Western Europe Essay Examples and Topics

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315 samples

The benefit of writing essays on West European Studies is that researchers have already covered many topics on this subject.

Therefore, outlining your paper becomes a matter of and being able to find information and including it in your essay. For example, here are some ideas for a well-structured academic work:

  • Do your research first and outline second. Most west European studies essay questions have many topical books, from contemporary to historical.
  • This knowledge gives you, as a writer, the advantage of having a lot of research on your side.
  • Do your best to define the borders of your topic explicitly. West European studies topics tend to blend into each other, often even linking to subjects related to Central Europe.
  • Ask yourself if you can include any more relevant information about your subject. For example, if your essay title is “Germanic Religion” should you focus on its theological side only? There are archaeological and cultural aspects to this subject and you must cover them as per your essay’s instructions.

Additionally, you should write your outline so that it clearly states your essay’s purpose. A subheading named “Western Europe Culture” gives the reader an idea as to neither what you will write about, nor even about what period you will mention.

Conversely, “Merovingian Craftsmanship: The Best Example of European Culture?” piques your readers’ interest because it gives an idea which culture you will examine and demonstrates your position, which is questioning its historical value.

However, do not attempt to create sensational subheadings at the cost of historical accuracy. Remember that you are writing an academic essay, not a sensational tabloid.

Need more help? Find essay samples on our website!

315 Best Essay Examples on Western Europe

French Revolution: Role of Propaganda and Music

The history of propaganda is based on three interweaving fundamentals: first, the mounting need, with the growth of civilization and the rise of nation-state, to win the battle for people's minds; second, the increasing sophistication [...]
  • Pages: 30
  • Words: 7374

A Comparison of the Battles of the Somme and Verdun

The Battles of the Somme and Verdun were two of the greatest battles fought on the Western front between the Anglo-French military forces and the German forces during the course of the First World War.
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1918

Hitler’s vs. Mussolini’s Regimes Comparison

The Nazi rule was referred to in the country in many ways, such as the intensification of propaganda and the prohibition of dissent, which was regarded as a betrayal of the motherland.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1496

The Nationalism Role During the French Revolution

One of the most developed variants of this concept is the nationalism of the era of the French Revolution. In 1789, with the outbreak of the French Revolution, the idea of nationalism spread throughout France, [...]
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1695

The Achievements of Napoleon Bonaparte

This ensured that France had a unified and progressive legal system that respected the need to uphold human rights and promote equality and justice in his country and its colonies.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1144

The Industrial Revolution Impact on the Gender Roles

The population growth combined with the increased productivity of small parts of the country and the migration of the now landless people in search of work opportunities led to the phenomena of urbanization.
  • 1
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 899

How Revolutionary Was the French Revolution?

The French Revolution was the most revolutionary era in the history of France as the country underwent radical reforms. One of the greatest landmark revolutions was the spread of the Napoleonic culture and some of [...]
  • 4
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 612

History: Imperialism Impacts in Spain

It also strengthened the relationship between America and many European countries, which led to the development of more political, economic and military influence in these regions compared to other parts of the globe.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 598

History of Western Europe in the 17th -18th Century

In this essay, we are going to look at the history of Western Europe in the 17th -18th century with emphasis on the causes of societal unrest prior to the French revolution, the enlightenment era, [...]
  • 3.5
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1924

Nationalism and Its 19th Century History

Although the majority of nations in Europe were established during the 20th century, it is worth to note that the events leading to the creation of these states took place during the 19th century.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1398

Food Scarcity Factor in French Revolution

Many writings and works devoted to the investigation of European history in the 18th century have captured the chronicles of a long-term hunger that was spread across France on the eve of the Revolution.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1753

Napoleon’s Strategy and Tactics

The uniqueness of Napoleon is that he had already discovered in his time the current application of professional military skills and logistics in his strategies and tactics.
  • 5
  • Pages: 9
  • Words: 2819

The French Revolutions: Causes and Impacts

The monarch's symbol of power was the Bastille jail in Paris that had been in place for the past 400 years and its attack signified the beginning of a republican government.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1329

Ten Hours Act of 1847: History and Implications

In response to Lord Macaulay's argument, Peel admitted that although the government was not supposed to abandon all forms of social responsibility, it was expected to come in handy especially as the last resort. On [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1372

1871 Paris Commune’s Causes and Impacts

3 The Paris Commune was a revolutionary temporary government in France in the spring of 1871 which was meant to address vital social concerns and create a democratic process in the country in the opposition [...]
  • Pages: 12
  • Words: 3354

The Age of Exploration

However, the exploration, or the settlement of the Viking Norsemen, had little effects on the lives of the Native Americans because these explorers soon sailed back across the Atlantic and to Europe.
  • 5
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1352

Irish Potato Famine

According to the Irish people, the famine was the worst in their history in terms of scale, duration and effects. Irish potato famine had a lot of implications to the Irish people and the world [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1171

The Expulsion of the Acadians

The expulsion of the Acadians from the British Colony of Nova Scotia by Governor Charles Lawrence is one of the best-known cases of forced displacement of European colonists in North America.
  • 3.4
  • Pages: 9
  • Words: 2294

