World History Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for world history review.

Stalemate

A deadlock in which neither side can gain an advantage; common in trench warfare during WWI.

95 Theses

Martin Luther's criticisms of the Catholic Church, sparking the Protestant Reformation.

Third Estate

The common people of France; heavily taxed and had little power, leading to the French Revolution.

Second Estate

French nobility; privileged class before the revolution.

First Estate

The clergy in France; top of the social hierarchy pre-revolution.

Age of Reason/Enlightenment

Intellectual movement promoting reason, liberty, and progress.

Propaganda

Biased information used to promote political causes or ideologies.

Declaration of Independence

U.S. document declaring independence from Britain in 1776; inspired revolutions worldwide.

Reign of Terror

Radical phase of the French Revolution; mass executions by guillotine.

Robespierre

Leader during the Reign of Terror; executed for extremism.

Fascism

Authoritarian nationalism with dictatorial power and suppression of opposition.

Communism

Political theory advocating class war and public ownership of property.

Operation Barbarossa

Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941; turning point in WWII.

The Blitz (1941)

German bombing campaign against Britain.

D-Day

June 6, 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy; turning point in Western Europe.

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty that ended WWI; blamed Germany and caused resentment.

Great Depression

Worldwide economic downturn in the 1930s.

Industrial Revolution

Period of major industrialization in the 18th-19th centuries.

Urbanization

Movement of people from rural to urban areas; grew during the Industrial Revolution.

Appeasement

Giving in to avoid conflict; used by Allies with Hitler before WWII.

Imperialism

Domination of one country by another.

German invasion of Poland, 1939

Event that triggered WWII.

Norman invasion, 1944

Allied invasion of Normandy (D-Day).

Martin Luther

Began the Reformation by challenging the Catholic Church.

John Locke

Enlightenment thinker who promoted natural rights and government by consent.

Baron de Montesquieu

Enlightenment thinker who advocated separation of powers.

Thomas Hobbes

Believed people are naturally selfish and need a strong central authority.

Adam Smith

Economist who supported free markets and capitalism.

King Louis XIV of France

Absolute monarch; built the Palace of Versailles.

Hiroshima

Japanese city destroyed by U.S. atomic bomb in 1945.

Benito Mussolini

Fascist leader of Italy during WWII.

Adolf Hitler

Dictator of Nazi Germany; led Holocaust and WWII aggression.

Nazis

National Socialist Party; led by Hitler in Germany.

Joseph Stalin

Communist dictator of the Soviet Union; industrialized USSR and led during WWII.

What event ended WW2 in Europe?

Germany's surrender in May 1945 after Hitler's death and Berlin's fall.

During the 1500s, what was the most important African economic export to Europeans?

Enslaved people.

How would using a palace demonstrate the power of a ruler?

It shows wealth and control. Example: Louis XIV's Palace of Versailles in France.

Explain what Martin Luther meant by 'salvation by faith alone.'

Belief that faith, not church rituals, brings salvation.

Why did Stalin rise to power in Russia?

After Lenin's death, Stalin outmaneuvered rivals and used propaganda and fear.

Why was gold so important to the people of Latin America?

Conquistadors sought it for wealth and power; native civilizations used it religiously.

Explain why new weapons used in WWI were more destructive than previous wars.

Machine guns, tanks, poison gas, and artillery caused mass casualties.

Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941?

To cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet and prevent interference in Japan’s expansion.

What were Europeans looking for when they explored the Americas? (Hint: 3 Gs)

Gold, God, Glory.

Why did Henry VIII want a divorce from his first wife?

She didn’t produce a male heir.

How did Henry VIII finally get the divorce he was seeking?

He broke from the Catholic Church and created the Church of England.

"No taxation without representation" — who said it, and why?

American colonists; they wanted a voice in British Parliament before paying taxes.

Working conditions during the Industrial Revolution:

Long hours, low pay, dangerous machinery, child labor.

Two major Cold War rivals:

USA and USSR; disagreed over capitalism vs. communism.

Why trench warfare was difficult:

Poor sanitation, stalemates, exposure to enemy fire.

Purpose of Stalin’s Five-Year Plans:

Rapid industrialization and collectivized agriculture in the USSR.

Natural resource fueling early factories:

Coal.

Why Lenin believed revolution would take place in Russia:

The poor working class and dissatisfaction with the monarchy.

Industrial Revolution before Imperialism — why?

It gave Europe the tools and power to dominate other regions.

Why was the printing press important?

Spread ideas quickly; helped fuel the Reformation and Enlightenment.

Two fascist European countries in WWII:

Germany and Italy.

Women’s economic roles in WWI & WWII:

Took factory jobs and roles left by men; gained economic independence.

Midway Island importance to the US:

Strategic military base; helped turn the tide in the Pacific during WWII.