Free University Project
Western Civilization II
1648 to the Present
Unit 1: Absolutism, Constitutionalism, Empire and Economic Expansion
Updated October, 2006

Freeuniv home Absolutism and Constitutionalism, 1648-1715 (7-9%)

Dutch Republic
English Revolution
France of Louis XIV
Formation of Austria and Prussia
Westernization of Russia

Competition for empire and economic expansion ( 4-6%)

Global economy of 18th Century
Western Europe after Utrecht 1713-1740
Economic and demographic change in the 18th Century
Video
From: The Western Tradition
The Wars of Religion
For more than a century, the quarrels of Protestants and Catholics tore Europe apart. (Broadband Video on Demand) 

The Rise of the Trading Cities
Amid religious wars, a few cities learned that tolerance increased their prosperity. (Broadband Video on Demand) 

The Age of Absolutism
Exhausted by war and civil strife, many Europeans exchanged earlier liberties and anarchies for greater peace. (Broadband Video on Demand) 

Absolutism and the Social Contract
Arguments about the legitimate source of political power centered on divine right versus natural law. (Broadband Video on Demand) 

From: Art of the Western World
Realms of Light - The Baroque
Part I: The Church's campaign to counter the Reformation relied on dramatic depictions of religious scenes, such as those of Caravaggio and Bernini. Part II: The royal courts in Spain and the wealthy burghers in the Netherlands commissioned major paintings by Velazquez and Rembrandt and shaped their content. (Broadband Video on Demand) 

Text

Chapter 1 The Period of Renaissance and Reformation (1416 - 1600) (Pink Monkey)
      1.12 The Official Instatement of Protestantism
      1.13 Calvinism
      1.14 Reformation in England
      1.15 Counter Reformation
      1.16 Legacy of the Reformation
      1.17 Points to Remember

Lectures

From The History Guide by Steven Kreis:
Lectures on Modern European Intellectual History

Lecture 4: The Medieval Synthesis and the Renaissance Discovery of Man
Lecture 5: The Medieval Synthesis Under Attack: Savonarola and the Protestant Reformation

Quiz

Questions (Pink Monkey)

Library

940.2 ESSE V. 1 The ESSENTIALS of European History.
509.4 Lind Lindberg, David C. The Beginnings of Western Science

Bibliography (Pink Monkey)

Resources

Companion Website: Western Civilization: A Social and Cultural History Combined Brief Edition
Click on syllabus manager (However you do not have to log in.)
Chap. 15. Absolute Power
Chap. 16. Europe Reaches Out

The Wars of Religion
Religion, Wars of

Reading About the World, Vol. 2 (Brians)

A Glossary of Historical Terms (Pink Monkey)

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