Early Modern Europe is usually dated to the end of the 15th century. Technological changes such as gunpowder and the printing press changed how warfare was conducted and how knowledge was preserved and disseminated. The Reformation saw the fragmentation of religious thought, leading to religious wars. The Age of Exploration led to colonization, and the exploitation of the people and resources of colonies brought resources and wealth to Western Europe. After 1800, the Industrial Revolution brought capital accumulation and rapid urbanization to Western Europe, while several countries transitioned away from absolutist rule to parliamentary regimes. The Age of Revolution saw long-established political systems upset and turned over. In the 20th century, World War I led to a remaking of the map of Europe as the large empires were broken up into nation-states. Lingering political issues would lead to World War II, during which Nazi Germany perpetrated The Holocaust. The subsequent Cold War saw Europe divided by the Iron Curtain into capitalist and communist states, many of them members of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, respectively. The West's remaining colonial empires were dismantled. The last decades saw the fall of remaining dictatorships in Western Europe and a gradual political integration, which led to the European Community, later the European Union. After the Revolutions of 1989, all European communist states transitioned to capitalism. The 21st century began with most of them gradually joining the EU. In parallel, Europe suffered from the Great Recession and its after-effects, the European migrant crisis, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Early Modern Europe is usually dated to the end of the 15th century Technological changes such as gunpowder and the printing press changed how warfare was conducted and how knowledge was preserved and disseminated The Reformation saw the fragmentation of religious thought leading to religious wars The Age of Exploration led to colonization and the exploitation of the people and resources of colonies brought resources and wealth to Western Europe After 1800 the Industrial Revolution brought capital accumulation and rapid urbanization to Western Europe while several countries transitioned away from absolutist rule to parliamentary regimes The Age of Revolution saw long-established political systems upset and turned over In the 20th century World War I led to a remaking of the map of Europe as the large empires were broken up into nation-states Lingering political issues would lead to World War II during which Nazi Germany perpetrated The Holocaust The subsequent Cold War saw Europe divided by the Iron Curtain into capitalist and communist states many of them members of NATO and the Warsaw Pact respectively The West's remaining colonial empires were dismantled The last decades saw the fall of remaining dictatorships in Western Europe and a gradual political integration which led to the European Community later the European Union After the Revolutions of 1989 all European communist states transitioned to capitalism The 21st century began with most of them gradually joining the EU In parallel Europe suffered from the Great Recession and its after-effects the European migrant crisis and the Russian invasion of Ukraine