●The first major empires to developed the European culture
were the ancient Greek and the ancient Roman Empires.

○Greek (400-300 BC) - laid the foundation of
European government and culture.

■Athens - Greek city-state introduced the idea
of democracy.

○Roman (27 BC - 500 AD) - expanded the Geek
culture and established Christianity = largest
religion today (Catholicism)

■Introduced latin (language), and new
engineering and architecture techniques

●Age of European expansion and reformation of
culture.

●After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was
divided into smaller kingdoms (Monarchies).

○Led to Feudal Societies

■A system where a monarch rules
with absolute power. The land is
owned by the king, but managed
by the lords and nobles in return
for their loyalty. At the bottom of
the system were the peasants or
serfs who worked the land.

● Christianity was the dominant religion

○The Catholic Church became a dominant religious, political and economic institution.

●Black Death - Global epidemic that struck
Europe in mid-1300’s
○Killed over 20 million people in Europe (1/3 of the population).

○Catholic church led targeted ethnic
persecutions.

●Era known as the “rebirth” of Europe =
Period of scientific, artistic, religious,
political and economic rediscovery

○ Printing press - invention that spread communication and ideas more quickly throughout Europe

○ Art and science became a significant movement through valuable paintings and
architecture.

● Protestant Reformation - religious protest, led by Martin
Luther, that limited the influence of the Catholic church.

○ Led to the branching of Christianity = Lutherans,
Methodists, Baptists, Anglicans, Pentecostals, etc.

● Age of Exploration - Era where
european empires would claim land
in America, Africa and Asia =
colonization.

What was the Columbian Exchange again?

• The Columbian Exchange was a trade route across the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and North/South America.

• It began after the travels of Christopher Columbus to the Americas.

The Positive Effects

• Increased Food Supply

• New Technology/Ideas

• More Varied Diet

The Negative Effects of the Columbian Exchange

• Colonization

• Work camps

• Disease

• Slavery

● Age of Enlightenment - Era of
political reformation that would give
birth to democratic ideas and other
forms of government.

John Locke

Charles Montesquieu

The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement that dominated in Europe during the 17th and 18th century. The Philosophic Movement advocated for a society based upon reason rather than faith and Catholic doctrine, for a new civil order based on natural law, and for science based on experiments and observation.

●Started with the Industrial Revolution

○Beginning in Britain it was the period of
scientific and technological development
that transformed agrarian (rural) societies
into industrial (urban) societies.

■Development of large cities

○Led to the development of modern
capitalism

○Steam engine - invention that led the
industrial revolution (factories = industrial
machinery)

●Colonial Conflicts and Independence

○American Revolution - led the path to
colonial independence in the Americas

■Great Britain, France and Spain all lost
control of land

World War I
●1914 - 1918 = First global conflict that began in
Balkan peninsula (Austria-Hungary vs Serbia)

●M.A.I.N. motives
○ Militarism - building of armies (For national defense)

○Alliances - agreements to help or defend one another (Cultural alliances)

○Imperialism - building of empires; countries that control other countries (Cultural diffusion)

○Nationalism - having pride towards one’s country (Cultural identity)

World War II
●1939 - 1945 = second global conflict that resulted
from the effects and policies of WWI.

●Germany - led a mass genocide against jewish
people = Holocaust

●After the war, Germany was split into East and
West = causing a cultural effect in Europe

○Russia controlled the east

○Allies (U.S., Britain, France) controlled the
west

○A new world culture emerged = Capitalism
vs. Communism

Cold War
●1945 - 1991

●Russia aka USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics) or the Soviet Union promotes
communist ideologies throughout eastern Europe

●Russia emerges as a global superpower.

●Great Britain and the U.S. become the leaders of
democracy and capitalism across western Europe.

●1991 the Soviet Union collapses (falls apart) =
Cold War ends