The World During the Age of Reason: 1600 – 1700
History Paper #3, 2/12/2007
By Luke Sakowski
During this period, the explorers from the countries of
Europe continue to search for new worlds, and ways to gain wealth. The
civilizations of Asia and the Middle East remain within their natural
boundaries because they had no reason to leave their countries, they
preferred to be separated from the rest of the world.
A new Age of Reason begins where the Renaissance ends. The Age of Reason,
1600-1750, was a time of new ideas about everything from clothes to
weapons. New ideas exchanged with people of different cultures bring new
learning, inventions, and technology especially to the growing cities of
Europe. Europe becomes the center of wealth, power, and colonization.
People begin to doubt what they have been told by the church leaders. They
also start to send people to far off lands, to claim them for their
country’s.
The Arts were greatly improving, people had more money, to commission
artists to create great masterpieces. Architecture was also improving.
People stated using glass windows, arches, and domes. They also started
building apartment buildings to save space. Science and Technology had
also improved, people had started building better weapons and labor saving
devices.
North American Indians began to experience the arrival of explorers from
Europe who began to build Colonial America. In the 16th Century, Spanish
explorers traveled up from Mexico, Texas, into the southwest. Spain
developed the first colony in 1565 at St. Augustine, it was founded by Sir
Ponce de Leon.
The first English colony in the Americas was in 1585 by the unsuccessful
English colony of Roanoke, founded by Sir Walter Raleigh. The colony was
unsuccessful because all the ships were being used to fend of the invading
Spanish Armada, so there were no ships left to send supplies to the
starving colony of Roanoke. In 1607, the English establish their first
successful colony at Jamestown; it was founded by greedy Englishmen who
were there for the sole purpose of finding gold and becoming rich. In
1620, a group of Pilgrims seeking religious freedom landed in Plymouth
Massachusetts. In 1625, the Dutch settle in New York. They bought it from
the Indians for 24$. In 1680, William Penn founded Pennsylvania. It was
given to him by the King to repay a debt he owed to William Penn’s father.
England In 1603 was ruled by a new King James I, replacing Queen Elizabeth
I who died. King James made peace with the Spanish Catholics. He
authorized the printing of the bible into English in 1611 called the New
King James Version.
The English Civil War, 1645-1660, was fought between the supporters of
King Charles I and the supporters of Parliament. The war was fought over
who would have control of England. Parliament won and had King Charles
executed.
The 30 Years’ War, 1618-1648, was between the Austrian Catholics and the
German Protestants. By the end of the war most of the countries in Europe
had joined the war supporting one side or the other. The result of the war
was a smaller, less powerful Germany, and the boundaries of the countries
were for the most part set in place.
In 1534, The French explore the St. Lawrence River. In 1608, a Frenchman,
Champlain establishes Quebec and New France in Canada. The French also
begin to explore the Ohio River Valley west of the Appalachian Mountains
establishing trading camps and forts. The French also explored the
Mississippi River and established the city of New Orleans.
France had a new king in 1624, Louis XIII. Because he was just nine years
old at this time, a church cardinal, Cardinal Richelieu, was appointed
Chief Minister to help rule France. Richelieu was powerful and did the
following to increase his control: He killed all who opposed him. Louis
XIV, the Sun King reigns from 1643-1715 determined to make France a great
nation; he built many new buildings and supported the arts.
East India Companies were powerful trading organizations developed by rich
people in Europe who sponsored ships that went to other countries and sent
back money and goods to the companies.
Spain loses its power within Europe during this period following the loss
of the Spanish Armada to England in the previous century, 1588.
Japan in this period becomes isolated from the world because they
preferred to be isolated.
China was ruled by the Manchu Qing dynasty from 1644-1770. The
Manchu’s conquer most of China and the neighboring countries of Tibet,
Vietnam, Burma, Mongolia, and Turkestan. This made China
The strongest country in the world at this time.
In the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire, continued to be strong
throughout the 17th century because of the internal fighting within
Europe.
Slavery and Pirates have existed since people began to travel on the seas.
During the 17th Century, the number of pirates grew along with the
exploration of the new world. Pirate activity along the Atlantic Ocean
trade routes, especially in the West Indies where they would attack any
ship they came across.
The Triangle of Trade begins with Africa where the slavers got slaves from
the slave hunters, They were put unto ships and sailed to the West Indies
where the slaves worked on plantations harvesting sugar. In 1619 the first
slaves arrived in Jamestown to work the tobacco fields. The sugar of the
West Indies was shipped to the northern colonies and made it into rum,
then the rum was sent to Europe to complete the triangle of trade.
Africa south of the Sahara Desert continued to be a tropical world
inhabited by many tribal societies that provided many of the slaves of the
slave trade. The coastal areas were beginning to be explored by the
European explorers. South Africa began to be farmed by the Dutch and the
English.
Russia prior to the end of the 17th Century was a backward state. In
1682, Peter I, known as Peter the Great began to make Russia a great
country like England.
The 17th Century produced much learning, building, wealth, growth and
colonization by the powerful countries of Europe. Many of the world’s
remote civilizations began to feel the impact from the European explorers.
