AP European History Unit 4 - Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Presenter: Steve Heimler
• Objective: Help students get an A in class and a 5 on the exam.
• Focus: Europe’s thinking people and how their ideas changed the social, political, and economic landscape.

Scientific Revolution

Major Changes

• Origin from Renaissance Humanism.
• Areas of focus:
  • Astronomy
  • Medicine
  • Reasoning

Astronomy

Prevailing View

• Geocentric Model by Aristotle and Ptolemy.
• Earth at the center; supported by the Catholic Church.

New Understanding

• Nicolas Copernicus:
  • Proposed the Heliocentric Model.
  • Used complex mathematics to suggest the sun was the center.
• Johannes Kepler:
  • Affirmed the heliocentric model.
  • Discovered planetary orbits were elliptical.
• Galileo Galilei:
  • Used a telescope to observe celestial bodies.
  • Proved planets were made of the same material as Earth.

Church Reaction

• Church opposed these ideas; labeled works of Copernicus and Kepler as banned.
• Galileo charged with heresy despite being a committed Catholic.

Medicine and Anatomy

Prevailing View

• Galen's Humeral Theory:
  • Health based on balance of four humors: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.

New Thinkers

• Paracelsus:
  • Rejected humeral theory; suggested chemical imbalances caused disease.
  • Advocated for chemical remedies.
• William Harvey:
  • Proved blood circulatory system was one integrated whole.

Reasoning

New Methods

• Francis Bacon:
  • Advocated for empirical research and inductive reasoning.
• Rene Descartes:
  • Champion of deductive reasoning.
  • Developed the scientific method emphasizing observation and experimentation.

Enlightenment

Overview

• Built upon the scientific revolution.
• Applied reasoning to politics, society, and human institutions.
• Began in France; reacted against absolutism.

Key Philosophers

Voltaire

• Criticized social and religious institutions.
• Advocated for natural rights and reforms in education and free speech.

Denis Diderot

• Editor of the Encyclopedia; cataloged knowledge based on Enlightenment principles.
• Criticized religious intolerance and old social institutions.

Deism and Atheism

• Voltaire: Developed deism; God as a non-intervening creator.
• Denis Diderot: Also a deist; defined atheism in his works.
• David Hume: Developed skepticism; reason limited to sensory experiences.

Political Implications

• John Locke:
  • Introduced natural rights (life, liberty, property).
  • Popular sovereignty; power originates from the people.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau:
  • Developed social contract theory; government must protect natural rights.

Spread of Enlightenment Ideas

• Printing press facilitated the spread.
• Salons as new institutions for discussion and debate.

Impact on Religion

• Shifted to view religion as a private concern.
• Emphasized personal religious experience over state-imposed religion.

Economic Thought

• Adam Smith:
  • Criticized mercantilism.
  • Advocated for free market economy and invisible hand.

Social Changes

Population and Food

• Population Growth: Due to decreasing death rates and advancing medicine.
• Agricultural Revolution:
  • More land for farming.
  • Advances in crop rotation and agricultural technology.

Urbanization

• Large-scale migration from rural to urban areas.
• Challenges:
  • Overcrowding and creation of tenements.
  • Spread of diseases and increased poverty.

Family and Childhood

• Shift towards recognizing childhood as a distinct phase.
• Increased focus on education and well-rounded upbringing.

Cultural and Intellectual Life

Reading Revolution

• Increase in the variety and availability of books.
• Censorship attempts by religious authorities.

Art and Culture

• Shift from Baroque to Neoclassicism.
• Art emphasized simplicity and symmetry.

Consumer Revolution

• Increased demand for consumer goods.
• New venues for leisure such as coffee houses.

Conclusion

• Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution brought transformative changes in thought, society, and politics.
• Set the stage for revolutions and further developments in succeeding units.