The Age of Napoleon, German Unification, and European Alliances

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the Napoleonic Empire, the unification of Germany under Otto von Bismarck, and the system of European diplomatic alliances leading toward World War I.

Confederation of the Rhine

A reorganization of German territories into 100 German states created by Napoleon in 1806 after he officially abolished the Holy Roman Empire, fostering the early growth of German nationalism.

Continental System

Napoleon's economic policy that prohibited all states under French control from trading with Great Britain, which prompted a British naval blockade of Europe and caused a continent-wide economic crisis.

Scorched Earth Policy

A military retreat strategy employed by Russia during Napoleon's 1812 invasion, in which Russians burned bridges, barns, food, and crops to prevent French troops from using them.

Battle of Borodino

An inconclusive battle fought on September 7, 1812, after which the French defeated the Russian army and entered a deserted, burning Moscow.

Elba

The Mediterranean island located close to France where Napoleon was first exiled in 1814, and from which he escaped with the help of pro-emperor French troops.

Battle of Waterloo

The battle in the summer of 1815 where Napoleon was definitively defeated, ending his return to power and causing Louis XVIII to return to France from Belgium.

Saint Helena

An isolated island off the coast of Africa where Napoleon was exiled for a second time, living for 6 years until his death on May 5, 1821.

Otto von Bismarck

The Prime Minister of Prussia appointed by King Wilhelm I in September 1862; a Prussian nationalist who reformed the military via a tax loophole and advanced Prussian power to achieve German unification through 'blood and iron.'

Reichstag

The Prussian representative body dominated by liberals who opposed war and rejected King Wilhelm I's tax increases to expand the military.

Schleswig and Holstein

Two small German states claimed by King Christian IX of Denmark, triggering the 1864 war where allied Prussia and Austria defeated Denmark in six months.

Battle of Königgrätz

The decisive large-scale battle of the seven-week Austro-Prussian War of 1866, resulting in a crushing Prussian victory and the exclusion of Austria from German affairs.

Second Reich

The unified German Empire proclaimed on January 18, 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, with Prussian King Wilhelm I taking the title of Kaiser Wilhelm I.

Treaty of Frankfurt

The peace treaty ending the Franco-Prussian War that forced France to cede Alsace and Lorraine to Germany, pay an indemnity of 5 billion francs, and endure a German military occupation until the debt was paid.

Triple Alliance

A defensive alliance formed by Otto von Bismarck consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

Reinsurance Treaty

A secret 1887 treaty between Germany and Russia in which Otto von Bismarck promised German support for Russian interests in the Balkans.

First Mediterranean Agreement

An accord signed between Great Britain, Austria, and Italy agreeing to support and maintain the status quo in the Balkans and the Ottoman Empire.

Franco-Russian Alliance

An 1894 defensive military pact between France and Russia aimed at Germany, coordinating military mobilization plans and utilizing French loans to construct Russian strategic railroads toward the German border.

Entente Cordiale

The diplomatic agreement concluded between Great Britain and France after British attempts to form an alliance with Germany failed.

Triple Entente

The diplomatic coalition established in the early 20th century comprising France, Great Britain, and Russia.

Imperialism

The vigorous competition among European nation-states and non-European nations such as Japan for control and influence over overseas territories, primarily in Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East.