Western Civilization

Christianity, without doubt, has had the most significance on Western civilization and culture, followed by Judaism and Protestantism. The death of Christ occurred in approximately the year 30. By the year 100 there were only 7,500 Christians in the Roman Empire (0.0126% of the population), but that number would dramatically increase by 400 to 34,000,000 or 56.5% of the population of the Roman Empire (Wright 1). Between 400 and 700 significant developments occurred in Judaism and Christianity. In Judaism both the Palestinian and the Babylonian Talmud were written and rabbinic academies were established. For Christianity, the last New Testament documents were written, Christians suffered periodic persecution from the Romans, and between 300-400 Constantine the Great legalized Christianity and the religion was made the State religion of the Roman Empire. As Williams argues, “In 312 half of the Roman Empire came under the political and social influence of Christianity under the rule of Constantine” (4).

The persecution of Christians by the Romans was significant because it caused Christians to migrate to many places that are now modern Europe, “The expansion of the Roman Empire across Europe caused migration as soldiers and officials moved to the conquered areas to provide defense and administrative services. Christians left the Roman Empire as a result of being persecuted. In 312 Emperor Con

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d 1400-1600 Ottoman Muslims would conquer Constantinople and make it the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul. Also during this era Joan of Arc was burned at the stake due to the inquisition. By the mid-1400s Charles VII would declare her innocent. By the 1500s the Protestant Reformation would transform European Christianity. The peak of the tension between Protestants and Catholics would culminate in the 30 Years War. The 30 Years War occurred from 1618-1648 and was a war over religious affiliation (Comparative 2). The Renaissance in Europe was transforming society as much as had religion, but an increasing secularism during this time occurred in large part because of people’s skepticism over God’s ability to help them after enduring the Black Death of the mid-1300s. The Imperial Age (1500-1700) saw increasing secularism in society with the Scientific Revolution leading the way. Men like Galileo and Sir Isaac Newton would radically transform our view of the universe. Society was often torn as the Roman Catholic Church tried to come to grips with the Protestant Reformation. The Roman Inquisition was responsible for putting men like Galileo under house arrest. Such actions were an effort to regain control and influ
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Approximate Word count = 1687
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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