Humanism, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment and Romaniticism all helped shape societies in Western Euope, as well as the world at large.

Western Europe is home to some of the worlds greatest thinkers, writers, philosophers and artists. From the 1300s through 1900s several major intellectual movements helped shape politics and culture in Western Europe. These movements brought great advancement in human rights, technology and political freedom. They also brought about great destruction, spawning war and revolution.

Humanism

After the Black Death swept through Europe, killing off a third of its population by the end of the fourteenth century, people were ready for a change. Very slowly new ideas and beliefs concerning the purpose of life began to spread from Florence Italy. It became known as Humanism and was based on the belief that life on Earth had a point of its own. It did not have to be a miserable layover on the way to Heaven. According to humanists, life was full of beauty, waiting to be enjoyed. Humanism went hand in hand with European Renaissance, which saw a rebirth of interest in the ancient works of Greece and Rome and also helped spur the Protestant Reformation with its radical idea that men could think for themselves.

The Scientific Revolution

Along with funding the Italian Renaissance, Wealthy families, such as the Medici’s in Florence, were also patrons of scientific thinkers and philosophers during the 15th and 16th Centuries. At this time, most scientific thought was based wholly on the teachings of Aristotle and Ptolemy. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) a Polish priest, spent the better part of his life studying astronomy, and believed that view of an earth centered universe to be incorrect. His observations would shake up the worldview and lay the foundation for men like Isaac Newton and Sir Francis Bacon.

The Enlightenment

Known as the Age of Reason, the Enlightenment is a direct result of the Scientific Revolution. Thinkers claimed that everything and everyone could be explained in a logical, rational, scientific way. Reasoning became a popular term, which conflicted directly with things like emotions and religious faith. The Enlightenment helped bring about major changes in social progress. Indeed, Enlightened thinkers were among the first to declare that social progress was even possible. Revolutions in America and France were inspired by Enlightened ideas of liberty, freedom and equality.

The Romantic Movement

Romanticism, which took root in the middle of the 18th Century, was a backlash to the Age of Reason. Romantics embraced feelings and desires and rejected the ideas of cold logic and reasoning. They rejected material things and sought spiritual awakening through their art, believing that the purpose of life was for each person to fulfill his or her own unique human potential. The Romantic Movement produced some of the most influential music, literature and artwork in Europe.