22. OUR GOLDEN 22. OUR GOLDEN AGE?AGE?

L. S. StavrianosL. S. Stavrianos

L. S. Stavrianos L. S. Stavrianos

L. S. StavrianosL. S. Stavrianos

Born: 1913 Born: 1913 Vancouver ( 温哥华 ), Canada

Died: March 23, 2004 (aged 91), San Diego （圣迭

戈 ), California

Citizenship: Canadian

Fields: History

Institutions: Queens, Smith, Northwestern,

UCSD Alma mater University of British

Columbia, Clark University

Biography

Stavrianos was born in Vancouver( 温哥华 ), Canada in 1913. He received a B.A. in

history from the

University of British Columbia, and a M.A.

and Ph.D. from Clark University in

Worcester, Massachusetts.

Stavrianos joined the faculty of Queens

University in Kingston, Ontario and Smith

College in Northampton, Massachusetts. He

then became a professor at Northwestern

University in 1946. After retiring from

Northwestern in 1973, Stavrianos joined the

University of California, San Diego

Department of History until 1992.

He was an Athenian states

man. He dominated Atheni

an politics from 461 to 429

B. C. as a leader of the dem

ocratic party. The period du

ring which he ruled is com

monly referred to as the Go

lden Age of Athens or the A

ge of Pericles.

Pericles(495~429 B.C.)

LeLeonardo Da Vinci (1452~1519)

The Renaissance bega

n in Italy in the early 1

4th Century, with Leon

ardo Da Vinci as its rep

resentative.

This was also a period of economic and social This was also a period of economic and social

dislocationdislocation produced by the shift from traditional produced by the shift from traditional

subsistence farming to large-scale subsistence farming to large-scale pasturagepasturage and and

wool production. The resulting enclosures forced wool production. The resulting enclosures forced

thousands of thousands of yeomenyeomen onto the highways where onto the highways where

they were picked up as they were picked up as vagrantsvagrants. . The The plightplight of of

these “ beggars ” is evident in the these “ beggars ” is evident in the nursery nursery

rhymerhyme::

HarkHark! ! HarkHark! The dogs do bark; the beggars are ! The dogs do bark; the beggars are

coming to town.coming to town.

Some give them white bread, and some give them Some give them white bread, and some give them

brown, brown,

And some gave them a good horsewhip, and sent And some gave them a good horsewhip, and sent

them out of town.them out of town.

The The Elizabethan Golden AgeElizabethan Golden Age also had its “ also had its “

space exploration ” comparable to that of space exploration ” comparable to that of

today. today. ColumbusColumbus and and da Gamada Gama had opened had opened

up new continents and new oceans, while up new continents and new oceans, while

CopernicusCopernicus and and GalileoGalileo removed the earth removed the earth

from the center of the universe, from the center of the universe,

this broadening of horizons required a this broadening of horizons required a

familiarly uncomfortable revising of familiarly uncomfortable revising of

traditional traditional dogmasdogmas and assumptions. and assumptions. John John

DonneDonne expressed anxiety, as do modern expressed anxiety, as do modern

poets, when he wrote:poets, when he wrote:

T’ is all in piece, all coherence gone;T’ is all in piece, all coherence gone;

All just supply, and all relation.All just supply, and all relation.

Finally, the Elizabethans lived under the Finally, the Elizabethans lived under the

shadow of the shadow of the plagueplague which regularly which regularly

devastateddevastated London and the other cities. London and the other cities.

Poets and preacher constantly Poets and preacher constantly dwelt ondwelt on the the

imminenceimminence of death, which would transform of death, which would transform

in an instant“ thy beautiful face, thy fair in an instant“ thy beautiful face, thy fair

nose, thy clear eyes, thy white hands, thy nose, thy clear eyes, thy white hands, thy

goodly body,” into “ earth, ashes, dust, and goodly body,” into “ earth, ashes, dust, and

worm’s meat ” worm’s meat ”

The contemporary world indeed lives in The contemporary world indeed lives in

dread of a thermonuclear holocaust. But dread of a thermonuclear holocaust. But

this is perhaps comparable to this is perhaps comparable to Tudor Tudor

EnglandEngland （都铎时期的英国）（都铎时期的英国） where, in the where, in the

words of an authority, “ almost every words of an authority, “ almost every

imagination was touched with a form of imagination was touched with a form of

necrophilianecrophilia.” .”

