Review of European History: From Renaissance to Contemporary Developments

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from European history, particularly focusing on the Renaissance through contemporary developments.

Humanism

The main intellectual component of the Renaissance that emphasized the study of classical texts and individual potential.

Civic Humanism

A facet of humanism that encouraged scholarly engagement with Greco-Roman documents for better citizenship and democracy.

Printing Press

A technological advancement that allowed for mass production of texts, thereby weakening the control of the Catholic Church over information.

Counter-Reformation

The Catholic Church’s response to the Protestant Reformation, aimed at reforming its institutions and reclaiming support.

Mercantilism

An economic policy aimed at increasing a nation's wealth through government regulation of the economy, often involving colonial trade.

Liberalism

A political philosophy advocating for civil liberties, constitutional government, and free-market capitalism.

Socialism

A political and economic theory advocating for social ownership of the means of production and the redistribution of wealth.

Totalitarianism

A political system in which the state recognizes no limits to its authority and seeks to regulate every aspect of public and private life.

Détente

A period of improved relations between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

The Iron Curtain

A term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the division between communist Eastern Europe and democratic Western Europe.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance formed between Western powers to counter Soviet expansion.

The League of Nations

An international organization established after World War I to promote peace and cooperation among countries, although it was ultimately ineffective.

The Treaty of Versailles

The agreement that officially ended World War I, imposing harsh reparations and territorial losses on Germany.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

A 1962 confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union concerning Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba.

The Marshall Plan

A U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe to help rebuild economies after the devastation of World War II.

The Berlin Wall

A concrete barrier that divided East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, symbolizing the Cold War's ideological divide.

Communism

A socioeconomic system advocating for classless society, collective ownership, and the abolition of property.

Globalization

The process of increased interconnectedness among countries, particularly in trade and culture, often facilitated by technology.

Postmodernism

A late-20th-century reaction against modernist principles, characterized by skepticism towards grand narratives and ideologies.

Dreyfus Affair

A political scandal in France involving the wrongful conviction of a Jewish army officer for treason, highlighting issues of anti-Semitism.