Periods and Key Events in European History

Set of flashcards covering key terms and concepts in European history based on the lecture notes.

Later Middle Ages

Period from 1300 to 1450, including events like the Hundred Years’ War and the Fall of the Byzantine Empire.

Renaissance

Cultural movement from 1300 to 1600 characterized by the resurgence of art, literature, and the revival of classical learning.

Hundred Years’ War

Conflict between England and France from 1337 to 1453 over the French throne.

Fall of the Byzantine Empire

Event in 1453 marking the end of the Byzantine Empire.

Commercial Revolution

Period from around 1500 to 1800 that saw a significant expansion in trade and commerce.

Reformation

Religious movement that began in 1517 aiming to reform the Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of Protestant churches.

Scientific Revolution

Historical period during the 16th and 17th centuries that emphasized empirical evidence and the scientific method.

Age of Absolutism

Period roughly from 1650 to 1750 marked by the centralized control of sovereign states and powerful monarchies.

Enlightenment

Intellectual movement in the 18th century promoting reason, individualism, and skepticism of authority.

Industrial Revolution

Period of major industrialization from around 1750 to 1850 leading to urbanization and changes in economic practices.

Total War

Warfare that involves not just the military but also the civilian population, economies, and national infrastructure.

Treaty of Versailles

1919 peace treaty that ended World War I, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany.

Cold War

Period of political tension between the Soviet Union and Western powers from 1946 to 1991 characterized by ideological conflict.

Decolonization

The process by which colonies gained independence from colonial powers, particularly from 1945 onwards.

European Union

Political and economic union established in 1993 aimed at increasing integration and cooperation among member states.

Social Darwinism

Ideology that applied the concept of 'survival of the fittest' to social and political issues, often justifying imperialism and inequality.

Nazi Germany

From 1933 to 1945, characterized by fascism, totalitarianism, and aggressive expansionism under Adolf Hitler.

The Holocaust

Systematic genocide of six million Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime during World War II.

Bolshevik Revolution

The 1917 revolution in Russia led by the Bolsheviks, resulting in the establishment of a communist government.

French Revolution

Radical social and political upheaval between 1789 and 1799 that ultimately led to the end of the monarchy in France.

The Age of Anxiety

A term to describe the period of widespread concern and disorientation in Europe after World War I.

Partition of India

The division of British India into two independent dominions, India and Pakistan, in 1947.

Postmodernism

A late 20th-century reaction against the ideas and values of modernism, characterized by skepticism towards grand narratives and ideologies.