World History - Renaissance A.R., F.R. & Napoleon- I | History for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


Renaissance
American Revolution
French Revolution 
Napoleon Bonaparte
Page 2


Renaissance
American Revolution
French Revolution 
Napoleon Bonaparte
Humanism 
and 
Renaissance
• During the 14th century, a cultural movement called humanism 
began to gain momentum in Italy. 
• Among its many principles, humanism promoted the idea that 
man was the center of his own universe, and people should 
embrace human achievements in education, classical arts, 
literature and science.
• In 1450, the invention of the Gutenberg printing press allowed for 
improved communication throughout Europe and for ideas to 
spread more quickly.
• Advances in international finance and trade impacted culture in 
Europe and set the stage for the Renaissance.
• While many artists and thinkers used their talents to express new 
ideas, some Europeans took to the seas to learn more about the 
world around them.
• Humanism encouraged Europeans to question the role of the 
Roman Catholic church during the Renaissance.
• As more people learned how to read, write and interpret 
ideas, they began to closely examine and critique religion as 
they knew it. 
• Also, the printing press allowed for texts, including the Bible, 
to be easily reproduced and widely read by the people, 
themselves, for the first time.
Page 3


Renaissance
American Revolution
French Revolution 
Napoleon Bonaparte
Humanism 
and 
Renaissance
• During the 14th century, a cultural movement called humanism 
began to gain momentum in Italy. 
• Among its many principles, humanism promoted the idea that 
man was the center of his own universe, and people should 
embrace human achievements in education, classical arts, 
literature and science.
• In 1450, the invention of the Gutenberg printing press allowed for 
improved communication throughout Europe and for ideas to 
spread more quickly.
• Advances in international finance and trade impacted culture in 
Europe and set the stage for the Renaissance.
• While many artists and thinkers used their talents to express new 
ideas, some Europeans took to the seas to learn more about the 
world around them.
• Humanism encouraged Europeans to question the role of the 
Roman Catholic church during the Renaissance.
• As more people learned how to read, write and interpret 
ideas, they began to closely examine and critique religion as 
they knew it. 
• Also, the printing press allowed for texts, including the Bible, 
to be easily reproduced and widely read by the people, 
themselves, for the first time.
The world as 
we knew it 
changed 
forever
• The period between 1300 and 1600 was a time of great change in 
Europe. 
• The Renaissance, a rebirth of learning and the arts, inspired a 
spirit of curiosity in many fields. 
• Scholars began to question ideas that had been accepted for 
hundreds of years. 
• The religious movement known as the Reformation prompted 
followers to challenge accepted ways of thinking about God and 
salvation.
Page 4


Renaissance
American Revolution
French Revolution 
Napoleon Bonaparte
Humanism 
and 
Renaissance
• During the 14th century, a cultural movement called humanism 
began to gain momentum in Italy. 
• Among its many principles, humanism promoted the idea that 
man was the center of his own universe, and people should 
embrace human achievements in education, classical arts, 
literature and science.
• In 1450, the invention of the Gutenberg printing press allowed for 
improved communication throughout Europe and for ideas to 
spread more quickly.
• Advances in international finance and trade impacted culture in 
Europe and set the stage for the Renaissance.
• While many artists and thinkers used their talents to express new 
ideas, some Europeans took to the seas to learn more about the 
world around them.
• Humanism encouraged Europeans to question the role of the 
Roman Catholic church during the Renaissance.
• As more people learned how to read, write and interpret 
ideas, they began to closely examine and critique religion as 
they knew it. 
• Also, the printing press allowed for texts, including the Bible, 
to be easily reproduced and widely read by the people, 
themselves, for the first time.
The world as 
we knew it 
changed 
forever
• The period between 1300 and 1600 was a time of great change in 
Europe. 
• The Renaissance, a rebirth of learning and the arts, inspired a 
spirit of curiosity in many fields. 
• Scholars began to question ideas that had been accepted for 
hundreds of years. 
• The religious movement known as the Reformation prompted 
followers to challenge accepted ways of thinking about God and 
salvation.
The Roots of 
Modern 
Science
• Before 1500, scholars generally decided what was true or false by 
referring to an ancient Greek or Roman author or to the Bible. For 
e.g., 
• Geocentric Theory - During the Middle Ages, most scholars 
believed that the earth was an immovable object located at 
the center of the universe. 
• According to that belief, the moon, the sun, and the planets 
all moved in perfectly circular paths around the earth. 
• The idea came from Aristotle, the Greek philosopher of the 
fourth century B.C. 
• The Greek astronomer Ptolemy expanded the theory in the 
second century A.D. 
• In addition, Christianity taught that God had deliberately 
placed the earth at the center of the universe. 
Page 5


Renaissance
American Revolution
French Revolution 
Napoleon Bonaparte
Humanism 
and 
Renaissance
• During the 14th century, a cultural movement called humanism 
began to gain momentum in Italy. 
• Among its many principles, humanism promoted the idea that 
man was the center of his own universe, and people should 
embrace human achievements in education, classical arts, 
literature and science.
• In 1450, the invention of the Gutenberg printing press allowed for 
improved communication throughout Europe and for ideas to 
spread more quickly.
• Advances in international finance and trade impacted culture in 
Europe and set the stage for the Renaissance.
• While many artists and thinkers used their talents to express new 
ideas, some Europeans took to the seas to learn more about the 
world around them.
• Humanism encouraged Europeans to question the role of the 
Roman Catholic church during the Renaissance.
• As more people learned how to read, write and interpret 
ideas, they began to closely examine and critique religion as 
they knew it. 
• Also, the printing press allowed for texts, including the Bible, 
to be easily reproduced and widely read by the people, 
themselves, for the first time.
The world as 
we knew it 
changed 
forever
• The period between 1300 and 1600 was a time of great change in 
Europe. 
• The Renaissance, a rebirth of learning and the arts, inspired a 
spirit of curiosity in many fields. 
• Scholars began to question ideas that had been accepted for 
hundreds of years. 
• The religious movement known as the Reformation prompted 
followers to challenge accepted ways of thinking about God and 
salvation.
The Roots of 
Modern 
Science
• Before 1500, scholars generally decided what was true or false by 
referring to an ancient Greek or Roman author or to the Bible. For 
e.g., 
• Geocentric Theory - During the Middle Ages, most scholars 
believed that the earth was an immovable object located at 
the center of the universe. 
• According to that belief, the moon, the sun, and the planets 
all moved in perfectly circular paths around the earth. 
• The idea came from Aristotle, the Greek philosopher of the 
fourth century B.C. 
• The Greek astronomer Ptolemy expanded the theory in the 
second century A.D. 
• In addition, Christianity taught that God had deliberately 
placed the earth at the center of the universe. 
The Scientific 
Revolution
• A combination of discoveries and circumstances led to the 
Scientific Revolution and helped spread its impact. 
• During the Renaissance, European explorers traveled to Africa, 
Asia, and the Americas.
• These discoveries opened Europeans to the possibility that there 
were new truths to be found. 
• The invention of the printing press during this period helped 
spread challenging ideas—both old and new— more widely 
among Europe’s thinkers.
• The age of European exploration also fueled a great deal of 
scientific research, especially in astronomy and mathematics. 
• Navigators needed better instruments and geographic 
measurements, for example, to determine their location in the 
open sea.