World Civilization: Spring Final Study Guide

50 practice flashcards covering the French Revolution, Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, Imperialism, and the World Wars.

What were the three estates of French society?

The First Estate (clergy), the Second Estate (nobility), and the Third Estate (everyone else, including merchants and peasants).

Which group made up the largest percentage of the French population in the 1700s?

The Third Estate, making up about $97\text{\%}$ to $98\text{\%}$ of the population.

Who paid the most taxes in the French estate system?

The Third Estate.

Which groups paid little to no taxes in the French estate system?

The First and Second Estates.

Why was the French estate system seen as unfair?

The majority of the population (Third Estate) had the least power and money but paid all the taxes, while the wealthy First and Second Estates paid nothing.

What was the Estates General?

A meeting of representatives from all three estates to advise the king on national issues.

Why would the King of France call a meeting of the Estates General?

Usually to seek approval for new taxes or to address a major financial crisis.

Who were the last royal monarchs of France before the revolution?

King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

On what date is Bastille Day celebrated, and what occurred on that day?

July 14th; a mob stormed the Bastille prison to obtain gunpowder and weapons.

What was the symbolic meaning of the storming of the Bastille?

It represented the people's triumph over the tyranny and absolute power of the French monarchy.

What was the official slogan of the French Revolution?

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.

What was the Declaration of the Rights of Man?

A document written by the National Assembly that stated all men are born and remain free and equal in rights.

What is the Enlightenment?

An intellectual movement emphasizing reason, logic, and individualism rather than tradition and absolute monarchal authority.

Which estate of French society most strongly embraced the ideas of the Enlightenment?

The Third Estate, specifically the bourgeoisie.

Who were the three primary leaders of the Reign of Terror?

Robespierre, Marat, and Danton.

What was the name of the committee that imposed the Reign of Terror?

The Committee of Public Safety.

Who was considered safe from execution during the Reign of Terror?

No one; people of all classes and backgrounds were executed.

Which fellow revolutionary did Maximilien Robespierre eventually have executed for being 'not radical enough'?

Georges Danton.

How did Robespierre's time in power end?

He was forced out of power and executed by fellow revolutionaries who feared for their own safety.

Who was Jean-Paul Marat?

A radical journalist and revolutionary leader known for his inflammatory newspaper that called for the execution of enemies of the revolution.

What was the fate of Jean-Paul Marat?

He was assassinated in his bathtub by Charlotte Corday.

What did Napoleon Bonaparte accomplish during peacetime?

He created a national banking system, established a uniform set of laws (Napoleonic Code), and created a public education system.

What were the main goals of the Congress of Vienna?

To restore a balance of power in Europe, restore royal families to their thrones, and ensure long-term peace.

What was the 'scorched-earth policy' used by the Czar during Napoleon's Russian Campaign?

Retreating while burning grain fields and slaughtering livestock so Napoleon's army had nothing to eat.

What was considered Napoleon's worst military defeat?

The Russian Campaign/Invasion of Russia.

Why did the bourgeoisie lead the embrace of Enlightenment ideas?

They were well-educated and successful but lacked the social status and political power held by the nobility.

Which reform did Napoleon notably NOT improve upon despite the Napoleonic Code?

Freedom of speech (liberty of the press was restricted).

What was a major long-term result of the French Revolution and the Enlightenment?

The spread of nationalism and the rise of democratic ideals across Europe.

What were the 'absolute truths' of European society before the Enlightenment?

The divine right of kings and the absolute authority of the Church.

Why did the French people welcome Napoleon as their Emperor so soon after executing their King?

He promised stability and order after years of chaotic revolutionary violence.

In which country and time period did the Industrial Revolution begin?

Britain (England) in the mid-$1700\text{s}$.

Why did factory owners prefer to hire women and children instead of men?

They could be paid lower wages and were often easier to manage.

What were labor unions, and why were they formed?

Organizations of workers formed to negotiate for better pay, shorter hours, and safer working conditions.

What is the most effective weapon used by labor unions?

The strike (refusal to work).

How did the Industrial Revolution lead to overcrowding in cities?

The shift from farming to factory work caused masses of people to migrate to cities (urbanization) faster than housing could be built.

Which city is considered the first modern industrial city?

Manchester, England.

Name three key inventions that contributed to the Industrial Revolution.

The steam engine, the spinning jenny, and the cotton gin.

Why did European countries seek to imperialize Africa and Asia?

To gain raw materials for factories and to secure new markets for their manufactured goods.

What was the primary value of the Suez Canal?

It provided a vital shortcut for trade between Europe and Asia by connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas.

Which country was referred to as the 'Jewel in the Crown' of the British Empire?

India.

What nations made up the Triple Alliance before WWI?

Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

What nations made up the Triple Entente before WWI?

Great Britain, France, and Russia.

What specific event in Sarajevo sparked the beginning of World War I?

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

In what years did World War I begin and end?

The war began in $1914$ and ended in $1918$.

What is the definition of Militarism?

The policy of glorifying military power and keeping an army prepared for war.

What was 'unrestricted submarine warfare' as used by Germany?

The policy of sinking any ship (military or civilian) in the waters around Britain without warning.

On which front was Trench Warfare most prominent during World War I?

The Western Front.

What were the basic features of the Treaty of Versailles regarding Germany?

Germany had to accept 'war guilt,' pay massive reparations ($33$ billion), and significantly reduce its military.

Who were the primary Axis powers during World War II?

Germany, Italy, and Japan.

What was the title of Hitler's book, and what does it translate to in English?

Mein Kampf, which translates to 'My Struggle.'