Introduction to Europe

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Introduction to Europe
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Europe

• Geographically, Europes borders are defined by
• the Atlantic Ocean to the west
• Turkey and Russia to the east
• the Mediterranean Sea to the south
• the Arctic to the north

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Europe

• Europe is a very diverse continent with many
  languages and cultures that flow between the
  borders of its many nations
• Europes history is characterized by
• Invasions from various groups, both internal and
  external
• Conflicts, between nations and within nations
• Shifting power structures and alliances

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Early European Cultures

• In the years Before the Common Era (BCE) much of
  Europe was dominated by the Roman Empire
• The Romans (Italians) ruled over other peoples
  such as the Gauls, Spaniards, Britons and North
  Africans
• During the first few hundred years of the Common
  Era, Roman power eroded and these peoples started
  self-governing and shrinking Romes borders

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The Decline of the Roman Empire

• As Roman power ebbed, tribes from outside the old
  borders moved in to fill the vacuum
• Visigoths (Iberia)
• Vandals (north Africa)
• Anglo-Saxons (Britain)
• Ostrogoths (Italy)
• Franks (France)
• The remnants of the Roman Empire evolved into the
  Byzantine Empire (more Greek oriented, Christian)
  based in Constantinople, which shrank over the
  next thousand years but held on until the 15th
  century

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The Middle Ages

• 500s to 1600s
• Europe dominated by the Feudal system
• Lords control their own fiefdoms (under a king)
  but the real power was in the hands of the Pope
• Life for peasants was pretty miserable, but the
  Church promised heaven (or hell) in the afterlife
• Pope wielded the threat of excommunication over
  kings

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Key Events of the Middle Ages

• Moors invade from Africa (Rule Spain, Portugal,
  part of France and Italy) starting in 8th century
  (gone by 15th century)
• Mongol invasion (Mongols advance through eastern
  Europe and nearly take over the entire continent
  in 13th century)
• The Black Death (Bubonic plague kills 30-60 of
  the European population about 100 million in
  total in the 1300s)
• Protestant Reformation (Martin Luther splits from
  Catholic Church in 16th century)

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European Trade

• Economic activity begins to concentrate in towns
• Merchants and craftspeople formed guilds
• The guilds controlled manufacturing and sales
• Metal, jewelry, food, textiles, etc.

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Guilds and Trade Policy

• No goods could be imported into the town if they
  competed with local products
• Foreign merchants must pay a fee to trade in town
• Influenced trade policy of entire nation import
  taxes on foreign goods that competed with guild
  made products

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Colonization

• European powers started aggressively colonizing
  the rest of the globe from the late 15th century
  on
• Spain, Britain, France, Italy, Portugal, and the
  Netherlands were the main colonial powers
• New colonies provided supplies for Europe
• Fish, sugar, furs, fruits, spices
• Increased international trade, while also
  providing fuel for new conflicts between European
  nations

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Conflicts

• A ridiculous number of wars were fought in Europe
  throughout the middle ages
• Allegiances changed
• Borders shifted
• Grudges were formed that last to this day

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The rise of the nation state

• Borders eventually become more solidified, and
  systems of government became entrenched
• By the end of the Middle Ages, modern Europe is
  starting to take shape

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The Enlightenment

• 18th century ushered in the Age of Enlightenment
• Education no longer just for members of church
  and monarchy
• Science provides answers and solutions to
  problems, making the church less relevant
• Philosophers, writers, and artists spread ideas
  like freedom, democracy, equality, etc.
• Culminates in the French Revolution

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The Industrial Revolution

• More or less coincides with the Enlightenment
• Mechanization and mass production
• Advanced agricultural techniques
• Rise of the middle class
• Also creates sense of injustice, class warfare

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Modern Europe
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Forces of Unity

• Religion is historically a strong force of unity
  (Papal control, Catholicism vs. Protestantism)
• Language can be a force of unity
• Example Switzerland has maintained a peaceful
  existence with four official languages for over
  700 years
• French, Italian, German, and English
• But there are about 230 languages spoken in
  modern Europe

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Forces of Unity

• Historically, politics unified parts of Europe
  against other parts
• In the modern era, political tensions bonded
  western European nations together through the
  North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

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Forces of Unity

• Economic factors can be a force of unity
• Example Many European nations are too small to
  be competitive in global market
• This resulted in the creation of a trading bloc
• After WW2 many western European nations joined
  together to help each other rebuild
  (telecommunications, transportation, energy
  systems), which ended up with the creation of the
  European Union (EU)

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Forces of Unity

• The EU (currently 27 members) has been expanding
  into Eastern Europe, and possibly even Turkey
• The EU facilitates other unifying forces
• Common currency (the Euro)
• European citizenship
• European Laws/Regulations

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Forces of Disunity

• Europe developed divisions due to nationalism,
  whereby people identified with others of similar
  heritage, history and language
• As a result, Europe developed as multiple
  independent nations, many of whom have been at
  war with one another at some point

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Forces of Disunity

• Nationalism is a primary cause of European
  conflicts in the modern era (WW1, WW2, Cold War)
  though economics and territorial expansion were
  certainly key in WW1 and WW2, and the Cold War
  was fueled by ideological differences

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Pages 208-211

• Describe how Europes climate and landscape
  initially affected colonization.
• What advantages did the early colonies choice of
  location provide them with?
• Explain, using as much detail as possible, the
  relationship and progression from small inland
  fishing boats to industrial development.
• How did industrial development aid in
  establishing an educated population?
• Explain the term internal trade, and how it
  relates to the markets Europe needed for the many
  goods it produced.