Revolutions

Scientific Revolution

Age of discoveries in math and technology, and increased use of observation and experimentation.

Galileo Galilei

Discovered that humans are composed of matter, used the telescope to make discoveries, and the Catholic Church was suspicious of him.

Nicolaus Copernicus

Created the heliocentric model of the universe, and wrote On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres.

Johannes Kepler

Discovered that planets move in elliptical orbits (Kepler’s First Law).

Scientific Method

Procedure created by Francis Bacon for collecting and analyzing evidence using inductive reasoning.

Issac Newton

Wrote the Principia, explained natural laws of motion, and developed the law of universal gravitation.

Geocentric

The earth is the center of the universe.

Heliocentric

The sun is the center of the universe.

What role did philosophies play in the Enlightenment?

Spread new ideas about society and government, used reason to question absolute monarchy, and pushed for reform.

Philosophies

French word for the intellectuals of the Enlightenment, came from the middle class.

Salons

Social gatherings where people discussed Enlightenment ideas.

Rousseau

Argued in The Social Contract that an entire society should agree to be governed by its general will, and he sought a balance between emotions and reason.

Adam Smith

Supported laissez faire economies, meaning minimal government control of the economy and people get to choose what they want to do.

Mary Wollstonecraft

Argued that women deserve equal rights and education compared to men.

Montesquieu

Promoted separation of powers (checks and balances) to prevent absolutism.

John Locke

Believed in tabula rasa (blank slate), meaning people are molded by experiences.

What are the four main ideas of the Enlightenment?

Reason, natural law, progress, and hope.

What are some immediate causes of the French Revolution?

Financial crisis, food shortages, inflation, weak leadership, and criticism of government.

What were the stages of the French Revolution?

Pre-revolution, moderate, and radical.

Louis XVI And Marie Antoinette

King and queen of France during the Revolution, they were not liked by the people.

Maximilien Robespierre

Helped lead the Reign of Terror and enforced direct democracy.

Tennis Court Oath

A pledge at a tennis court by the Third Estate to create a new constitution.

Declaration Of The Rights Of Man

Document stating that people have natural rights like liberty and equality.

Estates General

A meeting of the three social estates called to address France’s financial crisis.

National Assembly

Group formed by the Third Estate to represent the people.

Fall Of The Bastille

Attack on a prison that symbolized the start of the French Revolution.

Women’s March On Versailles

Protest where women demanded bread and forced the king to move to Paris.

The Reign Of Terror

Period of mass executions in the revolution.

Guillotine

Execution device.

Dechristianization

Effort to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church in France.

Sans-Culottes

Radical working-class revolutionaries who supported extreme change.

Marat

Writer who encouraged violence.

The Committee Of Public Safety

Twelve man council which passed violent reforms.

“Republic Of Virtue”

Robespierre’s idea of a moral society based on loyalty to the Revolution.

The Directory

Weak government that ruled France after the Reign of Terror but before Napoleon took power.

Napoleon Bonaparte

French military leader who became emperor and ruled much of Europe.

Corsica

Island birthplace of Napoleon, located in the Mediterranean sea.

Nationalism

Strong pride and loyalty to one’s nation and desire for independence and unity.

Continental System

Napoleon’s policy to block British trade with Europe to weaken Britain economically, it ended up failing.

Waterloo

Final battle in 1815 where Napoleon was defeated.

Invasion Of Russia

Failed campaign where harsh winter and Russian resistance destroyed Napoleon’s army.

Elba And St. Helena

Islands where Napoleon was exiled twice.

Louis XVIII

French king restored to the throne after Napoleon’s death.

Congress Of Vienna

A meeting of European leaders to restore after the fall of Napoleon and redraw Europe’s borders.

Concert Of Europe

A system where major European powers worked together to maintain peace and balance of power after the Congress of Vienna.