World History II

Chapter 18: New Worldviews and Ways of Life
1540 to 1790

2: Mon, Sep 9, 2019

Please read the chapter and take the quiz by midnight on Sun, Sep 8, 2019.
Please also read the discussion of resources. We will go over it in class.

Rather than writing a formal essay, make some notes in answer to the questions below for our discussion, and be sure to include examples of people, accomplishments, or events that support any claims you make.

In Europe during the Scientific Renaissance and the Enlightenment, perceptions of what resources are and how they can be used to benefit nations and humanity change with the development of new theories on the nature of the world and the human beings in it. How does the development of a view of nature as a well-governed, predictable machine change the way Europeans viewed natural resources such as minerals and arable land? How do Enlightenment views and the reactions to these change the way Europeans perceive themselves and other people as contributors to and consumers of cultural and economic resources?

You may want to consider, for example (and this list is by no means complete):

• the application of the experimental method to discovering, describing, and controlling natural forces
• the perception of scientists, authors, artists, muscians as national assets
• the development of ideas of race, gender, and class roles to justify changing perception of human beings as resources
• the development of institutions to foster exchange of ideas and knowledge
• the perception of former luxury goods as necessities (i.e., coffee and tea) for a decent life

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