"Renaissance and Reformation, Enlightenment and Revolution of 1550-1800, the Industrial Revolution of 1700-1900"

 
The renaissance and reformation period marked the beginning of a New Age in Europe which was characterized by interest among scholars to find out more about their world (Patrick 26).

Though it began in Italy, Renaissance soon spread to many other parts of Europe. The renaissance period influenced scholars to study the works of ancient philosophers and scholars. There were new developments in areas such as art, architecture, and sculpture work. The reformation of the church occurred during the renaissance period (Estep 63). The cause of the reformation was the excessive power that the church wielded on the people. The renaissance allowed people to air their views and vent their frustrations on what they considered to be the wrongs of the church.

They were concerned with the high level of extravagance that church bishops and priests lived on. The discontent caused a religious upheaval which saw the church split into two (87). The reformation was also characterized by the middle class wanting more power and control. Previously, the people, regardless of their place on the social ladder, had been under the unquestionable rule of kings and the church. However, the renaissance brought with it new beliefs about humanity, and people were restless for change (Patrick 105).

The Enlightenment and Revolution Period (1550-1800) was a period of knowledge and intellectual movement. This period was characterized by systematic categorization, organization, exploration, and a need to understand everything (Jacob 34). For the first time since the church was established, science took center stage in the way people thought about the world they lived in. The main focus of the Enlightenment period was the use of reason to develop systems of ethics, religion, and government.

The Enlightenment was a way of helping people think and thereby obtain objective truth about the universe. Those who championed the ideals of Enlightenment argued that it would free human beings from the bondage of religious authoritarianism and traditional superstition under which people had lived for a very long time.