The Enlightenment, Nationalism, and Revolutions from 1750-1900

Flashcards about The Enlightenment, Nationalism, and Revolutions from 1750-1900

The Enlightenment

An intellectual movement that emphasized reason, individual rights, and empirical evidence to understand the natural world and society, challenging traditional structures and advocating for liberty, equality, and justice.

John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Montesquieu

Key Enlightenment figures who introduced concepts such as natural rights, the social contract, and government authority derived from the consent of the governed.

Influence of Enlightenment on Revolutions

Enlightenment ideals of liberty and democracy motivated efforts to dismantle monarchical and imperial systems, influencing revolutionary movements in the Atlantic world.

Nationalism

A powerful force linked with Enlightenment principles, fostering a sense of collective identity based on shared culture, language, and history, pushing for independence and self-governance.

Impact of the Enlightenment on Societies

Sparked a wave of reform movements reshaping political, social, and cultural life, emphasizing reason, liberty, equality, and individual rights.

Reform Movements

Movements aimed at expanding rights and freedoms, contributing to the abolition of slavery, the end of serfdom, and the expansion of suffrage.

Early Feminist Thought

Used Enlightenment principles to argue for gender equality and women's inclusion in political life, leading to events like the Seneca Falls Conference of 1848.

Revolutions from 1750 to 1900

From 1750 to 1900, a wave of revolutions reshaped political systems due to dissatisfaction with monarchies, imperial rule, and social hierarchies, fueled by Enlightenment ideas.

Causes of Revolutions (1750-1900)

Widespread dissatisfaction with monarchies and imperial rule, Enlightenment ideals advocating liberty and equality, revolutionary documents, and the rise of nationalism triggered these revolutions.

Effects of Revolutions (1750-1900)

Led to the creation of new nation-states, the rise of democratic ideals, unification movements, and resistance to imperialism, reshaping the political map.

American Revolution

Revolution that established the United States

Haitian Revolution

Revolution that created the first independent black republic.