Western Civilization Final Exam Flashcards

Flashcards for review based on the provided study guide for a Western Civilization final exam, covering topics from the Reformation to World War II.

Printing Press

Invention that facilitated the spread of new ideas during the Reformation. Invented by Johannes Gutenberg.

Martin Luther's Beliefs

Salvation by faith alone, the Bible as the sole authority, and the priesthood of all believers.

Luther's 95 Theses

Significant because they sparked the Protestant Reformation by challenging the practices of the Catholic Church.

Diet of Worms

An assembly where Martin Luther was asked to recant his writings. He refused, leading to his condemnation as a heretic.

John Calvin's Beliefs

Predestination (the belief that God has already determined who will be saved) and theocracy (government by religious leaders).

Henry VIII's Break from the Catholic Church

He wanted to annul his marriage, which the Pope refused to grant, so he declared himself head of the Church of England.

Catholic/Counter Reformation

The Catholic Church's response to the Protestant Reformation, aimed at reforming the Church and combating Protestantism.

Ignatius of Loyola

Founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), a Catholic order focused on education and missionary work to combat Protestantism.

Council of Trent

A series of meetings where the Catholic Church clarified its doctrines and addressed abuses in response to the Protestant Reformation.

Index of Forbidden Books

A list of books banned by the Catholic Church to prevent the spread of heretical ideas.

Edict of Nantes

Granted religious freedom to Huguenots (French Protestants), ending religious wars in France.

Treaty of Westphalia

Ended the Thirty Years' War and established the modern system of sovereign states.

Thirty Years' War

A series of wars in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, caused by religious and political conflicts.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership, free markets, and the pursuit of profit. The Dutch were impacted positively through trade and finance.

Mercantilism

An economic system where a country aims to increase its wealth by exporting more than it imports. Spain benefited initially from resources from the Americas.

Elizabeth I of England

Solved religious problems by establishing a moderate form of Protestantism and financial problems through mercantilist policies.

Philip II of Spain

Challenged Elizabeth I by sending the Spanish Armada to invade England, but it was defeated.

Charles I of England

Upset Parliament and the Puritans by asserting his divine right to rule and imposing taxes without Parliament's consent.

Oliver Cromwell

Led the Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War and later became Lord Protector of England.

Charles I's Fate

He was executed, marking a significant moment in English history and challenging the divine right of kings.

James II of England

Upset Parliament by attempting to reinstate Catholicism and asserting royal power.

Glorious Revolution

The overthrow of King James II of England by William of Orange and Mary, establishing a constitutional monarchy.

English Bill of Rights

Guaranteed rights such as freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and protection from cruel and unusual punishment.

Absolutism

A political system where the ruler holds unlimited power.

Versailles

Important to Louis XIV's reign as a symbol of his power and a place to control the nobility.

Peter the Great's Accomplishments

Westernized Russia, built St. Petersburg, and expanded the Russian Empire.

Scientific Revolution

Challenged traditional beliefs about the natural world, based on reason and observation.

Copernicus

Proposed the heliocentric theory, which states that the planets revolve around the Sun.

Kepler

Discovered that planetary orbits are elliptical, not circular.

Galileo

Improved the telescope and made observations supporting the heliocentric theory.

Isaac Newton

Developed the laws of motion and universal gravitation.

John Locke

Advocated for natural rights (life, liberty, and property) and limited government.

Thomas Hobbes

Believed in a strong, centralized government to maintain order.

Voltaire

Advocated for freedom of speech and religious toleration.

Montesquieu

Advocated for the separation of powers in government.

Rousseau

Believed in the social contract and the general will of the people.

Denis Diderot

Edited the Encyclopedia, which promoted Enlightenment ideas.

Rene Descartes

Emphasized reason and doubt, known for the statement "I think, therefore I am."

Adam Smith

Advocated for free markets and capitalism in The Wealth of Nations.

Mary Wollstonecraft

Advocated for women's rights and education.

Salons

Social gatherings where Enlightenment thinkers discussed ideas.

Enlightenment

Emphasized reason, individualism, and human rights; led to political and social reforms.

French Revolution Inspired by Enlightenment

The ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity influenced the revolutionaries.

Old Regime

The political and social system in France before the Revolution, characterized by inequality and privilege.

Louis XVI

King of France during the Revolution, known for his weakness and indecisiveness.

Marie Antoinette

Queen of France during the Revolution, widely disliked for her extravagance.

