Publisher's Synopsis
This book investigates how Europe has evolved from a theocratic culture to a contemporary nation-state structure. It examines how the Renaissance affected European society, as well as its economy, political system, and culture, resulting in new nation-states and ideologies and culminating in the French Revolution. Beginning in Italy around 1300, the Renaissance evolved into a time of literary, artistic, and intellectual blossoming that challenged the medieval worldview. Martin Luther's protests against the Catholic Church in 1517 marked the beginning of the Reformation. The Scientific Revolution saw a paradigm shift in Western philosophy and established modern technology based on observation, experimentation, and mathematics. The late 17th and late 18th centuries saw the height of the Enlightenment. The French Revolution was a watershed event that signalled the end of the Old Regime and the commencement of modern France, sparking democratic ideas and activities.
The book will be of interest to students of history, as well as a general readership interested in European history, politics, and culture.
