Western Europe Research Paper

Europe has been one of the leading powers for many centuries now. Roots of western civilization can be traced back in Europe to the times after the Age of Religious warfare, and the events that took place during this time helped create the modern world. . After the devastation of the 30 Years War, the Treaty of Westphalia was signed and introduced policies such as religious toleration, separation of church and state, more than one major branch of Christianity, and grounds for the rise of the modern state system. The signing of this treaty helped build a platform on which modern Europe was built. Before the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia, but after the fall of Rome, Europe was a mess. There was little to no money, rampant starvation, and no form of national government. Small communities were formed, however, called manors. Manors were usually given to a knight, lord, or prince by the king of that area of land. Many people lived on the manor and worked for their Master- these people were called serfs, and they were basically contracted slaves. They did, however, have their own plot of land to live on, but the whole village was owned by the master. There were some cities in these times, such as Paris and London, that had populations anywhere from

The people of power in the Catholic Religion were reviewing and reforming the doctrines of that faith in a reaction to the accusations made by Martin Luther. This Reformation brought out the best parts in the Catholic faith, and tried to purify and make up for some of the more sinful practices. It also sparked an interest in missionary work in the Catholic faith, and much of the heresy was battled by these missionaries. After the Catholic Reformation ended in 1648, along with the 30 Years War, the Treaty of Westphalia was signed. This treaty recognized all three of the branches of Christianity- Catholicism, Lutheranism, and