Western Civilization Final Exam Study Guide

Flashcards to help study for the Western Civilization Final Exam.

Printing Press

An invention by Gutenberg that used movable type to mechanize the production of printed materials.

Luther's Main Beliefs

Salvation by faith alone, the Bible as the sole authority, and the priesthood of all believers.

Luther's 95 Theses

Luther's list of accusations and reforms against the church.

Diet of Worms

Luther was summoned to recant his statements before Emperor Charles V. Luther refused to recant and was declared an outlaw.

Calvin's beliefs

Predestination, theocracy

Henry VIII Break from Catholic Church

King Henry wanted a divorce and the Pope would not grant him one

Catholic Church Response to Reformation

Attempt to undermine the Protestant Reformation and/or reform the Church through the Catholic/Counter Reformation, Ignatius of Loyola/Mission of Jesuits, Council of Trent and the Index of Forbidden Books.

Edict of Nantes

Granted Huguenots rights in France

Treaty of Westphalia

Series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War in Europe and established the modern state system.

Thirty Years War

A war fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, resulting from religious and political conflicts. It was ended by the Treaty of Westphalia.

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.

Mercantilism

An economic theory and practice that promotes governmental regulation of a nation's economy for the purpose of increasing state power at the expense of rival national powers.

Elizabeth's solutions to religious and financial problems

Resolved religious and financial problems in England by finding a middle ground between Catholics and Protestants, and by practicing fiscal responsibility.

Phillip II

King of Spain from 1556 until 1598. Led the Spanish Armada to challenge Elizabeth.

Charles I Conflicts

Charles I of England upset Parliament and the Puritans by asserting the divine right of kings, levying taxes without parliamentary consent, and persecuting Puritans.

Oliver Cromwell

Led the Parliamentarian army during the English Civil War and later became Lord Protector of England.

Fate of Charles I

Charles I was tried and executed by Parliament, marking a turning point in English history.

James II Conflicts

James II of England upset Parliament by attempting to re-establish Catholicism as the state religion and asserting royal authority over parliamentary decisions.

Glorious Revolution

A revolution in 1688 in which James II was overthrown and replaced by William and Mary, establishing a constitutional monarchy in England.

English Bill of Rights

Guaranteed rights such as freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and protection from excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment.

Absolutism

A political system in which a ruler holds unlimited power.

Importance of Versailles

Versailles was important to Louis' reign because it served as a symbol of his power and grandeur, as well as a center for court life and governance.

Peter the Great's accomplishments

Peter the Great's accomplishments included modernizing the Russian military, reforming the government, and expanding Russia's territory.

Ideas Challenged During Scientific Revolution

Challenged old ideas and beliefs during the scientific revolution, including geocentric theory, reliance on ancient authorities, and traditional methods of inquiry.

New Ideas of the Scientific Revolution

Ideas that emerged included heliocentric theory, emphasis on reason and observation, and the development of the scientific method.

Key scientists

Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Newton

Salons

Coffee houses for intellectual conversation.

Ideas/Effects of Enlightenment

Liberty, equality, natural rights; affected society by challenging the church.

Stages of Revolution

Usually include: discontent, revolution, and consolidation

French Revolution and Enlightenment

Enlightenment ideas about reason, equality, and natural rights inspired the French Revolution.

Causes of French Revolution

Old Regime, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Three Estates, Estates General.

Revolutionary Attempts to Destroy Old Regime

National Assembly, Tennis Court Oath, Declaration of the Rights of Man, The Bastille, Women's March on Versailles.

Betrayal of French Revolution

Radicals, Jacobins, Robespierre, Reign of Terror, Guillotine, The Committee of Public Safety

Significance of French Revolution

French Revolution is so important because it demonstrates the need for rights.

How Napoleon Came to Power

The Directory

Napoleon's Downfall

Russia, Continental System, 100 Days

The Napoleonic Codes

a comprehensive legal system enacted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. It aimed to create a unified legal framework for post-revolutionary France, addressing property, family, and individual rights.

