HIS-1700 Lecture 5: Making Europe notes feb 2
Document Summary
Economic & social change in early modern europe. By 1600 european population surpasses number alive at the time of the black death (1340s) nearly doubles between 1450 and 1620. Results: pressure on available resources, increased commerce in foodstuffs, age of marriage rises, growing migrations from countryside. *mortality transition point in time when people stopped mainly dying of contagious diseases and started mainly dying of chronic diseases. Prosperity breeds hunger for more (land, money, possessions, etc. ) Fueled by technology, sails, improving navigation techniques & guns. Supported by investments of princes and merchants. Consistent with interests of state and church. Stimulated by hunger for land, gold, and trade goods. Dutch and english joined scramble for empire. Indigenous peoples beaten by guns, germs, god, and their own political rivalries: as many as 90% if native americans died between 1500 and 1600, greatest demographic disaster in history. Empires built on shipping extracted resources, agricultural enterprise, and slaves.
