Interpreting Modern History: Revival of the Appreciation of Art

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Modern history was the abandonment of European confinement. I understand modern history as being the revival of the appreciation of art, ideas, and moral values known as the Renaissance. During and before this time period, the majority of the European population was deeply embedded and blinded by the church. It is my understanding that Modern history is comprised of a sequence of events. It was not limited to specific dates, it was a continuous cycle of religious and political strives for power, establishment, and scientific discovery. The events, formerly mentioned, that took place were the Renaissance, the Reformation, and Exploration.
The first of the sequenced events is known as the Renaissance. The Renaissance was the period in Europe from 1350 to 1550. It is one of the few eras in Western history that named itself. My understanding is that it was a cultural and scholarly movement that emphasized the rekindling and significance of texts and ideologies from antiquity. In my opinion, one of the most influential figures during the Renaissance was Francesco Petrarca, commonly known as Petrarch. It was through his ideology, “Humanism,” that I really began to comprehend what the Renaissance was really all about. (Backman, 2013)
The Renaissance combined the elements of antiquity along with political, social, and economic motivations to create a widespread movement. Over the course of the fourteenth century, the old social and political structures broke down, allowing new concepts to arise. The cultural elite found that those concepts could be used for their own elevation. Italy was not one nation; it was comprised of various city-states. All of which were competing for civic pride, trade and wealth.
Politically, Italy was differe...

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... human potential, art, and society changed for the better. Almost simultaneously, a huge social and political change erupted in northern Europe, with the Protestant Reformation. Peasants revolted, the Catholic Church was questioned, and the power of the Holy Roman Empire was greatly weakened. With the growth of intellect and an interest in furthering human potential came the Age of Exploration. In which countries attempted to expand their countries through colonization of the New World. The social, political, and economic foundations of European society were greatly changing, slowly paving the way for the Modern Era. And I believe that none of the accomplishments formerly mentioned would be possible without the one that preceded it.

Works Cited

1. Backman, C. (2013). The cultures of the west a history. (Vol. 2, pp. 373-412). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

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