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Societies of Europe
One European’s Story
During the 15th century, many European monarchs encouraged
exploration of new lands and distant oceans. One such ruler was
Queen Isabella I of Spain. During her reign, Isabella sent several
expeditions to seek new territories, spread Christianity, and
capture valuable resources. Like other European monarchs,
Isabella believed she had a royal right to profit from the con-
quest of foreign lands.

PRIMARY SOURCE

“ The kings of glorious memory . . . always had [the right

to] the conquest of part of Africa and of Guinea, and they
received a fifth of the merchandise that was recovered from

”
those places.

—Queen Isabella, as quoted in Isabel the Queen

During Isabella’s time on the throne, Spanish explorers traveled to

Queen Isabella I
Africa, the Canary Islands, and throughout the Mediterranean. Eventually,
her royal adventurers would venture further west to the Americas.

A Modern Europe Emerges

KEY QUESTION What key changes occurred in Europe between 1300 and 1500?
As in Africa and the Americas, Europe experienced major changes in social,
political, and economic life between 1300 and 1500. During the 1300s,
disease and warfare ravaged the continent. But populations recovered in the
following century. Towns and cities grew in size and wealth. Trade increased.
And a cultural revolution began spreading new ideas across the continent.
Social and Economic Change In the early 1300s, Europe experienced
several major catastrophes. Both the great famine,
famine a widespread food short-
age, and the Black Death
Death, a deadly disease, killed millions of people. At the
same time, a conflict between France and England known as the Hundred

The World Before 1500

 CONNECTING History
WARFARE AND EXPLORATION
During the 1300s changes in European warfare forced monarchs to search for new
ways of raising money. In the following centuries, this economic need encouraged
world exploration.

1200s Warfare in Europe was

dominated by feudal
knights. For their service
in battle, knights were
granted land or noble
▼

titles.

1300s Monarchs replaced feudal

knights with standing
armies. These soldiers
demanded gold or silver longpike
crossbow
▼

as payment for fighting.

1400s To pay their armies,

monarchs encouraged
adventurers to explore
new lands, in search of
▼

taxable goods to trade.

CRITICAL THINKING Make Inferences How did monarchs’ increasing
need for gold encourage exploration?

Years War took thousands more lives. Yet despite these disasters, prosperity
returned to Europe toward the end of the 14th century.
During the 1400s, stability returned to Europe. Populations rose and
cities grew larger. Trade also increased as urban merchants began dealing in
silk, porcelain, tea, and rugs from Asia. As a result, monarchs began exerting
more control over their land by collecting new taxes and strengthening their
central governments.
The Renaissance and Reformation In addition to social and economic
change, two cultural movements swept Europe during the 15th and 16th
centuries. First was the Renaissance
Renaissance, a widespread cultural revival of classical
art, architecture, learning, and literature. Begun by artists and scholars in Italy
around 1350, the Renaissance promoted the achievements of ancient Greece
and Rome as models of progress. The Renaissance—meaning “rebirth”—
encouraged a new respect for these ancient values, including education,
mathematics, and scientific exploration of the physical world.
In the 1500s, people throughout Europe began questioning the role of the
Church in society. Many people were upset over corrupt practices among the
clergy, including the sale of favors by the priesthood. This discontent led to
a movement to reform the Church, known as the Reformation
Reformation. Eventually,
the church divided into two groups—the Catholics
Catholics, or followers of the Pope
in Rome, and the Protestants
Protestants, or those who broke away from the church
in protest.
During the Renaissance and Reformation, one new invention more than
any other helped spread new ideas. Around 1440, a German named Johannes
Gutenberg invented the printing press
press, a machine that created printed pages.
Before this invention, all books had to be written by hand. Because of this,
books were too expensive for ordinary people to buy. The printing press
allowed hundreds of books to be published and sold throughout the popu-
lation. As a result many Europeans learned to read and developed a greater
curiosity about the world. In this way, the Renaissance and Reformation
helped prepare and motivate Europeans for world exploration.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST Describe key changes that affected Europe in the
1300s and 1400s.

CONNECT to the Essential Question

How did American, African, and European
societies differ from one another before 1500?

AMERICAS AFRICA EUROPE

Important Groups • Olmec, Maya, Inca, • Mali, Kongo, • English, French, Italians,
and Kingdoms Aztecs, Iroquois Ndongo Spanish, Norwegians
Social • sedentary, semisedentary, • mostly semisedentary • mostly sedentary
Organization nonsedentary and sedentary
Way of Life • mix of farming, hunting • mix of farming, hunting • mainly farming
Religion • spiritual belief linked to • Islam, Christianity, • Christianity
nature native African religions
Achievements • cities, temples, irrigation • art, Islamic universities, • Renaissance, Reformation,
canals, calendar extensive trade and printing press
travel

CRITICAL THINKING Summarize What features were common to societies in the Americas, Africa, and Europe?

The World Before 1500