Unit 5 Vocabulary – Honors World History

Vocabulary flashcards for Unit 5 of Honors World History.

kaiser

A German emperor.

heliocentric theory

The idea that the earth and other planets revolve around the sun.

geocentric theory

The earth-centered view of the universe where scholars believed the earth was an immovable object at the center.

Westernization

Adoption of social, political, or economic institutions of Western countries, especially European or American.

coup d’état

A sudden overthrow of government leaders by a small group.

absolute monarch

A king or queen with unlimited power controlling all aspects of society.

divine right

The idea that monarchs are God's representatives on earth and answerable only to God.

czar

A Russian emperor.

constitutional monarchy

A system of government in which the ruler's power is limited by law.

Scientific Revolution

A major change in European thought characterized by careful observation and questioning accepted beliefs.

scientific method

A logical procedure for gathering information about the natural world, using experimentation and observation to test hypotheses.

Enlightenment

An 18th-century European movement applying reason and the scientific method to all aspects of society.

social contract

The agreement by which people define and limit their individual rights, creating an organized society or government.

Congress of Vienna

A series of meetings in 1814-1815 aimed at establishing lasting peace and security in Europe post-Napoleon.

nationalism

The belief that people should be loyal to their nation and its culture and history rather than to a king or empire.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

A statement by the National Assembly of France in 1791 proclaiming equality and civil rights for all citizens.

estate

One of three distinct social classes in France during the 1700s: clergy, nobility, and commoners.

Estates-General

An assembly of representatives from all three estates in France.

National Assembly

A French congress established by representatives of the Third Estate to enact laws and reforms.

nation-state

A group of people with a common culture and identity who have their own government.

Napoleonic Code

A comprehensive and uniform system of laws established for France by Napoleon.

Continental System

Napoleon’s policy aimed at preventing trade between Great Britain and continental Europe.

balance of power

A political situation where no one nation is strong enough to threaten others.

peninsulares

Colonists born in Spain in Spanish colonial society.

creole (criollo)

A colonist born in Latin America to Spanish parents.