Western Civilization
Various events characterize the history of western civilization. Different individuals focused on finding ways of improving their lives and those of others, and this led to the discovery and invention of new things. Countries engaged in wars, where they killed each other for the sake of their own benefits. Religion has remained a crucial part of people’s lives, and it has affected people’s thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and actions. It has had both positive and negative effects. On one hand, religion has mostly contributed to stable societies, while, on the other hand, conflicts among different religious entities have led to wars and shedding of blood as each religion tries to maintain a stronghold. Some people have opposed new discoveries for the purposes of religion. The period between the 16th and 20th centuries was different in many ways. There were different political systems, different roles of the church in the state, different levels of scientific thought and discoveries, as well as different cultural beliefs and economic systems. However, the centuries have a common theme in that they reflect people’s need to improve their lives in different ways, whether it is through religious, political, or economic freedom, by engaging in wars and conquests, as well as scientific discoveries and inventions.
There was much emphasis on religion in the 16th century. Religion controlled a substantial part of people’s lives, and it determined the way they lived and the political systems. Christianity was the main form of religion then. Different people contributed to religious reforms, and this led to more understanding and openness of different religious subjects. People no longer depended on the information they got from priests and other religious leaders since they could read the religious texts on their own. This led to the formation of protestant churches, and it weakened the involvement of the church in politics. Church reformation coincided with the development of literacy and the printing press, and this led to people acquiring more knowledge. Martin Luther translated the bible into German, consequently making it accessible to more people. His decision to question the ways and practices of the church led to the religious reforms. It led more people to question the beliefs they had held and practiced for a long time. People began having an open mind concerning different situations. Luther introduced marriage reforms as he advanced the idea of ending celibacy among the priests (324). Although Luther faced many challenges and some people did not accept his work, some people such as John Calvin, were willing to advance his ideas and thoughts concerning religion, and they spread Protestantism to other regions.
There were several challenges towards the acquisition of knowledge, but people were able to explore scientific knowledge and develop in philosophical thought. This increased knowledge and it led to different inventions and a new way of doing things. People were willing to think rationally about their world, and they were not only led by their religious beliefs. This led to the development of new thought, which contradicted age-old beliefs. Development of science was especially controversial in many areas since it suggested that people had held false beliefs for a long time. The Italian scientist Galileo Galilei faced many challenges, including arrest and trial, in his quest to advance scientific knowledge. He could not publish his discoveries without obtaining a license. He had to smuggle some of his work from his country so that it could be published (26). The scientific revolution continued. Many people became more involved in different topics concerning science, and this led to more experimentation and study of different phenomena. By the nineteenth century, people had advanced their knowledge concerning different issues, and they were more willing to accept scientific discoveries. Thus, when Charles Darwin published his work, The Origin of Species, he became a celebrated figure in the society (190). However, many people were not willing to accept all the scientific discoveries made. The church was not influential in state matters, but it did influence individual thought. Because of this, many people opposed the idea of evolution when it first emerged as it was contrary to the teachings of the church on creation.
The church reforms affected the society in different ways, and it led to changes in governance and the economy. There was more separation of the church and the state as the church continued to be divided. More protestant groups emerged, each having a different approach and different beliefs, but none of them were able to maintain the influence that the church had held before the reforms. People became more involved in the governing affairs of their country, and this contributed to democracy. The rise in scientific knowledge led to the creation of different inventions and this contributed to the industrial revolution. Industrial revolution was the beginning of change for many countries as there was less focus on the traditional industries. People were no longer concerned with agriculture and the craft industries, and many of them moved from their homes to areas where there were factories, and this contributed to the development of cities.
European nations such as Portugal, Spain, Germany, and Britain, had concentrated their efforts on conquering new lands in different parts of the world especially in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. This was especially the case in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. However, during the nineteenth century, different countries had the desire to conquer more lands and this led to imperial rivalry between the US and some European nations. The two regions sought to have new empires, and this led to a conflict between them. This conflict would eventually lead to wars as different countries fought against each other. Over time, countries found reasons to wage war against each other, and their decisions to form alliances did not help matters. It meant that more regions became enemies, and there was much division. Because of this, the twentieth century experienced more wars and fatalities than any other century. Not all the people in a country supported its decision to engage in war, and this led to demonstrations. People demonstrated because they realized that the wars were not for the benefit of the entire country (223). For some time, Britain had been the world’s wealthiest country as it had taken advantage of the resources available in its colonies. However, it became financially weak as it ended up using its resources to fight in different wars and to support the countries with which it had formed alliances.
People realized economic freedom through discovery and invention. This enabled them to have new and modern things, which improved their lives. Countries engaged in wars with other countries as they sought other areas of expansion, which would enable them to get wealth and improve the lives of their people. They were able to get raw materials and exploit the people they found in their new colonies, for their own benefit. People got religious freedom through spiritual reforms. Since the 16th century, people have become more accepting and more open towards different religions, and Christianity is no longer the only dominant religion in the world. Moreover, religious reforms led to new ways of thinking, which enabled the development of rational scientific thought. It led people to question their beliefs concerning the church, and its influence on the state. Religious reforms also contributed to democracy as people were able to participate in the affairs of their countries, and this led to changes in the political systems.
Works Cited
Mises, Ludwig Von. Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis. New York, NY: Ludwig von Mises Institute, 2009. Print.
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]