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Period: to
Europe 1648-1948: Establishing Order
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The Ratification of the Treaty of Munster
The Peace of Munster is part of a greater series of treaties called the Peace of Westphalia. The Peace of Munster ended the Eighty Years' War by recognizing the fait accompli of Dutch Independence. The Peace of Westphalia would leave lasting political legacies, such as sovereighty, that are still apparent today. -
De l'esprit des lois, Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu
The Spirit of the Laws is a political treatise written during the Enlightenment period where philosophes came to directly challenge the absolutist order of the state by espousing views of equality, liberty and popular sovereignty. -
Le Code Civile des Français
The Napoleonic Code is the most lasting legacy of the Napoleon I's reign. The code espoused some of the very demands of the Revolution of 1789, and, through territorial conquest, was promulgated throughout Europe like no other civil code had ever been before. -
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna is an example of the counter-revolutionary movement occurring within the elite rulers of Europe who espoused views of monarchical legitimacy and hereditary succession. It created the Concert of Europe, a peace that would last to a certain degree, until the break of WWI and laid the foundation for future entities such as the League of Nations and the United Nations. -
Inaugural Journey of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Industrial Revolution was not only a revolution in the means of production but was also a revolution in the social order. This painting depitcts exactly this by portraying the first inter-urban passenger train. Greater efficiency in transportation allowed for a truly national order by increasing contact between distant regions and connecting them on the same economic basis. -
The British image of themselves in Africa in the Kipling Reader
New Imperialism, represented here in the Kipling Reader's White Man's Burden, goes to show how not only British, but Europeans saw themselves abroad. It is a period driven by notions of Western superiority and exploitation of lands, resources and people for the former. It is about bringing order where none is seen, therefore, strenthening the balance of power on the continent.
