Western Civilization

Western Civilization from 1589 to 1914 had many specific changes that contributed to the structure of the western world before World War I. In the absolutism state sovereignty is embodied in the person of the ruler. Kings were absolute kings and were resposible to no none except god. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries absolute rulers had to respect the fundamental laws of their land. They had to control competing jurisdictions, institutions or groups that were interested in their territory. They regulated religious sects. France of Louis was the classic model of absolutism. Louis XIV, " the sun king," was a devoted Catholic who believed that god had estalblished kings as rulers on the earth. The French language and culture became an international style because of him. People liked what he was doing, people really liked him. He effected the western world in a good way. He made them see that absolutism could indeed be very productive.

Constitutionalism is the opposite of absolutism. Tis is the limitation of the state law. Under the constitutionalism, the state must be governed according to law, not by royal decree. It implies the balance of power of the government and the rights of the subjects. Constitutional governments may be either be republics or monarchies. Between 1603 and 1649 absolutism ran along second to English beliefs. This is when costitutionalism began to rise. This was also during the English civil war. This was a messy period for England. After this period however, the English monarchy was restored. The Stuart kings were stored in 1660. This did not however, help religion of the relationship between king and parliament. The test was passed in 1673. This stated that those who joined the church of England could not vote, hold office, preach, teach, attend universities or assemble, and these restrictions could not be upheld. Fear of a catholic monarchy led to the expulsion of James the 2nd and the glorious revolution. Constitutionalism was the way of the future and in my own personal opinion it was the best way to go.

Shortly after absolutism and constituionalism the scientific revolution came into effect. The scientific

revolution of the seventeenth century was the major cause of the change in world view and one of the key developments in the evolution of the western society. In the 1500's Europeans thought the world was the center of the universe. Most of their ideas came from Aristotelian medieval ideas. They believed that around the earth were ten circular spheres and that beyond the spheres was heaven. Science in this period was primarily a branch of theology. Galileo contributed greatly to the world of science. He discovered the laws of motion using the experimental method. He also used the experimental method to astronomy, using the newly invented telescope. Galileo was tried by the Inquisition for heresy in 1633 and forced to recant his views. The scientific revolution caused the Medieval Universities to provide frame world for new science. The renaissance stimulated by science rediscovering ancient mathematics and supporting scientific investigations. The scientific community's primary goal was to expand knowledge. Because the link between pure science and applied technology was weak, the scientific revolution had little effect on daily life before the 19th century.

The Enlightenment also had its benefits to the western world. The Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement that tied together certain key ideas and was the link between the scientific revolution and a new world view. Some of these ideas were the natural science and reasoon can explain all aspects