History Review: Empires, Wars, and Revolutions

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering major historical turning points including the Russian, American, French, Haitian, and Latin American revolutions, the World Wars, the Cold War, and key Chinese and Japanese dynasties.

Simon Bolivar

A leader who united colonial subjects using Enlightenment ideals to promote revolution in Latin America between 1808 and 1836.

Tsar Nicholas

Incompetent and autocratic ruler of Russia whose government corruption and inefficiency led to widespread distrust and economic instability.

Bolsheviks

The political group led by Lenin that capitalized on industrialization labor issues and poverty to promote the 1917 revolution and establish the Soviet Union.

Reds and Whites

The opposing sides in the Russian Civil War; the Reds represented the Bolsheviks while the Whites represented the anti-Bolsheviks.

M.A.I.N.

An acronym for the causes of World War I: Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism.

Archduke Ferdinand

The individual whose assassination triggered the alliance system and led to the start of World War I (1914-1918).

Treaty of Versailles

The peace agreement that ended WWI but imposed harsh reparations and unequal treatment on Germany, eventually leading to the Great Depression and WWII.

Total War

A type of conflict where governments take active roles in the economy (such as 5-year plans) and utilize new technology like tanks and machine weaponry.

Ukrainian Holodomor

A mass starvation event caused by famine during the period of Soviet industrialization and rule.

Cold War

A decades-long ideological struggle (1947-1989/1991) between the superpowers of the United States and the USSR representing capitalism/democracy versus communism.

Non-aligned movement

A group of nations that chose not to side with either the US or the USSR during the Cold War.

Warsaw Pact & NATO

Rival military alliances formed during the Cold War era; NATO represented Western powers while the Warsaw Pact represented the Soviet bloc.

Proxy Wars

Indirect conflicts during the Cold War where superpowers supported opposing sides, including wars in Korea, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Congo, and Afghanistan.

Qing Dynasty

A dynasty established in 1644 by pastoral nomadic Manchus who expanded Chinese territory while maintaining traditions like civil service and Confucianism.

Taiping Rebellion & Boxer Rebellion

Internal and external pressures that challenged the Qing Dynasty due to poverty, land shortages, and foreign interference.

Tokugawa Shogunate

A military rule established in 1603 that focused on long-term stability, neo-Confucianism, and tight isolationist control over trade and religion.

Meiji Restoration

The 1868 event that returned power to the emperor, ending Shogunate rule and transforming Japan into a world power capable of competing with the West.

Three Estates

The social class system in France that caused inequality and heavy taxation on the third estate, leading to the French Revolution.

Storming of the Bastille

The 1789 event that signaled the start of the French Revolution against feudalism and the leadership of King Louis.

Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen

A French revolutionary document inspired by Enlightenment ideals and the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Toussaint Laverture

The leader of the successful Haitian slave revolt from 1791–1804, which led to the establishment of the republic of Haiti.

Peninsulares

The elite social class in Latin American colonies who held all the political power, causing discontent among other classes.

Creoles

Individuals of European descent born in Latin American colonies who were unhappy with Peninsulares' power and sought independence using Enlightenment ideals.

Napoleonic Invasion of Spain (1808)

The event that led to political instability in Spain, creating the opportunity for Latin American colonies to pursue revolution.