Brief Overview of European History (- 1492)

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Europe had tremendous impact over the course of United States history. Europeans "discovered" the continent, then ruled over it, then lost control of it, but still continued to influence it.

Greece and Rome

The first significant civilizations of Europe formed in the second millennium BCE. By 800 BCE, the Greek city-states began to gain dominance over European civilization. By about 500 BCE, the state of Athens had created a democracy, but one that differs from today's democracies in certain respects.

Meanwhile, the city of Rome was founded in 753 BCE. Slowly, Rome grew and built its empire, which at various points included present-day Britain, France (then known as Gaul), Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Northern Arabia, Egypt, the Balkans, and the entire Northern coast of Africa.

By 180 CE, the Roman Empire began to disintegrate. The Emperors were overthrown and anarchy resulted. But Diocletian reinstated the Empire by 284 CE. The Empire was restored and continued to regain territory until 395 CE, when the Empire was so large that it had to be divided into two parts, each with a separate ruler. The Eastern Empire survived until the second millennium CE, but the Western Empire fell quickly. In 476 CE, Germanic troops rebelled against Rome and deposed the Western Roman Emperor.

Holy Roman Empire

Charlemagne, the King of the Franks (a group of German tribes), took power over great portions of Europe. He eventually took control of Rome, reestablishing the Roman Empire, which became known as the Holy Roman Empire due to its close association with the Church. But "Holy Roman Empire" was a misnomer because the Empire was really a German one, rather than a Roman one. The title was nevertheless chosen to associate the Empire with the glorious Empire of Rome.

Europe slowly redeveloped after the "Dark Ages" which began with the End of the Roman Empire. At the beginning of the twelfth century, the Christians throughout Europe united in an attempt to spread their religion during the Crusades. Roman and Greek art and culture were rediscovered during the Renaissance.

The New World

In Europe, the powerful Church was opposed by scientists such as Nicolas Copernicus, who suggested that the earth rovolved around the sun. At the time, the church supported the Ptolemaic planetary system, which placed Earth at the center of the universe.

Ideas of exploration were fostered in many minds. One person, the Italian Christopher Columbus, decided to sail around the globe to reach India over the Atlantic, rather than over land through Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

First, Columbus needed to fund his voyage. He approached King John II of Portugal for aid, but the King's advisors rejected Columbus' proposals mostly on monetary grounds. Columbus then looked to Portugal's rivals on the seas—Spain. The joint monarchs of Spain—King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella rejected Columbus' plan in 1491. The Spanish rulers felt that Columbus demanded too many benefits and powers in the lands discovered by him, including a percentage of the riches found in these lands, as well as certain titles such as Viceroy and Admiral. But after much negotiation, Columbus received the consent of the monarchs to sail in April 1492.

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