Western Europe Dominance After 1500

European history is heralded with transformations that may be termed as radical ones. This is because there are occurrences in Europe that had drastically transformed the lives of people in relatively quick time. Around the 1500s, this is something that was demonstrated through the warring forces. These forces were to cause considerable change in the way that things were generally accepted. 'Things' here generally refers to the way that the Roman influence governed people's beliefs; naturally their lives were also governed as a result.

The Byzantine period that was strong in its influences is an example of a period that was enveloped in Christian beliefs. However, this is something that did not remain the same. Largely, due to the fact that the Reformation posed an immense threat to the church, Protestantism emerged as a strong alternative, giving the Germano-Latin states leverage that was to reinforce their already strong notions of dominance. Prior to the reformation, the Catholic Church was more dominant, and controlled most of the states. This was a result of the Greeco-Roman legacy, through which Christianity maintained control. People generally, in these times conformed to what the church ordered. However, the reformation resulted in rejection of this legacy.