Studied by 10 people
conquistador
a leader in the Spanish conquest of the Americas
colony
a settlement of people living in a new territory, linked with the parent country by trade and direct government control
mercantilism
a set of principles that dominated economic thought in the seventeenth century; it held that the prosperity of a nation depended on a large supply of gold and silver
plantation
a large agricultural estate
Middle Passage
the forced voyage of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas
creole
a person of European descent born in Latin America and living there permanently
mestizo
a person of mixed European and Native American descent
armada
a fleet of warships
National Sovereignty
the independence of a state combined with the right and power of regulating itself without foreign interference
absolutism
A political system in which a ruler holds total power
czar
Russian for caesar; the title used by Russian emperors
baroque
An artistic style of the seventeenth century characterized by complex forms, bold ornamentation, and contrasting elements
geocentric
Earth-centered; a system of planetary motion in which the sun, moon, and other planets revolve around the Erath
Heliocentric
sun-centered; the system of the universe in which the earth and planets revolve around the earth
universal law of gravitation
one of Newton's three rules of motion; it explains that planetary bodies continue in elliptical orbits around the sun because every object in the universe is attracted to every other object by a force called gravity.
rationalism
a system of thought expounded by Rene Descartes based on the belief that reason is the chief source of knowledge
scientific method
a systematic procedure for collecting and analyzing evidence that was crucial to the evolution of science in the modern world
empiricism
the theory that says knowledge is archeived through observation
philosphe
French for "philosopher"; applied to all intellectuals during the Enlightenment
separation of powers
a form of government in which the executive, legislative, and judicial branches limit and control each other through a system of checks and balances
deism
an eighteenth-century religious philosophy based on reason and natural law
laissez-faire
the concept that the state should not impose government regulations but should leave the economy alone
social contract
the concept that an entire society agrees to be governed by its general will and all individuals should be forced to abide by it since it represents what is best for the entire community
salons
the elegant urban drawing rooms where, in the eighteenth-century, writers, artists, aristocrats, government officials, and wealthy middle-class people gathered to discuss the ideas of the philosophes
Popular Sovereignty
the right to govern through the consent of the people
federal system
a form of government in which power is shared between the national and state governments
estate
one of the three classes in French society divided before the revolution: clergy (First Estate), the nobles (Second Estate), and the townspeople (Third Estate)
bourgeoisie
the middle class, including merchants, industrialists, and professional people
electors
an individual qualified to vote in an election
coup d'etat
a sudden overthrow of the government
consulate
government established in France after the overthrow of the Directory in 1799, with Napoleon as first consul in control of the entire government
nationalism
the unique cultural identity of a people based on common language, religion, and national symbols
conservatism
a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, favoring obedience to political authority and organized religion
principal of intervention
idea that great powers have the right to send armies into countries where there are revolutions to restore legitimate governments
liberalism
a political philosophy originally based largely on Enlightenment principles, holding that people should be free as possible from government restraint and that civil liberties---the basic rights of all people---should be protected
common wealth
a nation, state, or other political unit founded on law and united by agreement for and by the people
divine right of kings
the belief that the kings receive their power from God and are responsible only to God
puritans
English Protestants who believed that the Church of England needed further reform and sought to simplify and regulate forms of worship
natural rights
rights with which all humans are born, including the rights to life, liberty, and property
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