Three Estates

The social classes in France: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners.

Estates General

An assembly of representatives from all three estates, called to address France's financial crisis.

National Assembly

Formed by the Third Estate to create a new constitution for France.

Tennis Court Oath

An agreement by the National Assembly to continue meeting until a constitution was written.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

A document that proclaimed the rights of citizens, inspired by Enlightenment ideas.

The Bastille

A prison stormed by revolutionaries, symbolizing the start of the French Revolution.

Women's March on Versailles

A protest by women demanding bread and forcing the royal family to move to Paris.

Jacobins

Radical revolutionaries who sought to eliminate opposition to the revolution.

Robespierre

Leader of the Committee of Public Safety during the Reign of Terror.

Reign of Terror

A period of violence during the French Revolution, led by Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety.

Guillotine

A device used for executions during the French Revolution.

Committee of Public Safety

A body that ruled France during the Reign of Terror.

The Directory

The government established after the Reign of Terror, which was weak and ineffective.

Napoleon's Downfall

Caused by the disastrous invasion of Russia, the Continental System, and the Hundred Days.

Napoleonic Code

A system of laws established by Napoleon that influenced legal systems in many countries.

Congress of Vienna

A meeting of European powers to restore the balance of power after Napoleon's conquests.

Enclosure Movement

The consolidation of land by wealthy landowners, leading to increased agricultural efficiency.

Agricultural Revolution

Innovations in farming techniques that increased food production.

Industrial Revolution

The transition to new manufacturing processes in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Unions

Organizations formed by workers to protect their rights and improve working conditions.

Labor Laws

Laws enacted to protect workers' rights and safety.

Communism

A political and economic system advocating for a classless society and collective ownership of resources.

Marx and Engels

Authors of The Communist Manifesto, advocating for communism.

Socialism

A political and economic system advocating for public ownership and control of resources.

Imperialism

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization or military force.

Social Darwinism

The belief that certain races or nations are more fit to survive and dominate others.

Nationalism

A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country, contributing to both unification and conflict.

Realpolitik

A political philosophy based on practical considerations rather than ideology.

Otto von Bismarck

Used realpolitik to unify Germany through strategic wars and alliances.

Kaiser Wilhelm I

The first emperor of a unified Germany.

Unification of Italy

Achieved through the efforts of Mazzini, Cavour, Garibaldi, and Victor Emmanuel.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

His ambition and aggressive foreign policy contributed to rising tensions leading to World War I.

Balance of Power

The distribution of power among nations to prevent any one nation from dominating.

Militarism

The belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability

Alliances

A union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations.

Assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The event that immediately triggered World War I.

Triple Entente

An alliance between Great Britain, France, and Russia. Also known as the Allied Powers.

Triple Alliance

An alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Also known as the Central Powers.

Schlieffen Plan

Germany's plan to quickly defeat France and then turn east to face Russia.

New Weapons in WWI

Included machine guns, poison gas, tanks, and airplanes, leading to massive casualties.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Germany's policy of sinking any ship in British waters, contributing to the United States' entry into WWI.

Zimmerman Telegram

A secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office in January 1917 that proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico. Germany promised Mexico it would restore territories that Mexico lost to the United States in the Mexican–American War.

February Revolution

The first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. The immediate result of the February Revolution was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the end of the Romanov dynasty.

October Revolution

The second of two revolutions in Russia in 1917, sparked by the Bolsheviks. The Bolsheviks and their allies occupied government buildings and other strategic locations in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) and soon formed a new government with Vladimir Lenin as its head.

Kerensky

Served as the second prime minister of the Russian Provisional Government until Vladimir Lenin was elected.

Trotsky

A Marxist theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army.

Lenin

A Russian communist revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1924 and of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1924.

Bolsheviks

A faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split from the Menshevik faction at its Second Party Congress in 1903

Mensheviks

One of the three dominant currents in the Russian Marxist movement, the others being Bolshevism and the Economists.

USSR

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also known as the Soviet Union, was a socialist state that spanned Eurasia during its existence from 1922 to 1991.

Wilson's 14 Points

A set of idealistic goals for peace after WWI, including self-determination and the League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

The peace treaty after World War I; it imposed harsh terms on Germany, contributing to resentment and future conflict.

Weimar Republic

The German republic established after WWI, known for its political instability and economic problems.

Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic downturn in the 1930s.