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Unit 1: Renaissance and Exploration

• The Renaissance (14th-17th century)
  • Originated in Italy, promoting humanism, art, and classical learning.
  • Key figures: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael
  • Influence of patrons like the Medici family.
• Age of Exploration
  • Motivations: God, gold, glory.
  • Key explorers: Columbus, Magellan, Vasco da Gama.
  • Impact on indigenous populations and the Columbian Exchange.

Unit 2: Reformation and Religious Wars

• Protestant Reformation
  • Martin Luther’s 95 Theses challenging Catholic Church practices.
  • John Calvin and the development of Calvinism.
  • Counter-Reformation led by the Council of Trent and Jesuits.
• Religious Wars
  • Impact of the Peace of Augsburg (1555).
  • Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) affecting Europe’s political landscape.

Unit 3: Absolutism and Constitutionalism

• Absolutism
  • Characteristics of absolute rulers like Louis XIV of France.
  • The concept of the divine right of kings.
• Constitutionalism
  • Development in England: Magna Carta, Glorious Revolution.
  • Influence of John Locke’s ideas on government and individual rights.

Unit 4: Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment

• Scientific Revolution
  • Pioneering figures: Copernicus, Galileo, Newton.
  • Shift from geocentric to heliocentric models of the universe.
• Enlightenment
  • Emphasis on reason, science, and individual rights.
  • Key thinkers: Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu.
  • Influence on modern political thought and revolutions.