This guide will expand and discuss the history of the calendars which the Gregorian was based on, and it will examine why the Gregorian calendar was so significant in a primarily Christian Europe, as well as the impact and effect of having it used across the world today.
Research Thesis:
The Research thesis of this essay is to provide a breakdown and in depth overview at the history of the modern Gregorian Calendar. It will look at and discuss why a calendar made by the pope may have been so significant in a Europe that was so heavily Christian. And lastly it will examine the benefits of a worldwide synchronized calendar.
Research Questions:
Abstract:
The Gregorian calendar keeps the schedule of 99.9% of the world, and yet its history is so often left untold. Complex mathematical equations which decode the orbits of the sun and moon. Which separate one day from another and determine the cycle of the seasons. The time frame we schedule our lives around is something that so often goes unappreciated and more people should understand the history and importance of the calendar that leads their lives. The purpose of this research is to provide a useful overview of the history of the Gregorian Calendar, as well as diving into its impact both cultural, past and present, and the economic impact around the world. The methods used to research this were the SVC library research database, which included assistance from the librarians, ChatGPT for the purpose of finding articles, and university websites. 10 sources were cited and 6 annotated. The research for this subject primarily focused on the history and creation of the Gregorian Calendar. Delving into the history of both topic calendars and its predecessors from ancient Rome. Those being the Pre-Julian and Julian calendars, whose errors the Gregorian fixed. It also records the mathematical formulas used to calculate the days and months of the year. There is also articles which describe why it was so significant for the Christian church to have been the ones to make the modern calendar, at the time they did (1582). The history and impact of the Gregorian calendar is fascinating. From the complex formulas which dictate the timeline of our very lives, to the thousands of years of history detailing how our calendars have evolved to lead to the Gregorian. It is all worth learning, teaching and remembering. This has been a fascinating study of both history, but also of our human need to measure our time, and how our world improves once we do.
In 1582, pope Gregory XIII announced to the public a reform to the current Julian calendar, this reform would be named, the Gregorian calendar. This calendar would build upon the work of the Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar himself and in use for more than 1600 years. It would take shape after over a thousand years of scrutiny and creation from Christian astronomers and mathematics. And in Europe where the Christian faith held such sway, it would realign their most sacred holidays with the sacrifice of their Lord. Catholic Europe scrambled to accept this new calendar, and while the rest of the world would take its time accepting it, eventually nearly every country on earth would come to accept and adopt the calendar. Save for four countries, it is a universal medium by which we measure the time we are given. Enabling us to trade, travel, communicate and celebrate with the entire world. No other medium of information save the decimal system is so widespread and used on the planet. This calendar shapes the world, and your life.
Below is a copy of a public announcement from the Vatican, informing the public of the changes to the Julian calendar. It describes and presents the new calendar, and credits the work to Luigi Lilio. This is important as it presents how the common people might have learned of the changes as well as seeing how they explained them originally. (Note, the language in the image is Italian, for anyone trying to translate.)
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