The Elizabethans, then, lived in a period not The Elizabethans, then, lived in a period not

too too dissimilar fromdissimilar from the present. They the present. They

experienced cold and hot war, economic and experienced cold and hot war, economic and

social social dislocationdislocation, , unsettlingunsettling intellectual intellectual

challenges, and recurring challenges, and recurring visitationsvisitations of the of the

plagueplague. .

It would have been understandable if they It would have been understandable if they

had given up hope and had given up hope and yielded toyielded to despair. It despair. It

is clear is clear in retrospectin retrospect that such a reaction that such a reaction

would have been unnecessary and would have been unnecessary and

disastrous.disastrous.

Elizabeth I (1533-1603), who ruled England during what is known as the Elizabeth Age.

About Elizabeth I (1533~1603)About Elizabeth I (1533~1603) 伊丽莎白一世伊丽莎白一世

Elizabeth IElizabeth I was the daughter of was the daughter of Henry VIHenry VI

IIII （亨利八世） （亨利八世） and his second wife, and his second wife, Anne Anne

BoleynBoleyn （安妮（安妮 ·· 博林）博林） . Elizabeth suffered . Elizabeth suffered

a lot in her early years. Before she was three a lot in her early years. Before she was three

years old, her mother was put to death for ayears old, her mother was put to death for a

dulterydultery （通奸）（通奸） , so she always lived in da, so she always lived in da

nger and was once nger and was once imprisonedimprisoned in in

the the Tower of LondonTower of London. But Elizabeth was . But Elizabeth was

clever enough to know what to do to escape clever enough to know what to do to escape

danger. And her intelligence and good danger. And her intelligence and good

command of several foreigncommand of several foreign languages, such languages, such

as Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and as Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and

Spanish, also contributed to her popularity. Spanish, also contributed to her popularity.

The London Tower

The London Tower

On On MaryMary’s death (1558), therefore, ’s death (1558), therefore,

Elizabeth’s succession to the Elizabeth’s succession to the English throneEnglish throne

was received with general welcome. was received with general welcome.

Elizabeth’s reign witnessed the growth of Elizabeth’s reign witnessed the growth of

English nationalism and the great English nationalism and the great

achievements in literature and other arts in achievements in literature and other arts in

exploration and in battle.exploration and in battle.

The Spanish king Philip finally realized thatThe Spanish king Philip finally realized that

Elizabeth I was his most dangerous rival. In Elizabeth I was his most dangerous rival. In

1588, he 1588, he dispatchdispatcheded （派遣） （派遣） a fleeta fleet （舰（舰

队） 队） of 130 vessels towards England. The of 130 vessels towards England. The ArAr

madamada (“ (“ 无敌舰队”无敌舰队” ) sailed up the English ) sailed up the English

ChannelChannel （英吉利海峡） （英吉利海峡） and a large naval and a large naval

battle broke out. battle broke out.

Spanish Armada

The English battleships The English battleships threw their enemies threw their enemies

into panicinto panic with fire ships. The badly with fire ships. The badly

battered battered ArmadaArmada fled northward in fled northward in

confusion. Caught in storm, many of the confusion. Caught in storm, many of the

SpanishSpanish warships perished and only half of warships perished and only half of

them struggled back home to Spain, never them struggled back home to Spain, never

to invade England again. to invade England again.

The destruction of the Spanish Armada weaThe destruction of the Spanish Armada wea

kened one of England’s major rivals. The vikened one of England’s major rivals. The vi

ctory not only established the position of ctory not only established the position of EnEn

glandgland as a major sea power but also paved t as a major sea power but also paved t

he way for its he way for its foreign expansionforeign expansion as a coloniz as a coloniz

ing nation. ing nation.

Elizabeth was regarded as the foundation-layeElizabeth was regarded as the foundation-laye

r of the r of the British EmpireBritish Empire （大英帝国） （大英帝国） which was which was

going to going to take shapetake shape soon. Elizabeth’s policies soon. Elizabeth’s policies met met

the needthe need of the of the

rising rising bourgeoisiebourgeoisie （资产阶级；新贵族） （资产阶级；新贵族） and pand p

romoted the development of the romoted the development of the RenaissanceRenaissance

（复兴） （复兴） in England.in England.

Anyway, the Anyway, the Reign of Elizabeth IReign of Elizabeth I was was a period of political and religious stabila period of political and religious stability on the one hand and economic prosity on the one hand and economic prosperity on the other. perity on the other. The Church of EngThe Church of England (land ( 英国国教英国国教 ) ) was re-established, enwas re-established, ending the long-time religious strife; comding the long-time religious strife; commerce and industry merce and industry forged aheadforged ahead

as a result of the as a result of the enclosure movementenclosure movement （ 圈地运动）（ 圈地运动） at home and the openinat home and the opening of new sea routes in the world. g of new sea routes in the world. EnglaEnglandnd began to began to embark on embark on （开始） （开始） the the road to road to colonizationcolonization （殖民地化） （殖民地化） anand foreign control that was to take it ontd foreign control that was to take it onto its o its heydayheyday （全盛期） （全盛期） of capitalist dof capitalist development.evelopment.

