What is the early modern period?
Q: What is the early modern period?
A: The early modern period is a term used by historians to describe the three centuries between the Middle Ages and the Industrial Revolution in Western Europe and its first colonies. It is characterized by the rise of science, technological progress, civic politics, nation states, capitalism, and mercantilism.
Q: What significant dates mark this period?
A: Significant dates in this phase from medieval to early modern Europe include 1447 with the invention of movable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg; 1453 with the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans; 1485 with England's last Plantagenet king being killed at Bosworth; 1492 with Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas; 1494 with France invading Italy; 1513 with Machiavelli's The Prince being published; 1517 with Martin Luther nailing his ninety-five thesis to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany; and 1545 with The Council of Trent marking an end to medieval Roman Catholic Church.
Q: How did kings and rulers use this shift in understanding?
A: Many kings and rulers used this radical shift in understanding of the world to further consolidate their sovereignty over their territories. For instance, many Germanic states (as well as English Reformation) converted to Protestantism in an attempt to slip out of power from under Pope's control.
Q: What are some intellectual developments during this time?
A: Intellectual developments during this time included creation of economic theory of mercantilism as well as publication works such as Machiavelli's The Prince (1513) and Thomas More's Utopia (1515).
Q: When did Capitalism begin its rise?
A: Capitalism began its rise beginning in northern Italian republics such as Genoa during the early modern period.
Q: What marked end date for early modern period?
A: End date for early modern period is associated with Industrial Revolution which began around 1750 or French Revolution which started around 1789 which drastically transformed European politics including abolition of serfdom and change from kingdoms into nation-states.
