A History of Western Society: Printed Page 572
A History of Western Society, Value Edition: Printed Page 581
Think about the larger developments and continuities within and across chapters.
What was the relationship among agriculture, industry, and population in the eighteenth century? How and why did developments in one area impact the others?
Compare the economic and social situation of western Europe in the mid-eighteenth century with that of the seventeenth century (Chapter 15). What were the achievements of the eighteenth century and what factors allowed for such progress to be made?
The eighteenth century was the period of the European Enlightenment, which celebrated tolerance and human liberty (Chapter 16). Paradoxically, it was also the era of a tremendous increase in slavery, which brought suffering and death to millions. How would you reconcile this paradox?