Restoring Balance of Power in Europe

Congress of Vienna

Enclosure/Agric. Revolutions Lead to IR

Led to the IR because farmers were able to produce more product.

Where IR Began

IR began in England because of natural resources.

Positive Impacts of IR

Unions, Labor Laws

City Changes due to IR

IR led to cities getting huge influxes of people

Class Tensions Arose

Increase in income inequality

Economic Theories to Address Irregularities

Communism, Marx and Engels, Socialism

Reasons for Imperialism

Imperialism was motivated by the need for resources

Negative Effects of Imperialism

Led to many wars and atrocities.

Nationalism Contributing to Unification

Nationalism contributed to the unification of nations and World War II - because it led people to think their nation was better than other countries

Realpolitik

system of politics or principles based on practical, rather than moral or ideological, considerations. It focuses on the realities of power and the interests of the state, rather than on abstract principles or values

Italian Unification

Unified through Mazzini, Cavour, Garibaldi, Victor Emmanuel

19th Century Setting Up WWI

Kaiser Wilhelm II, Balance of Power, rising tensions

Long and Short Term Causes of WWI

Militarism, Alliances, Nationalism, Imperialism, Assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Triple Entente vs. Triple Alliance

Triple Entente vs. Triple Alliance. They led to a huge global conflict.

Schlieffen Plan

The plan to defeat France quickly

Battles of Verdum, Somme, Gallipoli

Major battles led to unprecedented atrocities and devastation.

New Weapons of WWI

New weapons such as poisonous gas led to many casualties.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

Germany sunk ships and killed civilians.

The Significance of the Zimmerman Note

Led US to join the war.

Problems Facing Russia

Russia was impoverished and backwards.

Triggering the Russian Revolution

army had poor leadership, and the generals often made bad decisions and didn’t work well together + equipment was old and not as good as that of other countries. The factories in Russia could not make enough modern weapons for the war

Stages of the Russian Revolution

February Revolution, Provisional government, October Revolution, Kerensky, Trotsky, Lenin, Bolsheviks vs. Mensheviks

Result of the Russian Revolution

Russia turned it USSR under Stalin

Wilson's 14 Points

a proposal made by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in a speech before Congress on January 8, 1918, outlining his vision for ending World War I in a way that would prevent such a conflagration from occurring again

Differences Between Wilson and Other Leaders

Clemenceau and George wanted revenge.

The Treaty of Versailles

It severely limited Germany and set the stage for WWII.

Flaws of the Weimar Republic

There was hyperinflation

Great Depression

Worldwide economic collapse.

Communism vs. Facism

Communism: The government is the ultimate authority and no classes, Fascism: Led by a dictator, but still has classes.

Fascist Nations

Italy, Germany, and Spain

Attractiveness of Fascism

Promised order and prosperity.

Hitler's Rise to Power

Rose to power through capitalizing on hyperinflation and German anger.

Lebensraum

Means "living space"

League of Nations Failure

The League of Nations could not stop Germany from expanding - the league of nations was international organization formed after World War I to prevent future wars through diplomacy and cooperation

Appeasement

Appeasement is giving into demands. Led Hitler to think he could win.

Non-Aggression Pact

Signed between Hitler and Stalin. Hitler did not have to worry about Russia

Start of WWII

Germany invaded Poland.

Blitzkrieg

goal was to overwhelm the enemy with speed and force, aiming for a swift, decisive victory. “Lightning war" strategy used by Germany during World War II, involving fast-moving units attacking in coordination.

Axis vs. Allies

Axis vs. Allies. Germany, Italy, Japan vs. Britain, US, USSR

Battles of WWII

Major battles in Europe and the Pacific that turned the tide of the war.

Weapons/Technology of WWII

Planes, bombs, etc.

Process of Persecution Against Jews

Start with the Nuremberg Laws, eventually the Final Solution

Genocide

The Holocaust

Other Holocaust Victims

Poles, Gypsies, Handicapped

End of War in Europe

Victory in Europe Day

The Big Three

FDR, Churchill, and Stalin. Made decisions on the end of the war.