GLOBAL REGENTS NOTES

Age of Absolutism

A period in European history when nations were governed by absolute monarchs who had total control over their nations.

Divine Right

The belief that kings received their power to rule directly from God, often used by absolute monarchs to justify their authority.

Centralized political control

Absolute monarchs did not share power with anyone else, maintaining full control over political decisions.

Westernization

The process of imitating the customs and traditions of Western European countries to strengthen a nation, as done by Peter the Great in Russia.

Heliocentric Theory

Developed by Copernicus, it states that planets revolve around the sun, challenging the geocentric view.

Enlightenment

A period in European history where reason was used to understand and improve society, also known as "The Age of Reason."

Natural Rights

Rights such as life, liberty, and property that John Locke believed all people are entitled to.

Separation of Powers

Proposed by Montesquieu, the division of government power into three branches to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful.

Reign of Terror

An event during the French Revolution where thousands of people were executed, led by the radical Jacobins and Robespierre.

Industrial Revolution

Transition from hand production to machine production in factories, leading to urbanization and formation of labor unions.

Laissez Faire Capitalism

Economic system during the Industrial Revolution where businesses were privately owned, and government intervention was minimal.

Communist Manifesto

Written by Marx and Engels, it advocated for the overthrow of the bourgeoisie by the proletariat to create a classless society.

Nationalism

A feeling of love, loyalty, and devotion to one's country, leading individuals to be known as nationalists.

Nationalism

The development of a strong sense of loyalty and pride towards a common language, culture, and history within a specific group of people.

Unification of Italy and Germany

The process through which separate states in Italy and Germany combined to form one united nation with a single government, driven by feelings of nationalism.

Giuseppe Garibaldi, Giuseppe Mazzini, Count Camillo di Cavour

Devoted nationalists who played key roles in the unification of Italy in 1870.

Otto von Bismarck

The man behind the successful unification of Germany in 1871, using a "blood and iron" policy involving three wars.

Imperialism

The act of a powerful country conquering and taking over a weaker country, leading to the establishment of colonies in the conquered territories.

"White Man's Burden"

A racist concept encouraging Europeans to civilize the people they colonized by imposing European customs and beliefs on them.

Social Darwinism

The belief that stronger nations have the right to take over weaker nations, often used to justify imperialism.

Scramble for Africa

The rapid colonization of over 90% of Africa by European countries during the 19th century.

Meiji Restoration

A period in Japanese history marked by rapid modernization and westernization under Emperor Meiji.

World War I

A global military conflict primarily fought in Europe from 1914 to 1918, caused by militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism.

Treaty of Versailles

The treaty that ended World War I, imposing harsh penalties on Germany and contributing to the rise of Hitler and World War II.

Russian Revolution

The overthrow of the Russian Czar leading to the establishment of a new government and the rise of communism under Lenin and the Bolsheviks in 1917.

Totalitarianism

A form of government where a single ruler controls all aspects of life, seen in the dictatorships of Stalin in the Soviet Union, Mussolini in Italy, and Hitler in Germany.

Command Economy

An economic system where the government owns businesses, makes business decisions, and sets prices instead of individuals.

Five-Year Plans

Economic goals set every five years to modernize industry and agriculture, as implemented by Stalin in the Soviet Union.

Collectivization

The process of taking over individual farms and forcing people to live on large government-owned farms, as done by Stalin in the Soviet Union.

Genocide

The attempt to exterminate an entire group of people, exemplified by the Holocaust during World War II.

Appeasement

A policy where an aggressive nation is given what they want to avoid war, demonstrated at the Munich Conference with Hitler.

United Nations

An organization created after World War II to solve international problems and prevent future wars, consisting of various bodies like the Security Council and General Assembly.

Nuremberg Trials

Court cases where surviving Nazis were put on trial for crimes against humanity, showcasing individual accountability in government.

Cold War

A 50-year struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union after World War II, characterized by containment, military alliances like NATO and the Warsaw Pact, and events like the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Economic Cooperation

Organizations like the European Union and NAFTA aimed at increasing trade and promoting economic prosperity through decreased tariffs and currency agreements.

OPEC

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that determines oil prices and production levels among member nations.

Communism in China

Mao Zedong's rule, the Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution, and Deng Xiaoping's shift to a market economy, along with events like the Tiananmen Square Protests/Massacre.

Decolonization

The period post-World War II where nations in Africa and Asia gained independence from European powers, exemplified by India's independence and partition into India and Pakistan.

Kashmir Dispute

Area near India and Pakistan claimed by both nations, leading to ethnic tension and a dangerous situation due to the possession of nuclear weapons.

Apartheid

Racist system in South Africa from 1948 to 1990, enforcing racial segregation and discrimination against black South Africans.

Genocide

Attempt to exterminate a group of people, exemplified by the Hutus slaughtering 800,000 Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994.

Islamic Fundamentalism

Belief in creating societies based on Islamic rules, seen in countries like Iran and Afghanistan, leading to limited rights for women.

Perestroika

Economic program by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union, transitioning from a communist to a market economy.

Market Economy

Economic system where individuals own businesses and determine prices based on supply and demand, contrasting with a command economy controlled by the government.

Human Rights Violations

Violations of basic rights, including genocide instances like the Holocaust and the Cambodian genocide under Pol Pot.

Ethnic Conflicts

Tensions between different ethnic groups, such as the Palestinians and Jews in the Middle East, and the Serbs, Croatians, and Muslims in the Balkans.

Environmental Problems

Issues like deforestation, acid rain, and the greenhouse effect, highlighting the need for international cooperation to address these challenges.

Green Revolution

Technological advancement to increase food supply, utilizing improved irrigation, machinery, and seeds, particularly successful in India.