New Ideas Gain Strength
Throughout this semester, we will cover the development of democracy, and how those ideas eventually began to change the way people viewed the role of their governments in society. For many years, most countries were ruled by a single individual, or small group of people, rather than the population at large. Religion was an integral component of everyday life, and it dictated certain morals and behaviors among those who followed that faith's teachings.
Democracy (along with other forms of government), and the use of reason, eventually moved people away from a reliance on these ideas. People wanted more of a say in their governments and laws, and started to question religion. Philosophers theorized about the best forms of government, and inventors created new devices to simplify life. This way of thinking was not new and was always present throughout history, but by the time of the 1600's, where this class picks up after discussing the Ancient Greeks, Romans, Jews, and Christians, it was in the forefront, rather than in the background. This general theme of political, economic, and social change still persists today, and it is vital to understand where we have been, in order to understand where we are going.
Democracy (along with other forms of government), and the use of reason, eventually moved people away from a reliance on these ideas. People wanted more of a say in their governments and laws, and started to question religion. Philosophers theorized about the best forms of government, and inventors created new devices to simplify life. This way of thinking was not new and was always present throughout history, but by the time of the 1600's, where this class picks up after discussing the Ancient Greeks, Romans, Jews, and Christians, it was in the forefront, rather than in the background. This general theme of political, economic, and social change still persists today, and it is vital to understand where we have been, in order to understand where we are going.