Modern European History

Religion played a major part within the lives of people from the mid 15th century to the early 19th century. State religions like Roman Catholicism were at the heart of the nation whether it had been daily prayers, monthly holidays, or weekly masses. Saints and other holy days were the objects that festivities and rituals tied to religion focused on. Important celebrations in the Roman Catholic calendar were days of births, marriages, and deaths. Not all of the ritutals and festivals abided by the same calendar, but many of them did follow the church's calendar. Many other ceremonies were completely separate from the church. Ultimately, all kinds of festivities had two similiarities with each other. They were used as an outlet for the people's emotions, and the intensity rose where society became tied closer together, calming any social chaos that may have previously happened.

Rituals and festivals were used as a way for fun and tension between social classes to be expressed starting in the 15th century. During the 15th century, a wide variety of romances leading to the Reniassance occured in Florence, Italy. Brother Giovanni di Carlo, a Dominican monk, documented one festival located in Florence. This celebration revolves around the idea of children mimicking every move their parents made. Only admiration for each other existed, and titles held no importance on this day. (Document 1) Italian festivities two centuries later held the same morals. Lassels, a French man, characterized the festivals as a way to vent their emotions. (Document 5) Light, playful, holidays did not only occur in Italy. During the mid 16th century, the true meaning of festivities was captured by Breughel the Elder in the The Battle Between Carnival and Lent. Inner tension kept up on a daily basis was relieved and social class was nonexistant in this moment in time. (Document 3) During the 18th century, Bourne of Great Britian commented that a servant and his master sat at the same table and were able to have easy conversation with each other. All men were treated equally and were able criticize and socialize with each other without the harsh consequences that would normally occur. (Document 6) Not all citizens flourished under the fluorescence and songs of the celebrations like most Europeans. Protestant, Lutheran, and Calvinist festivities were seen as sinful based on the Holy Bible's teachings. Pastors still understood the fact that the people who were considered sinful did have fun. From a Lutheran Estonia, a Lutheran pastor commented that the festival was engulfed in "flames of joy" and, they danced with happiness. Rusow was not blind to the obvious to the oblivious cheer festivals offered, even though he had a negative view. (Document 2) For European society, these alluring events proved to be an escape from daily challenges.

As a way for the community to strengthen its ties and unite the citizens, often against an enemy, these