Ancient Civilizations:

Ancient civilizations in the southern Europe could be roughly summarized through introducing ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Ancient civilizations, including the Minoans and Mycenaeans in Greece, and the Etruscans and Romans in Italy, were born in the southern Europe. Ancient Greece is renowned for its contributions to philosophy, democracy, and the arts, while the Roman Empire became the one of the most powerful empires in history.

Middle Ages:

During the Middle Ages, Southern Europe experienced significant political and cultural changes. The fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century led to the rise of various kingdoms and the spread of Christianity. The Byzantine Empire, centered in the East, continued to thrive, while Islamic empires expanded into the Iberian Peninsula.

Renaissance:

The Renaissance, which began in Italy in the 14th century, marked a profound cultural revival characterized by advancements in art, science, and literature. Figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo emerged during this period, influencing European thought and aesthetics.

Modern era:

The Age of Exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries saw Southern European nations, particularly Spain and Portugal, establish vast overseas empires. The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century brought economic changes, but many Southern European countries faced political instability and social upheaval.

The Age of Exploration brought Christopher Columbus to our eyesight. He was born in Spain and became fond of sea-based exploration. Therefore, with the development of technologies for manufacturing ships, King Ferdinand financed Columbus to expand their territories. He, then, discovered North America, though he named it “India”. The reason was that he thought the continent he found was India, where precious silks and pottery were traded between Chinese and other merchants. That was why he named North America “India”, and Indigenous people living there were named “Indians”.

Furthermore, the Industrial Revolution also impacted this part of Europe a lot. The presence of factories largely enhanced the productivity of making ships, and the presence of steam engines improved transport between countries both via sea-based routes and land-based routes.

20th Century:

In the 20th century, Europe experienced two world wars. World War One was the first total war in history. Total war is the name for wars that require every subject to contribute to: blacksmiths could forge weapons for soldiers; farmers could cultivate and cater to the military. Every commoner had to participate in the war, largely dwindling the population of every country. Meanwhile, in World War One, poisonous gas was first used, causing disastrous impacts on many soldiers. Many of them were disfigured, and the indispensable organs were also destroyed. In World War II, many European countries were involved as well. Germany and Italy were aligned as the Axis powers. Germany was involved in two world wars because they were not content with the agreements that had been made after World War One. Meanwhile, the exorbitant amount of money they had to pay was also the culprit for their intention to start World War Two.