unit 5 The Enlightenment & Revolutions (1750-1900)

The Enlightenment

An intellectual movement that applied new ways of understanding (rationalism/empiricist approaches) to the natural world and human relationships.

Rationalism

Reason > emotion/external authority is the most reliable source of true knowledge.

Empiricism

True knowledge is gained through the sense (mainly through rigorous experimentation).

Scientific Revolution

A period in the 16th/17th centuries in Europe where scientists tossed religious authority away and used reason to see how the world really worked.

Deism

Belief that a God created everything and then left everything until it runs out.

Atheism

Rejection of religious belief/divine beings.

Individualism

The most basic element of society was the individual human and not collective groups.

Natural Rights

Humans are born with certain rights that cannot be infringed upon by governments/entities.

John Locke

Agreed that human beings were born with natural rights aka life, liberty, and property; rights given by God meaning rights cannot be taken away by a monarch.

Social contract

Societies given natural rights must have governments of their own will to protect their natural rights; if that government becomes tyrannical, the people have the right to overthrow it.

Major Revolutions

American, French, Haitian, Latin American revolutions influenced by Enlightenment ideas.

Nationalism

Sense of commonality among people based on shared language, religion, social customs, and linked with a desire for territory.

Expansion of suffrage

The right to vote expanded from 1776 where only white males with land could vote, to early 1800s where all white males could vote, and by 1870, black males could vote.

Abolition of slavery

Enlightenment thinkers criticized slavery leading to Britain abolishing slavery in 1807.

Jamican revolt

Enslaved people contributed to this revolt, influencing Britain's decision to abolish slavery.

End of Serfdom

Transition from agricultural economies to industrial economies made serfs irrelevant, leading to state leaders ending serfdom.

Women's Suffrage

Movement advocating for women's right to vote.

Feminist movements

Demanded equality for all life.

Olympe De Gouges

Created the Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen, criticizing the French Constitution for sidelining women.

Seneca Falls Convention

In 1848, women gathered to call for a constitutional amendment recognizing women's right to vote.

Nationalism

States used nationalistic feelings to foster unity among their people.

Political Dissent

Discontent with monarchist and imperial rule.

Safavid Empire

Tried to impose new taxes, leading to rebellion by militaristic nomadic groups.

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New Ways of Thinking

Development of new ideologies and systems of government.

Popular Sovereignty

Power to govern is in the hands of the people.

Democracy

People have the right to vote and influence government policies.

Liberalism

Emphasized protection of civil rights, representative government, protection of private property, and economic freedom.

American Revolution

Began in 1776 due to British taxation and curtailment of freedoms after the Seven Years' War.

Declaration of Independence

Document reflecting Enlightenment principles that fueled the American Revolution.

Industrial Revolution

Period of economic change that contributed to the abolition of slavery in Britain.

Peasants revolts

Persuaded state leaders to end serfdom.

Military service

Used as a nationalistic theme to foster unity.

Public rituals

Implemented as part of nationalistic strategies to create a sense of unity.

USA Independence

USA was born in 1783 after France helped America win the war, which provided a template for other nations for a successful overthrow of oppressive power.

French Revolution

The French Revolution began in 1789 when French soldiers returned from war with new ideas and suspicion of their King, leading to rebellion and the establishment of a republic.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

A document developed during the French Revolution that outlined the rights of individuals and the principles of the new republic.

Haitian Revolution

The Haitian Revolution began in 1791 when enslaved blacks, inspired by the French Revolution and led by Toussaint Louverture, revolted against French colonial rule and established the second republic, the first black government.

Creole Revolution

A reaction by creoles in Latin America against the Peninsulares' dominance, exacerbated by Napoleon's invasion of Spain in 1808, leading to political instability.

Simon Bolivar

A leader who appealed to colonial subjects across racial lines with Enlightenment ideas, leading to the independence of Latin American colonies and the formation of republican governments.

Nationalist Movements

Movements that resulted in calls for a higher degree of self-rule and national unification rather than outright revolution.

Propaganda Movement (Philippines)

A movement in the Philippines where wealthy creoles and mestizos received high education under Spanish control, leading to the spread of Enlightenment ideas and subsequent suppression by Spanish authorities.

Philippine Revolution

A revolution that broke out in the Philippines as a response to the suppression of Enlightenment ideas by Spanish authorities.

Unification of Italy

The process of unifying fragmented states in Italy through military leadership and diplomacy.

Unification of Germany

The process of unifying fragmented states in Germany through military leadership and diplomacy.

Military Tactics

Strategies employed by military leaders to inspire and unify people under a single government.

Diplomacy

The art of managing international relations and negotiations to achieve political goals.

Enlightenment Ideas

Philosophical concepts that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority, which influenced various revolutionary movements.

Toussaint Louverture

The leader of the Haitian Revolution who played a crucial role in the revolt against French colonial rule.

Spanish Control of Education

The system in the Philippines where the Spanish authorities controlled education, limiting the spread of revolutionary ideas.

Colonial Property of France

Haiti was considered the most prosperous colony of France before the Haitian Revolution.

Republican Governments

Forms of government established in Latin America after the successful revolutions against colonial powers.

Peninsulares

Spanish-born individuals who held the most power in colonial Latin America, often resented by the creole population.

Creoles

Individuals of European descent born in Latin America who sought more power and rights during the colonial period.