Renaissance and Early Modern History Exam Review

Renaissance Influences

  • Petrarch: Renaissance poet often called the father of Humanism.
  • Niccolò Machiavelli: Author of "The Prince," a foundational work in political theory.
  • Baldassare Castiglione: Writer of "The Courtier," detailing the ideal characteristics of a courtier.
  • Johann Gutenberg: Inventor of the printing press, revolutionized communication and literature dissemination.
  • Henry VIII: English king known for his role in the separation from the Catholic Church and formation of the Church of England due to the Treason Act.
  • New Monarchs: Monarchs like Henry VIII who consolidated power by diminishing the influence of nobles and the church.
  • Elizabeth I: Established the Act of Uniformity mandating attendance at Church of England services.
  • Bureaucracy: Body of officials aiding the king in implementing laws.
  • Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain: Monarchs who united Spain and supported Columbus's voyage.
  • The Peace of Augsburg (1555): Treaty allowing for the coexistence of Catholicism and Lutheranism in the Holy Roman Empire.
  • Medici Family: Prominent family in Renaissance Italy, patrons of art and banking.
  • Divine Right: The doctrine that monarchs derive their right to rule from God.

Age of Exploration

  • Motive: The pursuit of gold, god (spread of Christianity), and glory.
  • Mercantilism: Economic theory advocating for a favorable balance of trade.
  • Jean Baptiste Colbert: Finance minister of Louis XIV, termed the father of mercantilism.
  • Technological Advances: Lateen sails, compass, and astrolabe enhanced navigation.
  • Explorers:
    • Vasco da Gama: First European to reach India by sea.
    • Christopher Columbus: Completed four voyages across the Atlantic.
    • Hernan Cortes: Conqueror of the Aztec Empire.
  • Treaty of Tordesillas: Divided the New World between Spain and Portugal.
  • Columbian Exchanges:
    • From New to Old World: Potatoes, gold, silver, maize, tomatoes, tobacco, chocolate.
    • From Old to New World: Smallpox, measles, horses, chickens, goats, cows, pigs.
  • Effects on Populations:
    • Europe benefited from increased crops and population growth; shift to commercial capitalist economy.
    • Americas faced devastation with 90% population decline among Indigenous peoples.
    • Africa experienced the rise of the slave trade; enslaved Africans were crucial for plantations.

Economic Transformations

  • Money Economy: Transition from barter system to currency.
  • Dutch East India Company: Early joint-stock company for Trade.
  • Price Revolution: Surge in prices leading to inflation.
  • Enclosure Movement: Wealthy landowners fenced communal lands, impacting peasant agriculture.
  • Noble Classes:
    • Sword Nobles: Nobility by birth.
    • Robe Nobles: Wealthy individuals who purchased titles.

Protestant Reformation

  • Simony: The practice of selling church office titles.
  • Indulgences: Payments made to the church for forgiveness of sins.
  • Martin Luther: Initiated the Reformation with his 95 Theses, advocated salvation through faith.
  • John Calvin: Introduced concepts of predestination and viewed labor as a virtue.
  • St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre: Mass killing of Huguenots by Catholics in France.
  • Edict of Nantes: Granted rights to Huguenots in Catholic France.
  • Thirty Years War: A destructive conflict in the Holy Roman Empire based on religious divisions.
  • Peace of Westphalia: Ended the Thirty Years War, recognizing Calvinism and weakening the Holy Roman Empire.
  • Council of Trent: Catholic Church's response to the Reformation, affirming core doctrines.

Political Changes in England

  • English Civil War: Conflict between Parliament and monarchy, resulting in the execution of Charles I.
  • Oliver Cromwell: Led Parliamentary forces to victory and became a military dictator post-war.
  • Mary and William of Orange: Their ascent to the throne marked the Glorious Revolution and acceptance of the English Bill of Rights.

Agricultural and Economic Innovations

  • Agricultural Revolution: Innovations like crop rotation, the seed drill, and selective breeding enhanced farming.
  • Cottage Industry: Home production of goods for sale.
  • Putting Out System: Merchants provided raw materials to be processed by workers in their homes.
  • Adam Smith: Wrote "Wealth of Nations," promoting free market and economic competition.

Rise of Absolutism and Military Power

  • Dutch Golden Age: Period of prosperity and tolerance in the Netherlands.
  • Partition of Poland: Division of Polish territories among neighboring powers.
  • Louis XIV: Absolute monarch exemplifying centralized power, known for revoking the Edict of Nantes.
  • War of Spanish Succession: Conflict over the Spanish throne leading to alterations in European power dynamics.
  • Standing Armies: Increased military might among European states.
  • Causes of Absolutism: Decline of church influence; demand for stable governance.
  • Palace of Versailles: Louis XIV's grand palace designed for control and oversight of nobility.
  • Peter the Great: Introduced Western reforms in Russia, exemplifying absolute rule.