Europe-in-the-16th-and-17th-century

Europeinthe16thand17thcenturyBackgroundTheEnglishpermanentsettlementsinNorthAmericabeganinthe17thcenturywhenWesternEuropewasundergoinggreatchanges.DuringtheMiddleAges(betweenthe500ADand1500AD).(1)EuropewasunderthesinglespiritualauthorityoftheRomanCatholicChurch..(2)Thefeudalsystemofserfdomprevailed.[serfs,…lords,…Merchantsandcraftsmenhandicappedbythesocialdisorders](3)Artandlearningwerecontrolledbythechurch.SocialforcesBythe16thcentury,somenewandpowerfulsocialforcesemerged,leadingtothewakeningofEuropeandthediscoveryofAmerica.1.thedevelopmentofcapitalism.Itsgrowthproduced2newclasses----thebourgeoisclassandtheworkingclass.Commerceandtradedeveloped,thebourgeoisiebecameincreasinglypowerfulinpoliticsaswellasineconomy.Theywantedtosharepowerwithfeudallords…TheEnglishRevolutionwastheresultofthegrowthofcapitalism.2.theRenaissancewhichwasmarkedbyachangingoutlookonlife.TheGodcenteredworldwaschallengedbythegreatprogressinnaturalandnaturalscience.Peoplebegantobemoreconfidentinthemselvesandshowmoreinterestintheworldaboutthem.ManychallengedtheauthorityoftheBibleandwerewillingtoobserve,experimentandtesttruths.Thisattitudepushedthedevelopmentoftechnology.3.theReligiousReformation,1）。。…startedfromGermany.2)In1517,MarinLuther,aGermanprofessoroftheology,putup“95thesis”onthechurchdoorinprotestagainstabusesandcorruptionifthechurch.(ProtestantReformation).3)HearguedthatthePopehadnorighttesellindulgencesfortheremissionofsins.SinfulmencouldwinsalvationneitherbygoodworksnorthroughthechurchorthePope,butonlybyfaithinJesusChristandthroughadirectrelationshiptoGod.[JohnCalvin,KingHenryVIIIP35]…Similaritiesofthesereforms:theyallchallengedtheauthorityofthePopeandtheCatholicChurch,whichcontrolpeople’sreligiousbeliefsandinterferedinpoliticalaffairsofthenationstates.4)TheindividualChristianbelieverswhosupportthereformationbelievedthathumanbeingscouldbesavedonlybyfaith,byestablishingadirectcontactwithGod,notthroughthechurchoritspriests.Natureofthesereforms:5)theyreflectedtheriseofnationalisminEurope,representedthedemandofthebourgeoisclassforthedevelopmentandexpressedthedesireofordinaryworkingpeople,especiallytheserfs,fortheliberationfromthefeudalcontrol.Resultsofthesereforms:theprotestantReformationwaswelcomedbyleaders,middleclassandworkingpeopleinEurope,especiallyinWesternEuropeancountrieswhichhadgreatimpactonthemoderndevelopmentofEuropeandNorthAmerica.Asaresult,theprotestantsandtheirdenominationsspreadfarandwide.WhatarethedifferentreligiousbeliefsbetweenprotestantsandthecatholicChurch?1ThepuritanswereprotestantswhofollowedthedoctrinepreachedbyJohnCalvin.1)Theirdifferentbeliefs/doctrines:TheybelievedthatGodwasincomprehensibletoman,andthepowerofGodwasall-knowing,yethiddenandunknowntoman,whileCatholicsbelievedthatGodcouldbereachedthroughhisrepresentativeontheearth---thePope.2)differentsalvation:PuritanswereconvincedthathumanbeingswerepredestinedbyGodbeforetheywereborn.SomewereGod’schosenpeoplewhileotherswerepredestinedtobedamnedtohell.Thereforenogoodworkscouldsaveanyone,andnobodyknewifheorshewasGod’elect.ButCatholicsarguedthatapersoncouldconfesshisorhersin,dogoodworksandgivemoneytothechurchadbuybackhissoul.3)EvidenceforPuritanstoshowthatsomepeoplewereGod’schosenpeople?Puritansbelievedthateveryonehadacalling,whichwasgivenbyGod.Thesuccessofone’sworkortheprosperityinhiscallingwasthesignofbeingGod’select…….4)HowcouldPuritansfinsGod’swillandestablishadirectcontactwithGod?TheyconcludedthattheBiblewastheauthorityoftheirdoctrine.SoeveryPuritanmustreadtheBibleinordertofindGod’swillandsearchforone’sindividualcontactwithGod.(Toread..,educationwasessentialforPuritans}.