The+Early+Modern+Period

DAY 1: notes  DAY 2 __: IN DEPTH: Causation and the West's expansion __ 1. If I had to choose a determinism as basic to social change, I would choose cultural. The cultural aspect of a particular society really shapes it. The way a society interacts with other societies, and within the society itself, is really influenced by the ideas, religion, philosophies of the society. When the cultural aspect changes, so does the social aspect. 2. The western explorers might had many motives to look for expansion and conquest. By 1450, many nations had formed, and they started to develop their own political identities and a sense of nationalism. And they wanted to prove to themselves and to other how strong they were. And the expansion and conquest gave them the opportunity to show their strength. The expansion gave them the opportunity to become wealthier territories, as well. In conclusion, the expansion and conquest gave the chance to gain power, and to spread their own philosophies, even religion. However, the explorers might have thought of it as an opportunity to educate the non-civilized like them. And maybe they knew the discrepancy between the real motives, but they wanted a justification that did not show them as the "mean" conquerors. THE WORLD ECONOMY THE RISE OF RUSSIA  EARLY LATIN AMERICA