Chapter 15: Cultural Transformations
Chapter 15: Cultural Transformations
As Europe expanded its empire and trade network, Christianity spread to areas in China, Japan and India. European thinkers were also going through the Scientific Revolution as they got a better understanding of how the world works.
The Globalization of Christianity
Tensions arose within the Roman Catholic Church when Martin Luther exposed the corruption of the church in the Ninety five Theses. Many common people took up Protestantism to go against the Catholic Church. Women had less opportunities in Protestant churches as males served greater roles. As Protestantism spread throughout Europe, Protestant churches broke off into many different fractions. This led to the conflict known as the Thirty Years’ War which resulted in the reorganization of territories. This conflict forced the Catholic Church to go through its own reformation by taking down the corruption in the church. Puritans in North America sought to push natives out of the way as they took over the land while Catholic missionaries sought to convert those in Africa and Asia. When the Spanish conquered Aztec and Inca empires, the natives accepted the Christian God and many became baptized. The Spanish wanted to eradicate the natives’ religion by destroying shrines and objects. Some natives called on others to reject Christianity while others incorporated native aspects into Christianity. The Jesuits integrated themselves into Chinese culture and exchanged ideas with Chinese elites. Some scholars did become Christians because they were interested in science and the life of monasteries. Very few Chinese converted to Christianity because they didn't want to abandon their culture. When the pope tried to forbid Confucian rituals, Chinese authorities threw the missionaries out.
Persistence and Change in Afro-Asian Cultural Traditions
Islam was spread through holy men who taught others Arabic, served as advisers and didn't force people to give up their traditions for Islam. This religious fusion soon became seen as offensive leading to conflicts like religious wars in West Africa and the Wahhabi movement. This movement took place in Arabia where many saw the difficulties in the Islamic world as a result of the incorporation of other religions. A local Muslim ruler supported the movement allowing it to spread across the Islamic world. This kind of movement still exists today as the Middle East tries to keep the West from getting involved in Islamic affairs. As China took up Neo Confucianism, thinkers came up with new ideas. For example, one idea was that a virtuous life could be achieved through reflections instead of constant education. Another idea was the need to do research on Confucian philosophy which led to improve,tons in agriculture and medicine. In India, songs and rituals were used to become one with India’s gods. Sikhism was a growing movement that rejected the caste system and ended the seclusion of women. As the Mughal empire opposed the movement, it turned into a military community.
The Birth of Modern Science
The Scientific Revolution took place in Europe because institutions had some independence so students in universities could study without religious restrictions. Europe was also at the center of exchange between all the societies in the world. The Scientific Revolution originated from Copernicus who thought that everything revolved around the sun. Kepler and Galileo built on his ideas and Newton came up with the idea of gravity. Most of the thinkers were male and many of the ideas came out when the Catholic Church was under attack. Locke came up with ideas on how to create a constitutional government. The quote that I will always remember from Voltaire is “I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.” Darwin came up with theories of evolution and Freud created techniques to understand the human mind. European mathematics became important in China while studies in anatomy became important in Japan.
As Europe expanded its empire and trade network, Christianity spread to areas in China, Japan and India. European thinkers were also going through the Scientific Revolution as they got a better understanding of how the world works.
The Globalization of Christianity
Tensions arose within the Roman Catholic Church when Martin Luther exposed the corruption of the church in the Ninety five Theses. Many common people took up Protestantism to go against the Catholic Church. Women had less opportunities in Protestant churches as males served greater roles. As Protestantism spread throughout Europe, Protestant churches broke off into many different fractions. This led to the conflict known as the Thirty Years’ War which resulted in the reorganization of territories. This conflict forced the Catholic Church to go through its own reformation by taking down the corruption in the church. Puritans in North America sought to push natives out of the way as they took over the land while Catholic missionaries sought to convert those in Africa and Asia. When the Spanish conquered Aztec and Inca empires, the natives accepted the Christian God and many became baptized. The Spanish wanted to eradicate the natives’ religion by destroying shrines and objects. Some natives called on others to reject Christianity while others incorporated native aspects into Christianity. The Jesuits integrated themselves into Chinese culture and exchanged ideas with Chinese elites. Some scholars did become Christians because they were interested in science and the life of monasteries. Very few Chinese converted to Christianity because they didn't want to abandon their culture. When the pope tried to forbid Confucian rituals, Chinese authorities threw the missionaries out.
Persistence and Change in Afro-Asian Cultural Traditions
Islam was spread through holy men who taught others Arabic, served as advisers and didn't force people to give up their traditions for Islam. This religious fusion soon became seen as offensive leading to conflicts like religious wars in West Africa and the Wahhabi movement. This movement took place in Arabia where many saw the difficulties in the Islamic world as a result of the incorporation of other religions. A local Muslim ruler supported the movement allowing it to spread across the Islamic world. This kind of movement still exists today as the Middle East tries to keep the West from getting involved in Islamic affairs. As China took up Neo Confucianism, thinkers came up with new ideas. For example, one idea was that a virtuous life could be achieved through reflections instead of constant education. Another idea was the need to do research on Confucian philosophy which led to improve,tons in agriculture and medicine. In India, songs and rituals were used to become one with India’s gods. Sikhism was a growing movement that rejected the caste system and ended the seclusion of women. As the Mughal empire opposed the movement, it turned into a military community.
The Birth of Modern Science
The Scientific Revolution took place in Europe because institutions had some independence so students in universities could study without religious restrictions. Europe was also at the center of exchange between all the societies in the world. The Scientific Revolution originated from Copernicus who thought that everything revolved around the sun. Kepler and Galileo built on his ideas and Newton came up with the idea of gravity. Most of the thinkers were male and many of the ideas came out when the Catholic Church was under attack. Locke came up with ideas on how to create a constitutional government. The quote that I will always remember from Voltaire is “I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.” Darwin came up with theories of evolution and Freud created techniques to understand the human mind. European mathematics became important in China while studies in anatomy became important in Japan.
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