Nazi Revolution: Violence as a Tool of Control

As a result of the contributions made by the members of the party most notably of whom is Hitler and the socio-economic realities of the time, the party was able to grow in size and [...]
  • Pages: 18
  • Words: 3545

The British East India Company

The answer to this lies in the fact that documentary evidence was required to protect the trades and industries within the country in the event of civil commotion, feudal oppression and general lawlessness.
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1516

History of French Revolution

The whole French terrorism was a means of dealing with the rivals of the bourgeoisie that is feudalism and absolutism. In the estates general, there was the clergy, nobility and the rest of the people.
  • 2.7
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 878

History of British Empire

Well, as exposited in this paper, the Second World War, anti-colonial movements, the United States, the United Nations declaration, the Cold War and the USSR were the main forces behind the decolonization while the end [...]
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 3054

Legacies of the Renaissance and Reformation

The exceptional volume of the innovations introduced to the life of people and the developmental power it had on the country appears to trace the connections of those changes in the 21st century.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1204

German Nationalism and Its Effects

There has been an extensive account of a favorite cultural model in Germany, even prior to the augmentation of the National Socialists and their capitalization on the initiative of the Volksgemeinschaft in the 1930s and [...]
  • Pages: 12
  • Words: 3249

The French Revolution: Romanticism Period

Romanticism was anchored in the work of the poets which was evident in the daily lives of the society. Besides, the role of women in romantic literature was significant, thus; they were greatest poets and [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 688

The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)

The Congress largely known as the European Concert was the initial sequence of the worldwide conference to be held for the diplomatic European power balance.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1480

The Early Modern Era of the European History

King Henry the 8th was the king of England and a notable figure in the monarchy. His other achievement was the uniting of England and Wales under a legal process in 1542.
  • Pages: 12
  • Words: 3305

Charlemagne and His Empire

He was greatly inspired by the Roman Emperors and the proof of that is his creation of an Empire and linked it to Rome.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1036

Reformation and Rise of Nationalism

The country was then an already operational state was being ruled by monarchy."The political and constitutional changes that came in the wake of the French Revolution led to the transfer of sovereignty from the monarchy [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1061

French Revolution: Liberal and Radical Portions

Of course, a hope that the presence of revolution promoted certain changes and made the government to think about the improvement of citizens' lives and wellbeing was inherent to the French.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1184

The 18th Century Children’s Clothing in England

With that background in mind, this paper shall discus the characteristics of girls' and boys' dresses in the eighteenth century as well as the similarities between the dresses of both sexes.
  • 5
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 794

The Capitalism Development in Russia

In the book The Communist Manifesto, the authors view capitalism as a brief economic form destined to fail to lead to a rise in the communist system. Capitalism was attributed to the harsh inequalities of [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1421

Costume Design in Elizabeth: The Golden Age

The fact that ace costume designer, Alexandra Byrne won an Oscar for her authentic portrayal of clothes and accessories worn by the various actors in Elizabeth: The Golden Age is ample proof of the authenticity [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 888

Modern Western Civilization: The Renaissance

Besides the highly valuable narrative of past events and great historic movements, the motives of the AP Program in European History include the development of: The understanding of fundamental themes in the European History.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1809

Galilei’s Letter to the Grand Duchess of Tuscany

Galileo's letter to the Grand Duchess is very believable and shows Galileo as a man passionate about his belief that scientific discoveries are not made for the sole purpose of discrediting the Catholic Church or [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 524

The Rise of Absolutism in Europe

The yearning for democracy was a testament to the progressiveness of a society. It has been argued that the rise of absolutism was a fundamental shift in the power structures of the continent.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 854

The Guild System in Germany

Dating back to the Middle Ages, guilds for a long time had been the key representations of local self-government and created the basement of the modern European city self-regulation.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 549

Renaissance and the Church

This paper seeks to establish the various ways that the rise and the near collapse of the church were due to the renaissance period.
  • 4
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 826

French Revolution in World History

The French revolution, in this part of the world at least, was the inspiration for all subsequent uprisings and revolts throughout Europe in the nineteenth century and its ideals, in part, are visible in many [...]
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1917

Genoa and Venice in 13th Century

Their competing for the control of the Mediterranean, Black Sea Basin and the Red Sea as well as for the finding the routes to trade the Eastern countries transformed to a great rival.
  • 5
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 670

The French Wars of Religion, 1562-1598

Although aristocratic factionalism can be discussed as the influential factor for the development of the French civil wars, the religious division plays more significant role in prolonging the wars because of the focus on ideological [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 551

The Rise of Fascism

The French Revolutions included the Action in France and the Popular Front that was a thrilling moment in the history of France.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 586

The Aftermath of World War I for Germany

In spite of the fact that Germany was one of the most powerful European states before the war's start in 1914, World War I led to the political, economic, and social decline in the country [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2165

Letter by Galileo to a Friend

While I have had many inventions in my time, I concede that my discovery of the use of the pendulum for the measurement of time is the most significant one and while this blindness that [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 879

Witchcraft in Europe, 1450 – 1750

This means that gender was the central issue to the European witch-hunts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The belief in the existence of witchcraft goes back to the time of Old Testament of the [...]
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1644

English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381

In Anonimalle Chronicle, the peasants are also introduced as foolish, although the author focuses on one of the leaders of the rebellion, Wat Tyler, and his lack of manners.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 655

Why Should Catalonia Gain Independence from Spain?

