tury of transition between medieval and the modern world. New institutions, beliefs ad theories rose up. Royal absolutism took over, Louis XIV of France, Stuart Kings in England and Hapsbugs in Germany. In 1682 Peter the Great came to the Throne. Peter was famous for defeating the Swedes in the Battle of Poltava. In 1703 he founded the city of St. Petersburg in the unhealthy marshes of the Baltic Sea. In Spain they ignored new mercantile and scientific methods because they came from the heretical stage of Holland and England and this cause them to become second rate. The Dutch had the highest living standard in the world but they had financial supported the long war of the Spanish Succession and this drained them.In the 18th Century was the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. The natural world was known by the senses and understood by reason and dogma by revelation. The movement known as Rationalism began in England and was supported and popular in France. These people believed that reason could cure society ills and help achieve great government, peace and help to discover the laws of nature. This brought about new religious belief known as Deism. The basic beliefs of Deism were that miracles were impossible, universal moral laws and man should be worship. A man named Voltaire was the father of Deism and the most famous figure in the age of enlightenment. Humanism set the stage because they began the question some of the tales of visions and miracles. There were many factors that led to the French Revolution, which was bloody radical and put an end to the Age of Enlightenment. The factors were the government should be the servant of the people; all men are entitled to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. ...
