Anchor Dates: Topic 1

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering key European history anchor dates, movements, and milestones from the 14th century to 1492.

Humanism

A 14th-century intellectual movement focusing on Antiquity and the value of man, contrasting with medieval Scholasticism and developing into Italian and Northern (Christian) Humanism.

Scholasticism

A medieval intellectual approach that drew inspiration from the Medieval period and the Bible, contrasted with Humanism's focus on Antiquity and the value of man.

Printing Press (1450)

An innovation invented by Gutenberg in 1450 that facilitated the rapid dissemination of ideas via printed books and pamphlets, helping spread the Reformation.

Fall of Constantinople (1453)

The capture and sacking of Constantinople by Ottoman Turks in 1453, ending the Roman (Byzantine) Empire and facilitating Ottoman expansion into Eastern Europe.

Hundred Years’ War (End: 1453)

A conflict between England and France that ended in 1453, resulting in England's loss of all French territory except Calais, unrest from increased taxes, and the decline of noble dominance in battle due to the longbow.

High Renaissance (1490–1527)

A period of painting and sculpture influenced by Humanism, featuring artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo, Rafael, and da Vinci, who used chiaroscuro and linear perspective to produce lifelike art.

Chiaroscuro

An artistic shading technique used during the High Renaissance to create more lifelike paintings and sculptures.

Linear Perspective

An artistic technique employed during the High Renaissance to render three-dimensional space and create more lifelike art.

Unification of Spain (1492)

The consolidation of royal power under Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492, who subdued the nobility and expelled Moors and Jews through the reconquista and inquisition.

Voyage of Columbus (1492)

The 1492 transatlantic voyage that inaugurated the Age of Exploration and initiated the Columbian Exchange.

Columbian Exchange

The global transfer resulting from Columbus's 1492 voyage that brought new crops to Europe, fueling population growth, along with silver and gold bullion that generated inflation.