AP WH Unit 3 1750-1900

Heliocentrism

Heliocentrism

Concept that the sun is the center of the universe, not the earth, introduced by Copernicus during the Scientific Revolution.

Cosmology

The model of the universe, including the structure and origins of celestial bodies.

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Enlightenment philosopher advocating for the social contract theory, emphasizing the will of the people and popular sovereignty.

Popular Sovereignty

The belief that the ultimate power in society resides with the people, influencing nationalism and political destiny.

Divine Right of Kings

Justification for European monarchs' rule, challenged by Enlightenment thinkers advocating for consent of the governed.

Deism

Enlightenment critique of Christianity, proposing a belief in a distant, non-intervening God who created the world based on natural laws.

Ptolemaic Universe

Original geocentric cosmology by Ptolemy, explaining celestial movements before the acceptance of heliocentrism.

Philosophes

Educated individuals during the Enlightenment who popularized progressive ideas, emphasizing the importance of knowledge and societal improvement.

Thomas Hobbes

Enlightenment thinker who authored "Leviathan," proposing that political power is a contract between ruler and ruled, advocating for stability and loyalty.

John Locke

Successor to Hobbes, promoting the social contract theory and the idea of inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and property.

Sepoy Rebellion

Indian soldiers revolted against the British East India Company due to cultural insensitivity and the use of cartridges greased with pork and beef fat, seen as sacrilegious by Hindus and Muslims.

British Raj

After the Sepoy Rebellion, the British Crown took control of India from the British East India Company, leading to the establishment of direct British rule known as the British Raj.

Congo Free State

Personal possession of the Belgian king, exploited for its valuable resources like rubber and diamonds, leading to severe exploitation and atrocities against the native population.

Berlin Conference of 1884

Led by Otto Von Bismarck, this conference divided up Africa among European powers, with Belgium arguing for control of the Congo, setting the stage for colonial exploitation.

Boer War

Conflict in South Africa between the British and Dutch Boers over control of gold-rich lands, resulting in British victory and the establishment of the Union of South Africa with apartheid laws.

Apartheid

Laws in South Africa that legally separated races, leading to the creation of the Union of South Africa with discriminatory practices against Black Africans, Dutch Afrikaners, and British.

Africanization of Christianity

Process where Christian missionaries adapted Christianity to African traditions, beliefs, and rituals, creating independent churches blending Christian values with African culture, similar to Islam in West Africa.