Modern World History Unit 2: Revolution and Empire

Heliocentric

Sun at central point and planets revolve around it

Enlightenment

Philosophical movement of the 18th century marked by the rejection of traditional social, religious, and political ideas and an emphasis on rationalism

Deist

The belief of the existence of God

Suffrage

The right to vote

Latin America

The part of the American continents where Spanish or Portuguese is the main national language

Nationalism

An ideology that emphasize loyalty, devotion, or allegiance to a nation

Autocrat

Person (monarchs) ruling with unlimited authority

Militarism

Belief or the desire of the government or a person that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively

Nicolaus Copernicus

Developed the sun centered model of the universe

Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler

Built astronomical observatory to calculate planetal orbits; supported Copernicus’s views

Galileo Galilei

Developed the telescope to view the planets and confirmed Copernicus’s theory

Francis Bacon

Called for a new scientific method

Rene Descartes

Developed new philosophy of human reasoning

Father of modern mathematics

Issac Newton

Develop laws of gravity and motion; invented calculus

Robert Boyle

Identified basic building blocks of matter, opening the way for modern chemistry

The Enlightenment (Age of Reason)

European intellectual and cultural movement started in the 17+18th centuries. Thinkers of this time questioned authority, religion, absolute monarchy and advocated for constitutional government and natural rights.

Enlightenment Main Points

Reason

Individualism

Human Rights

Enlightenment Main Ideas

Liberty

Progress

Tolerance

Art

Philosophy

Politics

Science

Natural Law

Humans are naturally held to a moral law

Thomas Hobbes

English philosopher (Government)

Believed that humans were naturally evil

Published Leviatham (defending the king)

Absolute monarchy

John Locke

English philosopher (Government)

Believed in natural law

Created 2 Treatise of Government

Government’s Purpose (According to Hobbes)

To keep human’s evil and selfish natural in order

Government’s Purpose (According to Locke)

To protect human’s natural law and rights

Montesquieu

French philosopher (Government)

The Spirit of Laws

Created the 3 branches of government

Government (According to Montesquieu)

Split into 3 section:

Monarchies: Limited power

Republics: Aristocracy (few people) or democracy (all the people) holds the power

Despotic governments: Tyrant holds complete power

3 Branches of Government

Legislative: Law making

Judicial: Courts

Executive: Law enforcement

Voltaire

French philosopher (Government)

Author

Critiqued the government in forms of pamphlets, poems, and plays

Wrote the novel “Candide”

Constitutional monarchy + kings should be based on reason

Huguenots

France’s protestants minority

Neoclassism

Arts similar to Greek and Roman classics in terms of harmony, order, and balance

Mary Wollenstonecraft

Philosopher (Society)

A Vindication of the Rights of Women

Believed women should have the same rights and liberties as men

Adam Smith

Philosopher (Government)

The Wealth of Nation

Believed that humans are driven by self-interest

Also believed that competition helps consumers get the best price

Economy (According to Adam Smith)

The government shouldn’t interfere with the economy (Laissez Faire)

Denis Diderot

Philosopher (Government)

Created the encyclopedie (massive organized collection of knowledge)

Important for the spread of enlightenment ideas

Jean-Jacques Rosseau

Philosopher (Society)

Author

Discourse on the Origins of Inequality and The Social Contract

Believed setting aside self-interest would led to the enhancement of rights and freedom

Boston Massacre

March 5,1770

First Continental Congress

September 5,1774

Reps from each colony got together at Philadelphia to make plans as a group

Boston Tea Party

December 16,1773

Colonist destroyed 100s of of crates of tea

The British sent in more troops

Ride of Paul Revere

April 18,1775

Paul took part in the Boston Tea Party

Made a system of lanterns to warn colonists of the British coming

April 19, 1775

War began between colonists and Great Britain

Congress signed Declaration of Independence

July 4,1776

Department letter to the British

Explained why the US was separating

Causes of the American Revolution

The French and Indian war

Taxes on goods

Protests

The Proclamation of 1763

Paine’s Common Sense

Declaration of Independence

The French Indian War

Conflict between Great Britain, France, and Native Americans

Britain won

Britain faced an enormous debt

Needed to find ways to make money

Taxes on goods

Parliament passed laws requiring colonists to pay taxes on sugar, paper, and tea

Colonists refused to buy British goods

Protests

Colonists didn’t want to pay the new taxes because of their lack of representation in Parliament

Organized protests sprung up in the colonies

Paine’s Common Sense

Argued that it wasn’t reasonable for Britain to rule over the colonies

Helped colonists realize the need for a complete break from Britain

The proclamation of 1763

Stated that colonists must stay east of the Appalachian Mountains

Disappointed ones that wanted to go west

Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson

Explained the reasons for the colonies separation and their right for freedom

British vs Continental Army

The British: Twice as many troops, well trained, and had German mercenaries

The Continental Army: Ordinary men, little experience and supplies

George Washington

Commander of the Continental Army

Mercenaries

Hired soldiers

Tories

Colonists that remained loyal to Britain during the war

Loyalists

The Battle of Saratoga

Turning point of the war

Convinced France to send troops to help America

French-American Alliance

Very important

France had a powerful navy

Sent ships to protect northern ports

Forced the British south

Caused Britain to surrender

Articles of Confederation vs U.S Constitution

Articles of Confederation: Weak, no executive branch, weak legislature, government couldn’t collect taxes, establish an army, or force states to follow laws

Constitution: 3 branches of government, strong central government,

Bill of Rights + U.S Constitution

Addressed concerns of several leaders that the new government wouldn’t provide protection for individual and state rights

US Constitution Importance

Government could be based on a constitution that reflects the will of the people

Model for multiple international governments

Battle of Lexington

Significant

First battle between colonists and British troops

British Surrender

Battle of Yorktown

French Revolution

1789-1799

A period of radical political and societal upheaval in France

French Society Structure

3 Classes/estates

First Estate: clergy (better jobs, no taxes, ~1% of pop.)

Second Estate: nobles (better jobs, no taxes, ~1% of pop.)

Third Estate: commoners (owned most of the land, paid taxes, 98% of pop.)

Enlightenment concepts + French Government

These led people to challenge the French monarchy

Constitutional government

Division of power

Equal laws

Written constitution

Religious freedom

Louis XVII and the American Revolution

Supported America to weaken Britain

Provided financial help; led France to near bankruptcy

Effected the members of the Third Estate

Solution: Gathered the estates with the intention to raising money by creating taxes

Estate-General

3 Estates gathered to discuss taxes

Each given one vote

The third estate didn’t receive fair rep. because they made up most of the pop

1st and 2nd estates outvoted them

National Assembly

Goal: To create a constitutional monarchy

Proposed that clergy, nobles, and lords wouldn’t receive tax privileges

Nobility titles would be removed

Half of the male pop. could vote

French-Austrian War Cause

French emigres tried to convince foreign monarchs to help the French king and stop the revolution

French citizens were worried that European nations would invade France

Declaration of Man

Written in August 1789

Author: Marquis de Lafayette

During the French Revolution

For peoples individuals rights and freedom