History Quiz - Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key historical figures, events, and philosophical theories from the Age of Exploration through the Enlightenment.

Overall chain of events leading to the Enlightenment

Printing Press → Age of Exploration → Reformation → Scientific Revolution → Enlightenment

How the Printing Press led to the Enlightenment

Printing Press spread information faster → more people encountered new ideas → people questioned traditional authority → new ideas about government and society spread.

How the Age of Exploration contributed to new ideas

Europeans encountered new lands, people, and knowledge, which expanded what Europeans knew and encouraged questioning old ideas.

How the Reformation connected to the Enlightenment

People began questioning the authority of the Catholic Church, showing that established institutions could be challenged.

How the Scientific Revolution led to the Enlightenment

Scientists used observation, experimentation, and reason to understand the natural world → Enlightenment thinkers applied similar reasoning to government, rights, and society.

Reason major early modern events overlap

New discoveries and ideas did not happen separately. Exploration spread knowledge, the Reformation challenged authority, and science encouraged questioning and reason.

Christopher Columbus

Explorer who landed in Hispaniola in 1492.

Importance of Christopher Columbus to the timeline

His voyage represents the beginning of the Age of Exploration in the timeline.

Amerigo Vespucci

Explorer who landed in Brazil in 1503.

Importance of Amerigo Vespucci

His explorations helped Europeans realize the lands were a new continent, eventually called America.

Ferdinand Magellan

Explorer who began a voyage in 1520 that traveled farther than Columbus and Vespucci.

Outcome of Ferdinand Magellan's voyage

The voyage returned in 1522, completing a major journey around the world.

Connection between Columbus, Vespucci, and Magellan

Each exploration expanded European geographic knowledge farther than before.

Reason Martin Luther challenged the Catholic Church

He disagreed with practices and authority within the Catholic Church.

Movement created by Martin Luther

Lutheranism / Lutheran Church.

Importance of Martin Luther to European history

He helped fracture the Catholic Church, leading to religious diversity and challenges to established authority.

Henry VIII

English king who split from the Catholic Church in 1534.

Church created by Henry VIII

Church of England / Anglicanism.

Historical significance of the Church of England

It became connected to the conflict between Puritans, Parliament, and the king, eventually contributing to the English Civil War.

John Calvin

A religious thinker connected to Calvinism and the Puritan movement.

Puritans

People who wanted to "purify" the Church of England.

Political importance of Puritans

Many Puritans were in Parliament, creating conflict with the Church of England and the king.

Primary cause of the English Civil War

A major conflict between Parliament/Puritans and the king/Church of England over power and authority.

Charles I

The king who was executed by Parliament in 1649.

Importance of the English Civil War to Enlightenment thinking

It raised questions about who should have political power and how much power a ruler should have.

Absolute monarch

A ruler with total control, considered above the law.

Constitutional monarch

A monarch who may inherit power but must follow the law.

Outcome of the Glorious Revolution (1688)

William and Mary took over England in 1688, and the monarchy became more limited by law.

Importance of the Glorious Revolution

It showed a movement from absolute power toward government limited by law.

Nicolaus Copernicus

Scientist who argued in 1543 that Earth revolves around the Sun.

Heliocentrism

The idea that the Sun is at the center and Earth revolves around it.

Importance of Copernicus

He challenged centuries of accepted ideas using his own observations and reasoning.

Galileo Galilei

Scientist who tested Copernicus's heliocentric idea.

Importance of Galileo

His testing provided evidence supporting heliocentrism.

Ibn al-Haytham

An Arab scientist who developed important ideas connected to the scientific method centuries before the European Scientific Revolution.

Ibn al-Haytham's discovery about light

Light comes from objects/reflections rather than being emitted from the eyes.

Francis Bacon

He helped cement the scientific method in the 1620s.

Isaac Newton

Scientist who published Principia in 1687.

Isaac Newton's main contribution

He described laws of motion and gravity using mathematics.

Reason the Scientific Revolution led to the Enlightenment

It demonstrated that people could use reason, evidence, experimentation, and mathematics to understand the world.

The Enlightenment

A period when thinkers applied reason and logic to questions about government, rights, and society.

Time period of the Enlightenment

Approximately late 1600s–1700s.

Concepts questioned by Enlightenment thinkers

They questioned monarchies, political authority, rights, and how society should be organized.

Main connection between science and the Enlightenment

Scientific Revolution = reason applied to nature. Enlightenment = reason applied to people and government.

Hobbes's state of nature

A condition with no government, where everyone has the right to everything and people fight over what they want.

Thomas Hobbes's view of human nature

He saw humans as aggressive and selfish.

Hobbes's description of life without government

"Nasty, brutish, and short."

Hobbes's social contract

People give up some rights/freedom to a government in exchange for protection and order.

