A New Approach to Western History
The West is responsible for many aspects of the modern international culture. In addition to being the crucible for Protestantism and Catholicism, the West was the first major civilisation to abolish slavery and enfranchise women in Australasia. It also developed the personal computer and the internet, produced a number of influential artists, and developed sports such as soccer, tennis, basketball, and cricket. Finally, the West was responsible for the first Moon Landing in 1969.
The focus of this new approach is centered on the American West. The newer studies of this region have stripped away the romanticism of “Westward Ho” and exhumed the environmental and human cost of American expansion. As a result, the histories portrayed in these newer works are far less romantic and exaggerate the brutality of American civilization. In other words, this newer approach to western history may not be for everyone.
In the early modern period, Europe grew into large metropolises, and France emerged as the centre of Western culture. Women remained active in the workforce, and the emergence of a middle class in Western countries led to the rise of the industrial age. The spread of rock and roll music and technological developments changed the western landscape. Some of the most influential artists were from these new technologies, and the spread of industrialization reshaped society. The 1990s saw the creation of the World Trade Organisation.
The most compelling historical accounts of the Western world confront the complexities of the past. The first, most complex history of the American West, starts before the settlers arrived. Excavations of pre-Colombian Native Americans have unearthed the diversity of their cultures before the arrival of European colonizers. In addition to the Indians, settlers from Europe and Africa also brought along a complex society. By 1914, whites had become the majority of the population in the American West.
After the Industrial Revolution began, the Western powers began to expand their empires and conquer new lands. The emergence of telegraphs and railroads helped the Western world connect with each other and build factories, churches, and schools. By the late 19th century, the world was ruled by a few great powers. France, Germany, and the United States dominated the world. Australia, on the other hand, was dominated by France and Austria-Hungary.
While Western history does not have natural divisions, the period of the Neolithic revolution is arguably the most important. It allowed our ancestors to settle down and abandon nomadic ways. Some of the great early civilizations of the ancient Near East and Greece sprung from this period. This revolution lasted for centuries and was characterized by intense conflict between Catholic and Protestant groups. It was also marked by the disintegration of the Roman Empire, which took centuries to complete.
The Protestant Reformation brought a number of changes in Western Europe, including the rise of the printing press. In the Thirteen Colonies of British North America, the majority of people were of English descent, though there were also people of Scottish, Welsh, and German ancestry. Native Americans were also included in the reformation. There were also Protestant minorities, such as the Society of Friends and the Lutherans. However, it was the Protestants who made the West a truly secular place.