1. History Of Europe
(14th to 20th century)
Rachel Ikekhua
Amy El Zayaty
Marianna Ghattas
Ingy Mahmoud

2. • Beginning roughly in the 14th century in Florence, and later spreading through Europe
with the development of printing press, a Renaissance of knowledge challenged
traditional doctrines in science and theology, with the rediscovery of classical Greek
and Roman knowledge. Simultaneously Protestant Reformation under Martin Luther
questioned Papal authority. Henry VIII sundered the English Church, allying in ensuing
religious wars between German and Spanish rulers.
• The Reconquista of Portugal and Spain led to a series of oceanic explorations resulting
in the age of discovery hat established direct links with Africa, the Americas and Asia,
while religious wars continued to be fought in Europe, which ended in 1648 with the
Peace of Westphalia
• European overseas expansion led to the rise of colonial empires, producing the
Columbian Exchange. The combination of resource inflows from the New World and
the Industrial Revolution of Great Britain, allowed a new economy based on
manufacturing instead of subsistence agriculture.
• Starting in 1775, British Empire colonies in America revolted to establish a
representative government. Political change in continental Europe was spurred by the
French Revolution. The French leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, conquered and enforced
reforms through war up to 1815.
• The period between 1815 and 1871 saw a large number of revolutionary attempts and
independence wars. In France and the United Kingdom, socialist and trade union
activity developed. The last vestiges of serfdom were abolished in Russia in 1861[and
Balkan nations began to regain independence from the Ottoman Empire. After the
Franco-Prussian War, Germany and Italy unified into nation states, and most European
states had become constitutional monarchies by 1871.

6. • Revolution which led to the formation of the communist Soviet Union. Hard
conditions imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles and the Great
Depression led to the rise of fascism in Germany as well as in Italy, Spain and
other countries. The rise of the irredentist totalitarian regime Nazi Germany
led to a Second World War.
• Following the end of the Second World War, Europe was divided by the Iron
Curtain between American dominated non-socialist countries of Europe and
Soviet dominated socialist countries of Europe. Most non-socialist European
countries came under US protection via NATO and formed the European
Economic Community amongst themselves. The East was dominated by
communist countries under the Soviet Union's economic and military
leadership. There were also a number of neutral countries in between.
• In the late 1989, the Fall of Communism begun in countries allied with USSR:
Poland, Hungary and Romania. The Soviet Union itself felt a bit later, in years
1990-1991, and countries which were Soviet republics became independent.
As a consequence Europe's economic integration deepened, the continent
became depolarized and the European Union expanded to include many of
the formerly communist European countries, in 2004 and 2007.

9. Europe is the world's second-smallest continent by surface area, covering about
10,180,000 square kilometers (3,930,000 sq mi) or 2% of the Earth's surface and
about 6.8% of its land area. Of Europe's approximately 50 states, Russia is the
largest by both area and population (although the country has territory in both
Europe and Asia), Europe is the third-most populous continent after Asia and
Africa, with a population of 733 million or about 11% of the world's population.
Europe, in particular Ancient Greece, is the birthplace of Western culture. It
played a major role in global affairs from the 16th century onwards, especially
after the beginning of colonialism. Between the 16th and 20th centuries,
European nations controlled at various times the Americas, most of Africa,
Oceania, and large portions of Asia.