Europe at Opening of Sixteenth Century.
A survey of the political situation at the beginning of the sixteenth century will not only serve to deepen some of the impressions already made, but will furnish the student with a vantage point from which he can appreciate the better the great changes which were soon to follow. Such a summary should be made with a map before the class, and all should be urged to marshal the salient facts in the history of the different countries as they come up for consideration. The order to be followed will, of course, depend somewhat on the treatment of the Renaissance. The logical order perhaps would be to take the older states first and then the more recent powers, like Spain, the Ottoman Turks, Switzerland, possibly including the Baltic peninsula. The following simple outline is offered merely as a suggestion, and can be amplified at the discretion of the teacher so as to include a wider survey.
I. The Older States.
1. England.
a. Hundred Years’ War.
b. Wars of the Roses and overthrow of feudalism.
c. Establishment of the Tudors.
2. France.
a. Hundred Years’ War.
b. Louis XI and Burgundy.
3. Germany (the Empire).
a. The Interregnum (to 1273).
b. Election of Rudolph of Hapsburg and his conquest of Austria.
c. The Golden Bull, 1347.
d. Title hereditary in Austrian House, 1438-1806.
4. Italy.
a. Beginning of the Renaissance.
b. The five great States.
c. Claims of France and Spain.
II. The New States.
1. Spain.
a. Rise of the Christian kingdoms and struggles against the Moors.
b. Union of Castile and Aragon and fall of Granada.
c. Spain in the new world.
d. Maximilian’s marriages.
2. The Ottoman Turks.
a. Appearance in time of the Crusades.
b. Invasions of Europe.
c. Conquest of Constantinople, 1453.
3. Switzerland—struggle for independence.
4. The Baltic States.
a. The Union of Calmar, 1397.
b. Independence of Sweden.—Gustavus Vasa.
It will be noted that new material is presented in this connection, as, for example, in the case of all the new powers, and also to some extent in the treatment of Germany and Italy.