Unit 4: Revolutions

Flashcards covering key concepts from the Unit 4: Revolutions lecture notes.

Scientific Revolution

A period (16th-18th centuries) of major breakthroughs in science, emphasizing observation and reason.

Enlightenment

An 18th-century movement applying principles of the Scientific Revolution to human society.

Reason

The use of logical thought and evidence to draw conclusions.

Monarchy

A form of government with a monarch (king or queen) at the head.

Absolutism

A political theory that grants complete power to one ruler.

Democracy

A system of government where power is held by the people through elected representatives.

Republic

A form of government in which power resides with elected representatives and an elected leader.

Social contract theory

The idea that individuals consent to surrender some freedoms to authority for protection of their rights.

Natural Laws

Principles believed by Enlightenment thinkers to govern human society.

Natural Rights

Fundamental rights every individual possesses that cannot be taken away by government.

Liberty

The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions.

Tolerance

Acceptance of different beliefs.

Separation of powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches.

John Locke

An English philosopher arguing that people have natural rights and government power comes from the consent of the governed.

Thomas Hobbes

An English philosopher who believed humans were naturally selfish and argued for strong government.

Censorship

The suppression of speech or other information deemed objectionable by authorities.

Individualism

A social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective control.

Consent of the governed

The idea that a government's legitimacy comes from the permission of its people.

Tyranny

Cruel and oppressive government or rule.

Colonies

Lands controlled by a distant nation.

Declaration of Independence

The 1776 document declaring American independence from Great Britain.

Thomas Jefferson

Liberty's principal author and the third U.S. President.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Constitution

A body of fundamental principles and rules according to which a state is governed.

Great Britain

The nation that controlled the 13 American colonies prior to the American Revolution.

King George III

The British monarch during the American Revolution.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that a state's authority comes from the consent of its people.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each government branch to amend or veto acts of another branch.

Versailles (Palace)

A symbol of royal extravagance representing absolute monarchy.

The Bastille

A medieval fortress and prison in Paris.

King Louis XVI

The King of France executed during the French Revolution.

Marie Antoinette

The Austrian-born Queen of France.

Bourgeoisie

The French middle class including merchants.

First Estate

The clergy of France, privileges often exempt from taxes.

Second Estate

The nobility of France, holding significant wealth and power.

Third Estate

The common people of France, comprising the majority population.

Tennis Court Oath

A pledge not to disband until a new constitution was written.

Guillotine

An execution device used during the French Revolution.

Great Fear

A period of panic among peasants amid rumors of an 'aristocratic conspiracy.'

Estates-General

An assembly of representatives from all three estates in France.

Sans-culottes

Radical Parisian working-class people advocating for more voice in government.

Jacobs

A radical political club responsible for the Reign of Terror.

Maximilien Robespierre

Jacobin leader and architect of the Reign of Terror.

Reign of Terror

A period of mass executions during the French Revolution.

Napoleon

French military leader who rose to power after the revolution.

Dictatorship

A form of government where a single leader holds absolute power.

Peninsulares

Upper class members in colonial Spanish America, born in Spain.

Creoles

Spanish descendants born in the Americas denied high offices.

Mestizos

People of mixed Spanish and Indigenous ancestry in colonial society.

Mulattoes

People of mixed Spanish and African ancestry.

Independence

The state of being politically free and self-governing.

Simón Bolívar

Venezuelan statesman who led revolutions for independence in South America.

Gran Colombia

The short-lived republic founded by Simón Bolívar.

Toussaint LʼOuverture

Leader of the Haitian Revolution against the French.

Saint Domingue

The site of the world's only successful slave revolt.

Plantation system

Agricultural production system common in the Americas.

Emancipation

The act of freeing enslaved people from bondage.

Abolition

The act of formally ending a system or practice, especially slavery.

Gens de couleur

Free people of color in colonial society.

Nationalism

Political ideology emphasizing a nation's interests and culture.

Sovereignty

Supreme authority over a territory or state.