Christopher Columbus (1451~1506) and his ships

Columbus Columbus was a was a Genoese-bornGenoese-born （热那亚出生（热那亚出生

的） 的） navigator and discoverer of the navigator and discoverer of the New WorldNew World. .

He obtained the patronageHe obtained the patronage （赞助） （赞助） of of FerdinandFerdinand

and and IsabellaIsabella of of SpainSpain for his project of sailing west for his project of sailing west

to reach the to reach the OrientOrient. He left . He left PalosPalos （帕拉斯港） （帕拉斯港） oo

n 3 August, 1492 with three ships and reached the n 3 August, 1492 with three ships and reached the

BahamasBahamas on 12 Oct., 1492. He sailed to Cuba and on 12 Oct., 1492. He sailed to Cuba and

Haiti before returning to Spain in 1493.Haiti before returning to Spain in 1493.

His second voyage took him to the His second voyage took him to the Lesser AntillesLesser Antilles

（小安的列斯群岛）（小安的列斯群岛） , , Puerto RicoPuerto Rico （波多黎各）（波多黎各） , ,

JamaicaJamaica （牙买加） （牙买加） and his third (1498-1504) to and his third (1498-1504) to

TrinidadTrinidad （特立尼达） （特立尼达） and the coast of and the coast of VenezuelVenezuel

aa （委内瑞拉）（委内瑞拉） . On his fourth Voyage (1502-. On his fourth Voyage (1502-

1504) he explored the coast of 1504) he explored the coast of Central America.Central America.

Vasco da Gama (1460~1524) 达 · 伽马

Gama was a Portuguese

navigator, who discovered

the route to India round

the Cape of Good Hope

between the years of 1497

and 1498.

Physical Map of the World

Nicolaus Copernicus (1473~1543)

\\ He was a He was a PolishPolish （波兰的） （波兰的） astronomerastronomer

（天文学家） （天文学家） who who put forwardput forward revolutionary revolutionary

ideas in ideas in astronomyastronomy （天文学） （天文学） at that time, tat that time, t

hat the sun, not the earth, is the center of the hat the sun, not the earth, is the center of the

universe. He believed that the earth and other universe. He believed that the earth and other

planets planets orbit aboutorbit about the sun and that earth is n the sun and that earth is n

ot at the centre of the universe.ot at the centre of the universe.

He is known as father of modern astronomy.He is known as father of modern astronomy.

Galileo (1564~1642) 伽利略

Galileo (1564~1642) is a great man in the

astronomy and physics.

When he was young, he was interested in o

bserving the heavenly bodies. He was the fir

st to apply the telescope to the study of the s

kies and made a series of astronomical disco

veries.

He denied the geocentric system ( 地心说 ) and proved that Copernicus’s theory wa

s right.

He discovered the importance of acceleraHe discovered the importance of accelera

tion in tion in dynamicsdynamics. He held that every body, if . He held that every body, if

left alone, will continue to move in a straight left alone, will continue to move in a straight

line with line with uniform velocity uniform velocity (( 相同的速度相同的速度 ).).

He was also the first to establish He was also the first to establish the law othe law o

f falling bodies f falling bodies (( 落体定律落体定律 ). The acceleratio). The acceleratio

n of a falling body did not depend on its n of a falling body did not depend on its masmas

s s (( 质量质量 ).).

The Famous Pisa Tower

Map of the World

Today’s Questions and assignments:Today’s Questions and assignments:

1.1. How do you understand the expression “ Golden How do you understand the expression “ Golden Age ”?Age ”?

2.2. Was the Elizabethan Golden Age full of prosperitWas the Elizabethan Golden Age full of prosperity in all aspects of social life?y in all aspects of social life?

3.3. Try your best to memorize the new words and phrTry your best to memorize the new words and phrases emphasized in the paragraphs.ases emphasized in the paragraphs.

4.4. If you have time, or in your free time, borrow froIf you have time, or in your free time, borrow from the library L.S.Stavrianos’ m the library L.S.Stavrianos’ A Global HistoryA Global History ( ( 全球史全球史 ).).

Albert · Einstein

Thank you!Thank you!