The shape of modern European society is set in the early modern period. Expansion overseas sets some European nations on a path of imperial and colonial development which shapes international relations into the twenty-first century. The revival of classical forms revolutionizes art and architecture, and provides new models for education, politics, law, science, and gender relations. The split of the Christian Church into Protestant and Catholic denominations inspires intellectual and artistic creativity, sparks violent wars, and is brought around the globe by missionaries. Modern states and our fascination with determining ‘national identity’ take shape out of the competition between dynasties, social classes, faiths and territories.