Post on 24-Dec-2015
A Brief History of Europe
Way, way back when (500 – 300 BC)…
Ancient Greece• Advanced civilization
– First ‘modern’ governments– Citizenship, politics, education, democracy
• Centered around Sparta, Athens• Mt. Olympus = center of religion
• Started the idea of the Olympics – 776 BC
Romans• Centered in Rome, Italy
– Very strong– Leader: Caesar/Emperor
• Julius Caesar: father of first emperor, Caesar Augustus• Roman Empire eventually stretched across the
continent• Persecuted Christians and others, very powerful• 500 AD: Fall of Rome
– Huns (from Central Asia) invaded and other internal problems
– Roman Empire ended
Middle Ages• From 500 – ~1500 AD
– Also known as Medieval times– Began with fall of Roman Empire
• First half = Dark Ages• Second half = High Middle Ages
– 1348 = Black Death (Bubonic Plague), 25 – 50 million deaths
– No dominant national power• Sweden, Norway and Denmark: Vikings
• Feudalism takes over– Lords, serfs/peasants, castles, knights
• Lots of fighting between small groups– Barbarians, Huns, Goths, Franks, Saxons, etc.
• Germanic groups grow in central Europe• Christianity grows as well• Holy Roman Empire:
– A Catholic attempt to revive the old Roman Empire idea; controlled central Europe (Germany/Austria) from 800s – 1400s
• Followed by the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment
Neuschwanstein Castle
Castle Torija Spain
Tower of London
Colonialism
• Spain and Portugal were early strong powers– Explore and colonize the western hemisphere
• By 1500s: France, Netherlands and England join in colonization efforts
Why?• Want to overtake other groups, gain new land,
expand trade and resources
France• Grows into a strong nation after 1500• Biggest power in Europe• Monarchy• July 14, 1789: French Revolution, “Bastille Day”
– People behead King Louis XVI a few years later• Napoleon Bonaparte = self proclaimed emperor
– Sells Louisiana Territory to US in 1803, $25 million– Russians beat him in 1812 (he was trying to take Moscow)
– British beat him in 1815 at Waterloo– Exiled from France; democracy eventually takes over
Napoleon Bonaparte
1812 Overture
England
• After Napoleon is defeated, United Kingdom grows into a big European power
• Becomes a HUGE colonial power– Covered 1/5 of the world’s land area– “Sun never sets on the British Empire”
• Becomes a major military strength– Lots of fights with France throughout years
British Empire
Germany• Became a unified nation in 1871 from smaller
independent states (Prussia, Saxony, etc.)– Kaiser = Emperor
• Strong militarily and politically• Wanted to take over Europe a few times...
WWI
• 1914 – 1918• Germany & Austria/Hungary vs. United
Kingdom, France and Russia (with late U.S. help)
• Germany defeated
WWII• 1939 – 1945• Hitler takes over control of Germany
– Wants a united Europe– Wants a purified race
• Targets Jews, Roma (Gypsies), others
• US brought in Dec. 7, 1941– Pearl Harbor
• Allies: US, UK, USSR• Axis: Germany, Italy, Japan• D-Day: June 6, 1944 - Allied invasion of northern
France• Holocaust: Killed 6 million Jews (2 out of 3 in Europe)
Post-WWII• Germany cut into two pieces
• Berlin (inside E. Germany) was divided as well– Both divided between USSR and Allies (US, UK, France)
• USSR takes East Germany/East Berlin = Communist• Allies help West Germany/West Berlin = free/democracy
• Europe divided between the two sides as well– Western Europe = free, supported by US, UK– Eastern Europe = Communist, controlled by USSR
– “Iron Curtain” = border between E and W Europe
Cold War• Military/political stand-off between US & USSR
– Began right after WWII• NATO formed to guard US & Western Europe
against USSR
• Warsaw Pact formed to counter NATO– Eastern European Communist countries (except
Yugoslavia)– Also called the “Eastern Bloc”
• Ended in 1991 when USSR fell apart
CzechoslovakiaYugoslavia
East Germany
These no longer exist
Communist Governments in Eastern Europe
• Technically, Eastern Bloc countries were independent from USSR
• Reality...– Everything was controlled by USSR
• Especially the economy, military and government – All governments were made to be communist– Most took orders from Moscow– Got various levels of support from USSR
• Travel was limited to within Eastern Bloc or USSR; outside travel was nearly impossible
• Communist governments had to be overthrown by the people for them to gain independence
NATONorth Atlantic Treaty Organization
• Formed in 1949 to defend W. Europe from USSR and Eastern Bloc countries
• 28 countries– US/Canada and several European
• Military alliance and cooperation– “An attack against one is an attack against all”– Peace keeping/humanitarian missions– Today, some former Bloc countries are members
The European Union
Formal alliance of 27 European nations Creating a united Europe Focuses on economic, environmental, social issues,
and European citizenship Easier travel, free trade between countries
Criteria: Stable democracy that respects human rights and
rule of law Market economy that can compete within EU Accept EU law
Euro
€ Jan 2002, created the euro, the common currency for 16 of the 27 EU nations€ Not all EU countries are participating
€ UK, Sweden, Denmark and 9 new countries are not using it now
€ Some non-EU countries also use it
€1 = $1.35£1 = $1.59
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