Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment philosophers, and early United States history from the lecture notes.

Enlightenment

A new way of thinking about society, politics, and human nature using reason and individual rights instead of tradition and absolute power.

Scientific Method

A standard process created by Sir Francis Bacon consisting of observation, question, hypothesis, experiment, and conclusion.

Heliocentric Theory

The model stating that planets revolve around the sun.

Geocentric Theory

The model stating that the planets and sun revolve around the Earth.

Nicolaus Copernicus

Scientific Revolution thinker who stated that planets revolve around the sun (Heliocentric) and created a book marking the beginning of the scientific revolution.

Johannes Kepler

Astronomer who used math to prove Copernicus was right and showed that planets orbit in ellipses rather than circles.

Galileo

Scientist who created a better telescope to study the sky, proved Copernicus's theory was right, and was thrown in prison for heresy.

Issac Newton

Scientist who wrote about gravity and the three laws of motion, who was tolerated more by the church and famously said, 'if I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants'.

Sir Francis Bacon

Scientific Revolution figure who created the scientific method.

Thomas Hobbes

English philosopher who lived through the English Civil War, wrote Leviathan, and argued that without a strong government, life would be full of war, violence, and fear because people are naturally selfish and violent.

John Locke

English philosopher who lived through the Glorious Revolution, wrote Two treaties of government, and believed in limited government and natural rights to life, liberty, and property.

Baron de Montesquieu

French thinker who wrote Spirit of the Law and created the concept of separation of powers to prevent tyranny and protect liberty.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

French philosopher who wrote The Social Contract, believing that people are born good but made evil by society, and that government power should come from the people and reflect the general will.

Voltaire

French writer and philosopher known as the Father of Freedom of Speech who used wit and satire to criticize absolute monarchy and the church, advocating the use of reason to fight ignorance and injustice.

Mary Wollstonecraft

English writer and advocate for gender equality who wrote A vindication of the Rights of Women, arguing that women deserve education and political rights.

Natural Rights

The basic rights people are born with, including freedom of speech, life, liberty, and property.

Social Contract

An agreement where some individual rights are taken by the government to ensure order, as seen in the United States Constitution.

Declaration of Independence

Document written by Thomas Jefferson containing Enlightenment ideas, promises of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, popular sovereignty, and 13 grievances against King George.

Battle of Trenton

Revolutionary War battle in New York where Washington retook territory from numerically superior Hessians using a scant force of militia the day after Christmas.

Battle of Saratoga

Battle where the Continental army led by Benedict Arnold pursued British forces to Bemis Heights, catching the British unaware of reinforcements and causing them to lose positions and numbers.

Battle of Germantown

Battle where Nathaniel Green attempted a sneak attack to recreate Washington's victory at Trenton, but heavy fog caused Continental forces to get confused and run into each other.

Battle of Yorktown

Final battle where American and French forces trapped the last British stronghold in Yorktown, Virginia, forcing British general Lord Cornwallis to surrender.

Articles of Confederation

The first loose form of government in the United States, which proved not to be practical.

Shays Rebellion

An armed uprising of Continental Army veterans rebelling against taxes and civil unrest, which the American Army could barely put down due to monetary constraints.

Constitutional Convention

Convention held in Philadelphia and headed by George Washington that led to arguments between federalists and antifederalists.

Northwest Ordinances

Acts ratified at the convention establishing the Ohio River as a boundary line for slavery and allowing land won from England in the revolution to be purchased by settlers from the government.

Executive Branch

Branch of government including the President, who is supreme commander and chief of the US armed forces and can veto bills issued by the legislative branch.

Legislative Branch

Branch of government consisting of the House of Representatives and Senate (Congress) that drafts laws.

Judicial Branch

Branch of government consisting of justices appointed by the president representing the supreme law of the land.