Post-Renaissance Developments

The Renaissance referred to the period of the 14th and 17th centuries in the continent of Europe. During this period, there was a significant rise in art and literature all over Europe. In Old French, Renaissance stands for “rebirth”, and rightly so. This is because this period brought about cultural rebirth. After the Renaissance came the Post Renaissance Developments; during this period, there were four significant phases- the Age of Reason, the Scientific Revolution, the Post-Renaissance Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the Age of Imperialism. Let us discuss these various Post-Renaissance developments in more detail. 

The Age of Reason

The Post Renaissance developments begin with the Age of Reason. The ‘Age of Reason, also known as the Enlightenment, was during the late seventeenth century and early Eighteenth Century. This period was characterised by the rise of thinkers, scientists, philosophers. They all came up with new ideas based on logical reasoning.

 The main characteristics of this period were as follows:

• Decline in the power of absolute monarchies
• Reduction in the power and influence of the Church 
• Rise of modern political ideologies
• Independence of thought

The Enlightenment ideas significantly contributed to the Post-Renaissance Revolution.

The Scientific Revolution

This phase came in the 17th and 18th Centuries—significant breakthroughs and developments in various scientific fields like biology, chemistry, physics, and maths. Galileo Galilei came up with his research showing the heliocentric view of the universe. This was a crucial development that changed the scientific community like never before. 

 Another significant scientific development was brought about by Sir Isaac Newton. He came up with the concepts of the theory of gravity and laws of motion. These discoveries led to the transformation of physics in a revolutionary way. This was yet another strong evidence for the view of the world. 

The Scientific Revolution introduced a new way to view science. This is because it became free of religious and philosophical influences for the first time. As such, the scientific method came into existence. The main characteristic of this method was the deduction of results from the available observable data. 

The Scientific Revolution led to the decline in the influence and importance of religion in society. Moreover, it enhanced the significance of scientific research. This was a period of optimism in which scientists believed that new technologies could effectively take place by understanding the natural world.

The age of Revolution

The period of the Post-Renaissance Revolution was characterised by significant political change in Europe. The most important Post-Renaissance Revolution was the French Revolution (1789–99). Following the French Revolution, significant political reactions came up all over Europe. The result was the rebirth of a series of revolutions. These revolutions took place from the year 1820 through 1848.

During this period, the connections between political change and the socio-economic state of the community were complicated, albeit real. There was an association of economic grievances with early industrialization. Ultimately, this transformed into later revolutions.

Social classes carried the revolutionary feel all over Europe. However, the Post-Renaissance Revolution also took place due to the new political ideas that challenged institutions’ established order. Consequently, change in the economic condition of the people was also a consequence of these revolutions.

The Industrial Revolution

This was a period of rapid economic change in Europe. This period was between the Eighteenth Century and the mid-Nineteenth century. The evolution of economic activity characterised the Industrial Revolution. The consequence was an enhancement in total national income in a manner that was unprecedented. 

The Industrial Revolution brought in machines and replaced traditional hand production. As such, production in factories increased many times. 

The Industrial Revolution gave rise to various innovations such as the following:

• Steam power
• Cheaper iron
• Modern banking
• New advanced machines 

The Age of Imperialism

This was the last phase of the Post-Renaissance developments. During this phase, European powers annexed other territories around the world. Imperial European powers like the British, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian established overseas empires. The most prominent among them was the British power. The British Empire was in control of a whopping one-fourth of the world during its peak. 

The various regions conquered were the Far East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Australia, North and South American settlements. Various trading posts were established on these colonies, which increased the trading and profitability of the Imperial European powers. 

Conclusion

The Renaissance is the period of the 14th and 17th centuries in Europe. This period was marked by a significant rise in art and literature in Europe. When this period came to an end, Post Renaissance developments came up. These developments included phases like the Age of Reason, the Scientific Revolution, the Age of Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the Age of Imperialism. All these developments shaped our world in an unprecedented manner.