World Cultures: Enlightenment to Imperialism

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the Enlightenment, Atlantic Revolutions, nationalism, the Industrial Revolution, and Imperialism based on lecture notes.

What was The Age of Enlightenment?

An intellectual and cultural movement in America

Impacts (E)

Political Revolutions, Individual Rights, and Separation of Church and State

Natural Rights (E)

A concept by John Locke stating that all individuals possess inherent rights to Life, Liberty, and Property.

Social Contract (E)

A theory supported by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques stating that government authority comes from the consent of the governed rather than divine right.

Limited Government (E)

A political principle proposed by John Locke suggesting the purpose of government is to protect citizens' natural rights.

Separation of Powers (E)

The idea from Jean-Jacques Rousseau that government should be divided into different parts.

Mary Wollstonecraft (E)

A thinker who argued that if women had access to the same education as men, there would be no difference in abilities between the genders.

American Revolution (A.R.)

A conflict sparked by unfair taxation without representation in Parliament, leading to the Declaration of Independence which declared state sovereignty.

French Revolution (A.R.)

First Estate: The Clergy

Second Estate: Nobility

Third Estate: Common People

National Assembly

A body during the French Revolution whose goal was to create a Constitutional Monarchy.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (A.R.)

Paid most of the taxes

Haitian Revolution (A.R.)

A revolt of enslaved people that began in 1791, leading to the first independent nation-state ruled by people of African descent.

Latin American Revolution (A.R.)

Simon Bolivar - Led movements (Venezuela, Colombia)

Jose de San Martin - Led forces (Argentina, Peru)

Representative governments are not formed.

What is nationalism? (N)

Common bonds that hold people together within a nation, creating a new type of community.

France (N) Who was involved?

-Middle class demands for a democracy

-Factory workers (for economic justice and security)

Italy (N)

The Kingdom of Italy, declared in 1861, was previously a region of small independent states occupied by France, then Austria.

Germany (N)

-Began because of resistance to Napoleonic occupation

-Unified in 1871

Early Steam Engines (The I.R.)

Created a coal-powered steam engine that would pump water from the mines.

Why does it start in Great Britain? (The I.R.)

-Shortage of wood and an abundance of convenient coal deposits

-Government support for business projects and a strong navy to protect ships (A capitalist economic system)

Spread of the Industrial Revolution (The I.R.)

First countries to develop factories and railroads between 1830s and 1850s:

-Belgium

-Switzerland

-France

-German nation states before unification

Industrialization In The US (The I.R.)

-Railroad construction boomed from the 1830s to 1870s

-The Civil War (1861-1865) was the first industrial war

Consequences of the Industrial Revolution (The I.R.)

-Industrialized nations began to use their armies and navies to colonize the parts of the world that were not yet industrialized.

-Led to the Age of Imperialism

What is Capitalism?

-It is an investment to create wealth.

-The investment in machines and technology to increase marketable production to make a profit.

-Cultural system, where private investors try to turn a profit

What are the pros and cons of Capitalism?

Pros: Decreases the cost of an item and increases agricultural production

Cons: Long hours, low wages, child labor

What is Socialism?

It is the government assistance of certain industries.

What are the pros and cons of Socialism?

Pros: It helps people in need.

Cons: People can abuse it.

Time Period of Imperialism

The late 1800’s

Imperialism Definition (I)

The domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region.

Nationalism (I)

The feeling of cultural pride, loyalty, and patriotism to one’s country.

Imperial Powers (I)

Great Britain, Germany, Spain, The United States, France

Causes of Imperialism (I)

1. Nationalism

2. Commercialism: Desire for new goods

3. Militarism: Colonies around the world could be used as military bases

4. Social Darwinism: European races believed they were superior to all others.

5. Desire to spread western civilization

What happened during the Berlin Conference? (I)

-Great Britain, France, Italy & Germany were looking to claim areas

-They met in Berlin to agree upon rules for dividing up Africa

European Control: Direct Rule (I)

Officials from imperial power ruled locals directly.

European Control: Indirect Rule (I)

Used local leaders as their agents in governing their colonies.

African Resistance (I)

The Africans did try to fight back but they did not have advanced military technology.

What were the Opium Wars? (I)

-Opium was a habit-forming drug & the British sold great quantities to the Chinese

-When Britain refused to stop selling the drug, the Chinese went to war with Great Britain. China was defeated, giving them the port of Hong Kong.

How did the Enlightenment affect the American Revolution?

- Intellectual Foundation: The Enlightenment laid the groundwork for the American Revolution through key concepts.

- Natural Rights: Emphasized rights to life, liberty, and property as fundamental entitlements.

- Social Contracts: Promoted the idea that governments are formed through mutual agreements among the governed.

- Government by Consent: Encouraged colonists to reject British monarchy, advocating for governance based on popular consent.

- John Locke's Influence: Argued that people are justified in revolting if a government violates their natural rights.

- Declaration of Independence: Directly shaped by Enlightenment principles, it justified the colonies' separation from Britain.

- Separation of Powers: Ideas influenced the structure of state governments and the development of the U.S. Constitution, promoting checks and balances.

- Foundation of Democracy: These Enlightenment ideals were integral in establishing democratic governance in the United States.