European History 101

The Late Middle Ages

This deck describes the state of religion, culture, and government in the Late Middle Ages.

The Renaissance

The Renaissance began in Italy before spreading northward to influence the rest of Europe. This deck covers the Renaissance’s birth in Italy, its cultural underpinnings, and its effect throughout Europe.

The Age Of Exploration

In the 15th century, powerful states began to develop with significant power concentrated in the hands of monarchs. This deck covers the growth of these powerful monarchies and their exploratory efforts in both Asia and the New World.

The Reformation

Challenges to the Catholic Church’s hegemonic power over European religious life began in earnest with Martin Luther’s 95 Theses. This deck reviews the growth of the Reformation, leading lights such as Luther and Calvin, and the Catholic Church’s Counter-Reformation.

The Wars Of Religion

Disputes between Protestants and Catholics were not merely questions of religious doctrine, but became temporal conflicts. This deck reviews the fearful carnage that ensued from wars between religious factions, culminating in the Thirty Years’ War.

The Growth Of Constitutionalism

The end of the Thirty Years’ War brought about the modern nation-state. This deck describes the birth of constitutional government in the Dutch Republic and England.

Absolutism In France

According to legend, France's King Louis XIV said, “L'État, c'est moi." This deck reviews the growth of the monarchy in France as an atypical form of absolutist government.

The Enlightenment

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the seeds sown during the Renaissance began to flower as new scientific methodology took hold. This deck covers the Scientific Revolution's luminaries such as Bacon and Newton, as well as the growth of the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason.

Eastern Europe & Balance Of Power

Much like France, Eastern Europe developed its own system of absolutism. Monarchs such as Frederick the Great, Marie Therese, and Catherine the Great ruled as enlightened despots, coupling the Enlightenment’s principle of rational government with absolutism. This deck, which reviews the growth of Russia, Austria, and Prussia, also introduces the concept of balance of power, which would guide European diplomacy for centuries.

The French Revolution

Like nothing before or since, the French Revolution marked a new chapter in the evolution of Europe. This deck describes the causes of the French Revolution, its outbreak and excesses, and the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The Concert Of Europe

After the defeat of France in the Napoleonic Wars, the major European powers worked together to maintain peace and harmony on the Continent. This deck covers the diplomatic efforts to ensure that conservatism and gradual change remained triumphant in European affairs, as well as the Revolutions of 1848.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution, the increased urbanization of industrial societies, posed challenges and presented opportunities for both government and culture. This deck reviews the efforts of civil authorities to cope with the challenges of industrialization, the rise of realism, and the efforts of political theorists to respond to the new challenges.

Nationalism & Realpolitik

As the nations of Italy and Germany unified, nationalism and realpolitik dominated European diplomacy and national rhetoric. This deck covers the Italian and German reunification, the rise of nationalism, and the troubling portents for Europe’s future.

The Road To The Great War

In the late 19th century, Europe enjoyed peace and prosperity, but troubling currents would soon lead to the outbreak of the Great War. This deck covers the important trends of the late 19th century, including both scientific advancements and Russian domestic troubles.

World War One

The First World War rocked the European psyche and changed the landscape of Europe. This deck describes imperialism, the outbreak of war, and the results of four years of total war.

Europe After Versailles

The First World War was supposed to be the “war that ended all wars,” but the Treaty of Versailles created more problems than it solved. This deck covers the period of the 1920s and the problems that arose out of efforts to treat the trauma of the First World War.

World War Two

The Second World War laid waste to much of Europe. This deck reviews the rise of totalitarianism, the ineffectual nature of the League of Nations, and the six years of total war.

The Cold War

After the Second World War’s end, the Soviet Union emerged as the dominant power in Europe, countered only by the United States' protection of Western European democracies. This deck describes the Cold War and its effect on European government.

Europe In The Post Soviet Era

The collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of the European Union presented both opportunities and challenges for European government. This deck reviews the events which led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the establishment of close cooperation between the powers of Western Europe, and the challenges facing Europe in the 21st century.