Right to revolt under Hobbes's government

No. If the government failed, people did not have the option to revolt.

Type of government supported by Thomas Hobbes

Absolute monarchy.

Reason Hobbes supported absolute power

He believed strong authority was necessary to prevent chaos and violence.

Historical event that influenced Thomas Hobbes

He lived through the English Civil War, where Parliament and the king fought over power.

HONORS: Thomas Hobbes's main idea

People sacrifice freedom for protection because Hobbes believed humans naturally create conflict without strong authority.

Locke's "tabula rasa"

Blank slate — people are born without their personalities/knowledge already determined, and experience shapes them.

Locke's three natural rights

Life, liberty, and property.

Natural rights according to John Locke

Rights people have because they are born, not because a government gives them.

Meaning of "life" for John Locke

The ability to live and fight to live.

Meaning of "liberty" for John Locke

Freedom to make your own decisions.

Meaning of "property" for John Locke

Things such as land, food, and water.

Locke's social contract

People give up some freedoms so government will protect their natural rights.

Citizen action allowed if Locke's government fails

People have the right to revolt/overthrow it.

Source of government power according to John Locke

From the people.

HONORS: John Locke's main idea

Government exists to protect natural rights, and people can replace a government that fails to protect them.

Primary concern of Montesquieu

Abuse of political power.

Government structure advocated by Montesquieu

Three branches with separated/divided powers.

Checks and balances

Each branch can check the power of the other branches.

Purpose of Montesquieu's separation of powers

He wanted to prevent one person or group from becoming too powerful.

Montesquieu's belief about laws

People in power should follow the law too.

Major influence on Montesquieu

He studied how governments worked and how liberty could be protected.

HONORS: Montesquieu's main idea

Power should be divided so that government officials can prevent each other from abusing power.

Rousseau's state of nature

People have natural freedom, with no government or laws, and can act selfishly.

Natural freedom (Rousseau)

Being able to do whatever you want without government restrictions.

Social freedom (Rousseau)

People sacrifice some selfishness/freedom in exchange for freedom with security.

Rousseau's social contract

People sacrifice some natural freedoms so government can create security and work for the people.

Holder of political power according to Rousseau

The people.

Type of rule supported by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Majority rule / direct democracy.

Role of government according to Rousseau

Favor the people and protect their freedom.

HONORS: Jean-Jacques Rousseau's main idea

People should sacrifice some natural freedom to create a government based on the people’s collective will.

Philosopher who believed people need the MOST control

Hobbes — strong authority prevents chaos.

Philosopher who gives people the right to overthrow government

Locke.

Philosopher who supports majority rule

Rousseau.

Philosopher who supports separation of powers

Montesquieu.

Philosopher who supports absolute monarchy

Hobbes.

Philosophers who believe power ultimately belongs to the people

Locke and Rousseau.

Common goal shared by Rousseau and Montesquieu

Both wanted government to protect liberty and prevent harmful uses of power.

Rousseau's view on how power should be organized

Power belongs to the people, who use majority rule.

Montesquieu's view on how power should be organized

Power should be divided among three branches.

Primary difference between Rousseau and Montesquieu

Rousseau = who has power? → the people. Montesquieu = how should power be controlled? → separated branches.

Connection of Rousseau and Montesquieu to U.S. government

Rousseau influenced ideas about democracy/popular participation, while Montesquieu influenced the three branches and checks and balances.

Influence of the English Civil War on Thomas Hobbes

Civil War → violence/instability → Hobbes feared disorder → supported absolute monarchy.

Key difference between John Locke and Thomas Hobbes

Both believed government was needed, but Hobbes prioritized protection through strong authority while Locke prioritized natural rights and allowed people to revolt against a government that violated them.

Montesquieu's response to concentrated power

He proposed separation of powers and checks and balances.

Rousseau's response to the problem of government

He emphasized popular power and majority rule.

Connection between the Reformation and the Enlightenment

Reformation challenged religious authority → Enlightenment thinkers increasingly questioned political authority.

Impact of the Scientific Revolution on modern thinking

It showed that traditional ideas could be questioned and tested using evidence and reason.

Importance of the Printing Press across all movements

It allowed ideas and information to spread much faster, helping new religious, scientific, and political ideas reach more people.

Central theme of "Power" across early modern European history

People repeatedly questioned who should have power and how much power they should have: Church (Luther), King (Parliament), Nature (scientists), Government (Enlightenment thinkers).

Central theme of "Influence" across the historical timeline

Each development influenced the next: Printing Press → Exploration → Reformation → Scientific Revolution → Enlightenment.

Absolute monarch

A ruler with total control, considered above the law.

Constitutional monarch

A monarch who may inherit power but must follow the law.