A Retenir de Votre Seconde - Historical Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering key historical figures, dates, periods, and concepts from European history up to the French Revolution.

La préhistoire

The historical period lasting until the appearance of writing around -3300.

L'Antiquité

The historical period spanning from -3300 to 476 (marked by the fall of the Roman Empire).

Le Moyen Age

The historical period spanning from 476 to 1492 (marked by the discovery of America by Colomb).

Les Temps Modernes

The historical period spanning from 1492 to 1789 (marked by the French Revolution).

L'époque contemporaine

The historical period running from 1789 to the present day.

Démocratie

A political regime invented in Athens in the V°s avant in which power belongs to the voting people.

Citoyen

A member of a democracy who holds rights, such as the right to vote.

Oligarchie

A form of power held by a small group of powerful men.

Tyrannie (dictature)

A system where power is held by a single person, offering few rights to the people.

Ploutocratie

A system where power is held by the rich.

L'Iliade et l'Odyssée

Works written by Homère that laid the foundation for Greek mythology (polytheism with gods like Zeus).

Alésia

The battle site where César conquered Gaul after defeating Vercingétorix in -52.

Auguste

The first grand Roman emperor, who ruled from -27 to +14.

Christianisme in Rome

Monotheistic religion fought, tolerated, then imposed by the Roman Empire in the III° siècle, with Emperor Constantin founding Constantinople.

Hégire

Occurred in 622, marking the beginning of the monotheistic Muslim religion.

Croisades

Attacks by European Christians against Muslims in Palestine (Jérusalem) starting in 1095, played by pape Urbain II.

Gutenberg

Inventor who created the printing press around 1450.

Commerce triangulaire

Trade system starting around 1550 between Europe, Africa, and America, resulting in over 25 millions of Africans deported as slaves (traite atlantique).

Renaissance (1400-1600)

Period of artistic progress featuring La Joconde by Vinci in 1502, David by Michel-Ange in 1508, and the Chapelle sixtine ceiling in Rome painted between 1508 and 1512.

Religion protestante

Religion created by Luther in 1517, which led to religious wars.

François I

French king associated with the château de Chambord and the ordonnance de Villers Cotterêts (1539), which required official acts to be written in French.

Henri IV

King from 1589 to 1610 who tolerated Protestantism via the édit de Nantes in 1598 and was assassinated by Ravaillac in 1610.

Louis XIV

Absolute king (roi absolu) who ruled from 1661 to 1715, associated with Versailles and wars in the east.

Les Lumières

Early 18° siècle thinkers/philosophers such as Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu, and Diderot (Encyclopédie) promoting tolerance, liberties, and separation of powers on the English model.

4 juillet 1776

Date of the United States declaration of independence, leading to war against England until 1783, and the creation of a Republic in 1787 led by elected president Washington.

Société inégalitaire (Pre-1789)

French society divided into 3 orders: Clergé (2%), Noblesse (1%), and Tiers-Etat (97%, including the rich bourgeoisie).