Ch 13, 14, & 15

I don’t think that it is reasonable to determine a finite beginning and end to any historical era, or to divide the history of the world into simplistic characterizations. The progressive growth and development is a cyclical process. In the natural world this cyclical process is easy to observe in the way that the destruction of something promotes the development of something else. This is true of the history of the world as well.

The way history is categorized into particular periods of time often giving the impression of events occurring within isolated moments. For example the Early Modern Era is defined as taking place from 1450 to 1750, and implies what occurred in the world before in no way impacts events during this time. Similarly suggesting the events of 1450 to 1750 will not influence what happens after them.

The process of development and growth of civilizations and societies is in fact very interconnected. Typically people continually pass along their knowledge and experience, even without actively trying to do so. History shows that there are periods when growth and development slows or comes to a standstill because information was not passed along. The passing of knowledge and experience is an integral part of the growth and development process of civilizations and society.

During the Early Modern Era a mixture of new ideas and experiences collaborate with old knowledge and traditions to create change. During this time change takes place with the development of new empires, new global patterns, and new cultural trends. Changes happening in these areas is not a new concept, and is another example of how change grows from previous experience.

Change does not move in one direction. Patterns from the past serve as catalysts for new ideas and ventures into modernity, and new ideas can reinforce the need for the stabilizing comfort of traditions and old patterns. During the Early Modern Era Spanish and Portuguese colonists recreated “old patterns” in the Americas. The colonists exploited what was new from the Americas by utilizing these resources to “modernize” Europe, and destroyed the native societies of the Americas only to establish “old world patterned” European societies labeled as the “new world”.

The British colonies of the North America established new patterns of self-government, and established new ideas about the church and colonial state being less connected. The British colonies also maintained very “old world”practices of ethnic distinctiveness. An idea that does not promote modernization or growth, and one that contradicts the efforts to develop a modern society based on fresh ideas.

Fresh ideas about global economic and cultural trends depend on societies embracing modernizing changes. Trade and commerce became a new mode of conquest during the Early Modern Era. Commerce allowed local economies to be taken down by monopolizing industry, invasion, and domination. Previously successful conquering of a civilization depended a lot on  controlling social identity.

Religion defined social identity a lot of the time, and widespread sharing of religious ideas took place during this time. Established religions like Christianity spread to new regions, but became a culturally distinct versions of Christianity. New ideas about individual thinking modernized religion in some ways, and also maintained strong conviction for protecting traditional religious patterns. Individual thinking also inspired the scientific revolution and a shift towards encouraging change to take place.

Not all change went in a “modern” direction, and often brought back old oppressive traditions and ideas. I believe this is the nature of progress. Modernization takes place in the face of challenges. Challenges arise because growth is a cyclical process, and all experiences are contingent on other experiences.  Modern ideas and concepts gained from experiences of past civilizations, formulate an indefinite pattern of change for the future.