An age of ideas
The 1700's have been an age of
intellectual ferment in Western Europe. Philosophers and social
thinkers have drawn inspiration from scientists and have sought
to base the understanding of political and moral issues on reason
rather than religion. Some have even rejected Christianity as an
outdated doctrine. Proponents of science and reason call their movement
the Enlightenment.
Revolution
Some Enlightenment ideas helped
fuel two revolutionary movements that rocked Europe and America
in the late 1700's. First came the war for independence by 13 British
colonies in America, then a massive revolution in France that put
an end to the French monarchy. As the century draws to a close,
the new government of the United States has been generally stable.
But the situation in France remains chaotic, and it is unclear what
kind of government will emerge from the French Revolution.
Asian withdrawal
The intellectual experimentation
in Europe has caused some concern in other lands. Out of fear that
strange ideas from Europeans could bring about cultural instability,
China, Japan, and the Ottoman Empire have prohibited Christian missionaries
from seeking converts in their territories. In contrast, in Russia,
Czar Peter I and Czarina Catherine have sought to remodel Russian
society along Western European lines. Recently, however, Czarina
Catherine has become alarmed at the French Revolution and has withdrawn
support for further reform.
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