There were many factors that contributed to the uneven growth of urban centres and culture in Europe between 1500 and 1650. This essay will consider the impact of climate change, geography, the economy, religion, war, and the changing political landscape in Europe in this period, with a view to identifying the main factors that led to the changes at this time. There was no one thing that caused the changes but a combination of all the factors above. It could be argued that climate change was the most important factor. It was the catalysts that drove changes. A conclusion will be proposed based on a consideration of the various contributing factors. In the modern world climate change can be explained rationally with the aid of science.
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With the growth of the protestant religion and the Reformation in the period 1500 – 1650, different religious communities and areas grew within cities. This drove the growing unrest and crisis in Europe. There was at least one war in progress in Europe during the early 1700s, including the thirty years war. “The Thirty Years’ War (1618-48) began when the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II of Bohemia attempted to curtail the religious activities of his subjects, sparking rebellion among Protestants.” This war involved all the major powers in Europe and was predominantly fought on German territory. The wars were fought predominately between the catholics and the protestants. They saw nearly 4,000,000 people slaughtered. The war eventually ended with a series of treaties that made up the Peace of Westphalia. The Protestants were given substantial rights and freedom. Europe was reshaped the political and religious map of Europe had changed forever. The Roman Catholic empire had to give way to a new community of sovereign …show more content…
This was a time of great turmoil and growth throughout Europe. During this time the urban population was growing at a never seen before rate. “The vast economic and territorial expansion of the Early Modern age was a force for both good and ill. On the negative side, the scale of war between Western powers (in terms of troops, resources, and geographic extent) grew steadily. On the positive side, the Early Modern age witnessed the rise of a large middle class (e.g. merchants, artisans, officials), which greatly bolstered the spread of literacy and scholarship” The merchants had become so wealthy that they could support the governments and monarchies many virtually bankrupted by the cost of war by lending them money. This enabled merchants to buy themselves into the noble classes. This was also the period of the discovery of the new world in the west. Cities grew up and thrived on and around trading routes. On the Iberian peninsula of Spain and Portugal the discoveries and riches of the new world were being landed at the ports, bringing people in search of work and a better life. There appeared to be opportunities for advancement. In the south, Seville expanded as a result of its new importance in dealing with the influx of silver from the New World, from about 65,000 in the 1550s to at least 90,000 in the
With the growth of the protestant religion and the Reformation in the period 1500 – 1650, different religious communities and areas grew within cities. This drove the growing unrest and crisis in Europe. There was at least one war in progress in Europe during the early 1700s, including the thirty years war. “The Thirty Years’ War (1618-48) began when the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II of Bohemia attempted to curtail the religious activities of his subjects, sparking rebellion among Protestants.” This war involved all the major powers in Europe and was predominantly fought on German territory. The wars were fought predominately between the catholics and the protestants. They saw nearly 4,000,000 people slaughtered. The war eventually ended with a series of treaties that made up the Peace of Westphalia. The Protestants were given substantial rights and freedom. Europe was reshaped the political and religious map of Europe had changed forever. The Roman Catholic empire had to give way to a new community of sovereign …show more content…
This was a time of great turmoil and growth throughout Europe. During this time the urban population was growing at a never seen before rate. “The vast economic and territorial expansion of the Early Modern age was a force for both good and ill. On the negative side, the scale of war between Western powers (in terms of troops, resources, and geographic extent) grew steadily. On the positive side, the Early Modern age witnessed the rise of a large middle class (e.g. merchants, artisans, officials), which greatly bolstered the spread of literacy and scholarship” The merchants had become so wealthy that they could support the governments and monarchies many virtually bankrupted by the cost of war by lending them money. This enabled merchants to buy themselves into the noble classes. This was also the period of the discovery of the new world in the west. Cities grew up and thrived on and around trading routes. On the Iberian peninsula of Spain and Portugal the discoveries and riches of the new world were being landed at the ports, bringing people in search of work and a better life. There appeared to be opportunities for advancement. In the south, Seville expanded as a result of its new importance in dealing with the influx of silver from the New World, from about 65,000 in the 1550s to at least 90,000 in the