great deal to do with the rise of the centralized nation state as we know it. The printing press made possible a media revolution, permitting a wide distribution of information to the masses who were able to be informed about the current events that happened in their society and also operation manuals for users. One of the first literary works printed to the masses was the Bible, which enlightened the people about the religious ideas, making them wonder about the role of the Church and its means of educating people.

Commercialization of societies started by the flourishing period for the commerce within the entire period, with increasing financing means, permitting decent living standard conditions for the average citizen. Economic growth was induced by the development of international trade, which was focused on finding new markets for the European manufacturing and agricultural products. The British and French empires of the time used their settlement colonies for their natural resources, which represent the engine for the empire development and growth. Commerce was the way people earned a living, and famous mercantilist economists elaborated specific scientific documents- like Adam Smith - 'The Wealth of Nations'- in 1776. The invisible hand represents the way a market assures.

The Protestant Reformation occurred in the 16th century as a way to reform the Catholic Church in Western Europe. Many ordinary citizens in those countries considered the church doctrine to be false and duplicitary, often recurring to teaching and selling of indulgences (which were a temporarily 'remission of temporal punishment due to sins which have already been forgiven' the Catholic Encyclopaedia - W.H. Kent). Religious leaders of the time, like Luther and John Calvin enabled reforms that criticize purgatory, the authority of the church, and mostly the pope, to whom were in conflict. These reformist movements had preoccupations for translating and distributing the Bible, as the only source of pure religious information, and try to separate the masses from the Catholic Church.

Certainly, the 16th and 17th centuries are also periods of full spiritual and cultural revival, continuing the 14th and 15th century Renaissance. The bigot, strongly religious environment that had until then dominated the European society is now changing, very slowly at first, and ever more strongly with the Illuminists in the 18th century, towards a more laic and rational society. If until then we are talking about religious law, starting with the 16th century, laic law becomes more and more the norm in Europe.