Ever since the beginning of time, people’s lives have been changing as humans continue to learn new concepts of life. This paper examines some of the changes experienced in Europe in the 1700s. The whole of Europe is noted to have undergone diverse changes in course of the eighteenth century.
In this essay, I will examine some of the changes experienced in the continent in regard of various crucial aspects of the human life such as health and health care, disease, education, and agriculture as the main source of food and livelihood for many people in those times. This paper also discusses in detail the main thoughts and ideas behind the great Scientific Revolution as well as the enlightenment instilled by early thinkers and writers in the region.
The eighteenth century would be a period of diverse changes in the whole of Europe. This period was historically referred to as ‘the Age of Enlightenment’ and would be characterized by many changes in various sectors of life. This would be a more unified intellectual movement across Europe among a group of philosophers or thinkers who shared a progressive anti-religious outlook on life.
This scope however, would be greater than it was originally believed and it triggered many positive as well as negative changes across the region. Both the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment would profoundly change the face of the continent and come the 1700s, diverse changes would be apparent in many nations across the continent.
One outstanding change that would impact other significant changes would be the high population rates witnessed across Europe in the 1700s. Many countries such as England and France increased their populations at the fastest rate.
Even though health and educational facilities were undergoing notable changes to the better, the services would be poor owing to the heightening demographics. High populations would normally paste diverse effects on the human life among them diseases. During the 1700s, the Europeans would be subjects to many ailments and diseases such as bubonic plague, measles, and small pox.
Infectious ailments remained endemic in towns and the cities. The entire continent had been characterized by a rapid development of hospitals and in the course of this period, hospitals would be opened in the larger cities. These however would not be enough to cater for the welfare of the surging populations.
The century was indeed one of the most tempting moments in the history of most European countries. In the course of this period, Europe populations would remain at the mercy of famines and repeated harvest failures and this coupled with the prevailing diseases would impose great suffering on peoples’ lives.
However, no matter these challenges agriculture was still practiced for prosperity even though in vain owing to the progressive famine of the period. Bread was the staple food for many people but it was rarely available in most parts of the region.
In this case, most meals would constitute of peas and beans soup supplemented with vegetables and roots. However, no matter these failures, the century would witness some improvements in the variation of crops and in the diet. Agricultural revolutions were also observed in some parts such as England and Netherlands where agriculture would be conducted in a more scientific manner.
Most Revolution and Enlightenment writers and thinkers had great thoughts and ideas regarding the nature of Europe and this would be the force behind the diverse changes in the continent at that time. One of the most common approaches among thinkers would be the idea of logical and rational reasoning.
Another major idea common with enlightenment thinkers and writers would be the question regarding accepted beliefs which contributed to new scientific theories. Witty and entertaining style of writing was also used by writers to influence people in understanding the enlightenment mission. There were also other ideas that would be based on moral, empiricism, and scientific order and all these would come to influence innovation philosophies and economic principles in the European history.