Majority of the province's income and revenue sources come from the industry and services sector via textiles and other exports, and highly developed tourism that made Catalonia one of the most attractive destinations in Europe [...]
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 2805

The Revolution of 1848 in France

In spite of the fact that the Revolution of 1848 was supported by the wide categories of the French public oriented to reforming the regime, the revolution led to the further restoration of monarchy in [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 551

History of Feudal System

Feudalism to Ganshof was the possession of power by the lords in the form of land and its systematic transmission to the serfs.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 840

Bildung Tradition and Kantian Philosophy

The Bildung tradition was the basis for the transformation of Prussia of the eighteenth century into a potent Germany at the end of the nineteenth century.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1463

Nationalism in Austria, Germany and Italy

Italy and Germany were able to become the major political powers only through unification under a robust national idea, with the domination of the Austrian Empire serving as the catalyst of this process.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1196

The Spread of European Culture

This hypothesis could be counter-argued by Halford Mackinder's Heartland theory that emphasizes the importance of the geopolitical concept in the process of the formation of the states.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1144

Parent-Child Relationship in Early Modern England

Moreover, the influence that parents had was significant, and it would not be an easy task for the government to monitor and review all the cases of unfair treatment. The author suggests that parents loved [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2324

British Industrial Revolution and Social Changes

In this paper, a variety of aspects and contributing factors of the evolution will be discussed including putting-out system, the three unique sets of Britain's advantages that stimulated the process of industrialization, the support of [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1143

Stress and Strains in the Renaissance Society

In this essay, the stressors are outlined, a major stressor is identified from among the many and how the renaissance society responded to the stressor is discussed in detail. The rebellion by peasants caused a [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2270

The British Hedonistic Life in the “Happy Valley”

Among the most hidden events that involved western Europeans in foreign lands is the Happy Valley set, a clique of hedonist Anglo-Irish and British aristocrats who lived in the central highlands of the East African [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 902

Western Civilization Development

Rome and Greece made essential assistance to the civilization of the western world which evolved over the centuries. Although the classical culture of Greece was fundamental in the creation of western civilization, it made no [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 914

Britain’s Industrial Revolution

By the second part of the eighteenth century, Great Britain was regarded as one of the wealthiest nation across the globe due to industrial revolution.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1096

Edict of Nantes 1589

He was crowned king of France in 1589 following the death of Henry III and signed the Edict of Nantes in 1598; this brought to an end the wars of religion in France effectively and [...]
  • Pages: 9
  • Words: 2440

European Conquest and Colonization of Africa

The Europeans initially considered African land as worthless, however, by the end of the 19th century their perception about Africa had changed due to the changes in Europe making them move to Africa for rescue.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1504

Napoleon Bonaparte, His Rise and Fall

He was the second born son of a prominent man in Corsica; he represented Corsica at the court of the then king of France Luis XVI. The defeat of the royalists earned Napoleon the admiration [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 3123

The Reformation Era of 1517-1648

This work was written with the aim of studying the era of the Reformation, significant personalities, and events. Martin Luther sparked the Reformation with his criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church's actions and doctrine.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 276

History of Spanish Empire 1500-1700

Many communities have undergone various political, economic, and social changes mostly because of adopting the characters and values of the other communities they come in contact with.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1419

Napoleon’s Rise to Power in 1800-1815

The government appreciated his contribution and promoted him to the division general and commander of the Army of Italy. Ambitious Napoleon realized the futility of the situation and decided to abandon his army in Egypt [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 617

The Black Death and Its Impact on Early Modern Europe

The decrease of the population had a considerable on commercial relations since due to the disappearance of the working class which the main basis in the medieval economy, peasants become more conscious and prudent.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 561

British History: The Victorian England

It was also noted for the religious inconsistencies, affected with the advent of many scientific theories like the 'On the Theory of Species' by Charles Darwin and the great invention of Cowper Nikes that proved [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1178

Pre-Modern England. Robert Dudley and the Netherlands

Edward was suffering from tuberculosis, and as his health deteriorated suddenly, and the Duke of Northumberland tried to persuade the king to alter the succession in favor of his own daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1932

Classical Utopian Thought: “Utopia” by Thomas More

In addition, the paper will try to understand the relationship of Utopia with the development of Classical Utopian thought, as well as, with the Christian Idealism that are some of the major themes of More's [...]
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1689

Suez Crisis of 1956: Impacts on Britain

The Egyptian president opted to nationalize the canal so as to raise funds to construct the dam as opposed to when the canal offered free passage to all who used it.
  • Pages: 9
  • Words: 2563

Treaty of Paris

It was hard for the British to avoid Indians and they continued considering them as an issue for the cost of the war.
  • 4
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 825

Major Historiographic Views on Feudalism

The history of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance continues to attract the attention of many contemporary historians. This is one of the points that should be considered.
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1943
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