AP Euro - Unit 1 and 2 Key Terms

Ap Euro - Folsom High School - Mrs.Doller Unit 1 & 2 Test

Great Famine

A period of mass starvation and crop failure in Europe from 1315–1322, caused by climate change and poor harvests.

Black Death

The bubonic plague that swept through Europe (1347–1351), killing nearly one-third of the population.

The Decameron

A collection of stories by Giovanni Boccaccio that described life and reactions during the Black Death.

Flagellants

Groups who believed the plague was God’s punishment and sought to atone by whipping themselves.

Hundred Years’ War

A series of conflicts (1337–1453) between England and France over claims to the French throne.

Agincourt

A major English victory in the Hundred Years’ War (1415), where longbows devastated French knights.

Avignon

The city where the papacy was moved (1309–1377), leading to criticism of Church corruption.

Great Schism

The division within the Catholic Church (1378–1417) when multiple popes claimed authority.

Conciliarists

Reformers who believed Church authority should rest with a council

Jacquerie

A French peasant revolt in 1358 against nobles due to heavy taxation and war burdens.

English Peasants’ Revolt

An uprising in 1381 demanding social and economic reforms, triggered by poll taxes.

Vernacular

The use of local languages in writing and literature rather than Latin.

Divine Comedy

Dante Alighieri’s epic poem describing the soul’s journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise.

Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer’s story collection portraying English society through a group of pilgrims.

Renaissance

A cultural rebirth (14th–16th centuries) emphasizing art, learning, and human achievement.

Patronage

Support (often financial) given by wealthy individuals or groups to artists and scholars.

Communes

Sworn associations of free men in Italian cities seeking independence from nobles.

Popolo

The common people in Italian cities who challenged elite rule during the Renaissance.

Signori

Powerful rulers who controlled Italian city-states, often hereditary.

Courts

The households and political centers of Renaissance rulers where arts and power were displayed.

Humanism

An intellectual movement focused on classical texts, human potential, and secular achievements.

Virtu

The Renaissance idea of excelling in all pursuits and demonstrating excellence.

Christian humanists

Scholars in Northern Europe who combined classical learning with Christian faith.

New Christians

Jews and Muslims in Spain forced to convert to Christianity, often still suspected of heresy.

Anticlericalism

Widespread criticism of the clergy for corruption, immorality, and privileges.

Indulgence

A pardon sold by the Catholic Church to reduce time in purgatory.

Protestant

A Christian who broke away from the Catholic Church during the Reformation.

Spanish Armada

The failed naval invasion of England by Spain in 1588, marking a shift in power.

Predestination

The Calvinist belief that God has already determined who will be saved or damned.

The Institutes of the Christian Religion

John Calvin’s foundational work outlining Protestant theology.

Holy Office

The Roman Catholic agency founded in 1542 to combat heresy (Inquisition).

Jesuits

Members of the Society of Jesus, founded by Ignatius of Loyola, who spread Catholicism worldwide.

Huguenots

French Protestants influenced by Calvinism.

Politiques

Moderates in France who prioritized national unity over religious disputes.

Edict of Nantes

1598 decree granting limited religious freedom to Huguenots in France.

Union of Utrecht

Alliance of northern Dutch provinces in 1579 declaring independence from Spain.