World History Vocab words

Absolute monarchy

A form of government where a single ruler has absolute power over the state.

Divine Right

The doctrine that kings derive their authority from God.

Hapsburg Empire

A powerful European dynasty that ruled over Austro-Hungarian Empire and various territories.

Armada

A fleet of ships, particularly in reference to the Spanish Armada of 1588.

Huguenots

French Protestants who faced persecution for their beliefs.

Edict of Nantes

A 1598 decree that granted religious freedom to Huguenots.

Versailles

A grand palace in France that symbolizes the absolute monarchy of Louis XIV.

Balance of power

A political situation in which no one nation is powerful enough to dominate the others.

Elector

A person who has the right to vote in an election.

Mercenary

A professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army.

Depopulation

A reduction in the population of a place.

Peace of Westphalia

The series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years’ War in 1648.

War of the Austrian Succession

An 18th-century conflict over the succession to the Austrian throne.

Westernization

The process of adopting Western culture and ideas.

Autocratic

A system of government by one person with absolute power.

Warm-water port

A port that is free of ice all year round.

St. Petersburg

The capital city founded by Peter the Great, symbolizing Westernization.

Partition

The division of a region into separate political entities.

Dissenter

A person who challenges the authority of an established church.

Puritan

A member of a group that wanted to purify the Church of England.

English Bill of Rights

A 1689 document that limited the powers of the monarchy in England.

Limited monarchy

A monarchy that is limited by laws or a constitution.

Constitutional government

A government whose power is defined and limited by a constitution.

Cabinet

A group of senior government leaders responsible for decision-making.

Prime minister

The head of government in a parliamentary system.

Oligarchy

A government in which power is held by a small group of people.

Natural law

Moral principles considered to be derived from nature and universally applicable.

Social contract

An implicit agreement among individuals to form a society.

Natural rights

Rights that are believed to belong to every person, such as life, liberty, and property.

Laissez-faire

An economic system that opposes government intervention.

Free market

An economic system based on supply and demand with little or no government control.

Free enterprise system

An economic system where private businesses operate for profit.

Censorship

The suppression of speech, public communication, or other information.

Salon

A gathering of people to discuss ideas, often hosted by women.

Baroque

An artistic style characterized by exaggerated motion and clear detail.

Enlightened despot

A monarch who embraces Enlightenment principles.

Stamp Act

A 1765 law imposing a tax on printed materials in the American colonies.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that the authority of the government is created by the consent of the governed.

Treaty of Paris

The agreement that ended the American Revolutionary War.

Federal Republic

A form of government in which power is shared between national and state governments.

Checks and Balances

A system that ensures no branch of government becomes too powerful.

Estates

The three social classes in French society before the Revolution: clergy, nobility, and commoners.

Bourgeoisie

The middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values.

Estates-General

The legislative assembly in France before the Revolution, representing the three estates.

Tennis Court Oath

A pledge made by members of the Third Estate not to disband until a new constitution was established.

Bastille

A fortress in Paris symbolizing the tyranny of the Bourbon monarchy.

Faction

A small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one.

Suffrage

The right to vote in political elections.

Reign of Terror

A period during the French Revolution characterized by extreme political violence.

Guillotine

A device used during the French Revolution for carrying out executions.

Nationalism

A political ideology emphasizing the interests and culture of a particular nation.

Plebiscite

A direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal.

Napoleonic Code

A civil code established by Napoleon that prioritized civil rights.

Napoleonic Wars

A series of conflicts involving Napoleon's French Empire.

Annex

To add territory to an existing political entity.

Continental System

Napoleon's economic blockade against Britain.

Guerilla Warfare

A form of irregular warfare using small groups to fight larger traditional military forces.

Abdicate

To renounce one's throne.

Congress of Vienna

A diplomatic conference held to restore order in Europe after the Napoleonic Wars.

Legitimacy

The principle of restoring hereditary monarchs to their thrones in Europe.

Concert of Europe

A series of alliances among European nations to maintain peace.

Charles V

Holy Roman Emperor who ruled over a vast empire in the 16th century.

Philip II

King of Spain known for his role in the Spanish Armada.

Henry IV

First Bourbon king of France who converted to Catholicism.

Louis XIV

Known as the 'Sun King,' he epitomized absolute monarchy.

Frederick William I

Prussian king who militarized his nation.

Frederick II

Also known as Frederick the Great, he expanded Prussian territory.

Peter the Great

Tsar of Russia who modernized and westernized the country.

Catherine the Great

Empress of Russia known for her expansion and reform efforts.

James I

The first monarch of both England and Scotland.

Charles I

English king whose execution marked the end of the monarchy in England.

Oliver Cromwell

Military leader who ruled England as Lord Protector.

Thomas Hobbes

Philosopher who argued for a strong central authority in 'Leviathan'.

John Locke

Philosopher who promoted the idea of natural rights.

Montesquieu

Political philosopher known for his theory on the separation of powers.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Philosopher who wrote about the social contract and popular sovereignty.

Adam Smith

Economist known for his ideas on free market capitalism.

Joseph II

Reformer emperor of Austria known for his tolerance policies.

George III

King of Great Britain during the American Revolution.

George Washington

First President of the United States and commander of the Continental Army.

Benjamin Franklin

Founding Father and diplomat who helped secure French support during the American Revolution.

Thomas Jefferson

Author of the Declaration of Independence and third U.S. President.

James Madison

Fourth U.S. President and key architect of the Constitution.

Marquis de Lafayette

French noble who fought in the American Revolution.

Louis XVI

King of France who was executed during the Revolution.

Olympe de Gouges

French playwright and political activist known for her writings on women's rights.

Maria Antoinette

Queen of France known for her extravagant lifestyle.

Maximilien Robespierre

A radical leader during the French Revolution known for his role in the Reign of Terror.

Napoleon Bonaparte

French military leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and became Emperor of France.