Unit 5 Vocab Quiz

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Contemporary of Voltaire; expanded on the idea of the social contract, emphasizing the importance of individual freedom and the general will. He believed people were born free but are corrupted by society. Wrote Emile, On Education, and The Social Contract.

John Locke

English philosopher who wrote Two Treatises of Government and viewed political life as the result of a social contract. He believed the social contract implied the right or responsibility of citizens to revolt against an unjust government, and that people had natural rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of property. He believed a child was born with a “blank slate.”

Thomas Hobbes

English philosopher known for his work Leviathan, which argued for a strong central authority to avoid chaos and conflict. He believed that humans are naturally selfish and that a powerful government, attained through giving up some rights in exchange for law and order, is necessary.

Unalienable rights

Rights that cannot be taken away or denied, often associated with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The committee of public safety

A political body during the French Revolution that was responsible for protecting the newly established republic from internal and external threats, overseeing the Reign of Terror.

Marie Antoinette

Queen of France during the French Revolution, known for her extravagant lifestyle and opposition to reforms. She was executed by guillotine in 1793.

The National Assembly

A revolutionary assembly formed by the representatives of the Third Estate in France, which played a key role in the early stages of the French Revolution.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

A fundamental document of the French Revolution that outlines individual and collective rights of the people, asserting principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Simon Bolivar

A military and political leader in Latin America who played a key role in the independence movements against Spanish rule and pushed for Enlightenment ideals in several countries, including Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru.

Creoles

People of Spanish descent born in the Americas, who played a significant role in the independence movements in Latin America. They were often educated and influenced by Enlightenment ideas, seeking to gain political power and independence from European colonial rule.

Peninsulares

Spanish-born individuals residing in the Americas, who held the highest social and political positions during colonial rule.

“The sick man of Europe”

A term used to describe the declining Ottoman Empire in the 19th century, reflecting its political and economic instability as the Ottoman Empire didn’t adopt Western technology nor Enlightenment ideas, and rampant corruption and ethnic nationalism led to its rapid decline.

Meiji Restoration

The period of rapid modernization and industrialization in Japan from 1868 to 1912, during which the shogun was overthrown and the country transformed from a feudal society into a major world power.

Russian Revolution of 1905

A wave of mass political unrest in Russia, leading to the establishment of the Duma and significant reforms, though it ultimately failed to resolve the underlying issues. 400,000 workers refused to work, leading to thousands being killed, injured, or exiled.

Karl Marx

A German philosopher and economist, Karl Marx co-authored "The Communist Manifesto" and is known for his theories on socialism and Communism, emphasizing class struggle and the critique of capitalism.

Socialism

A system of public or direct worker ownership of the means of production. It advocates for economic equality and social welfare, aiming to reduce class disparities.

Capitalism

Economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit. It emphasizes free markets, competition, and consumer choice, often leading to wealth accumulation and economic growth.

Laissez-faire capitalism

French phrase for “leave alone.” States that governments should reduce their intervention in economic decisions. It promotes minimal regulation and free-market principles.

Free markets

Economic systems with minimal government intervention where prices are determined by supply and demand.

Labor unions

Organizations of workers that advocated for the right to bargain with employers and put the resulting agreements in a contract. They aim to protect workers' rights, improve working conditions, and negotiate wages.

Marxism

A political and economic theory that advocates for a classless system in which the means of production are owned communally, developed by Karl Marx. It critiques capitalism and promotes the idea of a proletariat revolution to overthrow the bourgeoisie.