17th18th

The 17th and 18th centuries, roughly 1600–1800, mark a transition from the late Renaissance to the early modern era. Centralized states, scientific and cultural change, expanding global trade, and debates about governance, religion, and rights define the period.

Politics and war saw continued religious conflict, the Thirty Years' War concluding in 1648, and England's civil strife culminating in the Glorious Revolution. The 18th century strengthened constitutional limits in Britain and seeded revolutionary movements in America and France by the century’s end.

Intellectually, the Scientific Revolution produced major advances in astronomy, physics, and natural philosophy, with figures such as Newton and his predecessors and successors reshaping how people understood the natural world. The Enlightenment of the 18th century argued for reason, inquiry, and skepticism toward absolute authority, shaping political thought, education, and public life.

Economically, mercantilism and Atlantic trade linked empires, with the slave trade playing a major role in profits and wealth in various regions. The late century saw proto-industrialization in Britain and broader shifts toward capitalist economies and global commerce.

Culture flourished in the Baroque and Rococo styles of the 17th century, giving way to Neoclassicism in the 18th. Music evolved from Baroque toward Classical forms, while architecture, painting, and literature reflected evolving tastes and social hierarchies. Scientific exploration and colonial encounters broadened geographic and natural knowledge.

The period laid foundations for modern statehood, rights discourse, and scientific culture, influencing later revolutions and the emergence of a globally connected world.