Can someone help me correct this essay? Please help!
From the 1450 to 1750, Russia and Western Europe had both went through many various political and religious movements such as the Protestant reformation and Catholic reformation. One other major movement was the Renaissance which had caused the many divisions of Europe by the sixteenth century. These movements greatly changed the daily lives of the people. Even though the two regions are located on different sides of the same continent, they had gone through similar phases in order to transform and develop their political economic systems. Both regions had believed the central rule authority was given by the ruler, not church.
In Western Europe, secularism was promoted in the Renaissance and after the Renaissance. This event made religion and its power over people to decline. The princes of Germany slowly started to believe in Lutheranism and saw it as a way to escape paying taxes. Unfortunately Martin Luther’s efforts to stop corruption in the Catholic Church were misunderstood and caused revolts. Christian unity ended in the West with the thirty years’ war. The German and Swedish Protestants lost to the Holy Roman emperor and Spain. They agreed on a peace settlement that allowed their rulers and cities to choose their official religion. The settlement also gave the Protestant Netherlands freedom from Spain. The most important effect of this war was newly found balance between power and political structure in Europe. Religion was seen separate from daily life and literacy started to spread out quickly. However, Russia’s culture was influenced by the Byzantine. Russia wasn’t seen as important in world affairs up until the fifteenth century. Russia was freed from the rule of the Mongols during the 1400’s and with the reign of Ivan 3rd, the government was based on military with a mix of nationalism and Orthodox Christian religion, became an independent state. Though, literacy declined and the economy was agricultural and depended on labor of the peasants. As Russia expanded its territory to the Caspian Sea and the Ural Mountains agricultural regions as well as many resources increased and trade with Asian lands began. Since the expansion of Russia, they had become a multicultural state. On the other hand, Russians did not force Muslims to adapt their culture.
During the Commercial revolution commercial trade increased as the demand for gold and silver had increased. The demand for gold and silver was higher than the amount available. This event led to manufacturing to increase. Another change was the growth in both prosperity and population. The rebellions from the Renaissance showed the problems between classes for a political right to be heard. Sadly, they had failed because of the spread of wealth and literacy in the wealthy classes that were doubtful of the poor. A new form of technology was being promoted with the appearance of such as the new instruments for the advancements in biology and astronomy which was greatly improved methodology of science. Mass consumerism was brought to the western society that changed West Europe economically. The methods of the medieval time had changed; new tactics were created such as swamp drainage and the use of nitrogen fixing crops. The changes in commercial, cultural and political affairs affected family relations. Married women began to have more freedom and marriage was based more on love. Russia, unlike Western Europe only had limited commercial exchange. Tsars made contacts with the western world and Ivan 3rd made diplomatic missions that led to the western world. British merchants made contacts with Russia under the reign of Ivan 4th for trading. The tsars brought Italian artists to build the churches and Kremlin. A new unique and distinct architectural style was brought into Russia. When Ivan 4th died without an heir, the boyars chose a member of the Romanov family to be tsar, ending the Time of Troubles. Alexis Romanov gave the tsar title more authority by getting rid of the assemblies of nobles and restoring state control over the church.
During Russia’s first Westernization Peter the Great was interested in changing the economy and culture using Western ideas. Since he was an autocratic ruler, revolts had stopped and reform was only made through the state. He hired bureaucrats from outside of the aristocracy in order to increase the power of the state. The bureaucrats were under looked after by secret police. This reformation influenced changes in politics, economics and culture. Western principles were copied in the organization of the bureaucracy and military. Peter the Great tried to change the overall appearance of the people by having nobles shave their beards and dress in Western styled clothing. He also tried to increase education in math and technology. Although his intentions and rule brought a lot of change, all classes were defiant towards his autocratic rule. Catherine the Great increased the authority of the central government. This was more important to her than Westernization. After the French revolution, she was forced to ban foreign and domestic political writings. By the end of her reign, Russia had gone through a transformation. Therefore Russia became a strong centralized state. Russia’s social and economic system was very efficient and produced enough profits for the empire when it was expanding with the population growth.
Although both regions developed differently, they had influenced each other. This was shown as they both participated in commercial exchange. They are also both agricultural societies. Starting from the mid to late 1400’s, the role of women improved. For example, in Western Europe, married women had more options when the Protestants got rid of convents. In Russia, Eastern Europe, the conditions of women in the upper class has improved. Also, some parts Eastern Europe were also a part of the Protestant Reformation.
Russia and West Europe transformed in many ways during the mid fourteenth century to the mid seventeenth century. The reformations of the Protestants and Catholics and the Renaissance had brought new innovations of technology, culture, and trade. These events had opened both Russia and West Europe to new political economical developments. The widespread trade within the continent of Europe had caused the two regions to go through similar phases of changes. As Russia, started to become more westernized it adapted many parts of the culture and ways of the Westerners. During 1450 to 1750, Russia and West Europe developed new political and economical systems that overall benefited them
