AP European History IMPORTANT TERMS ON MCQ, DBQ, SAQ, LEQ

Ecclesiastical

Relating to the Christian Church or its clergy.

Classical

Referring to the culture and literature of ancient Greece and Rome.

Secularism

The principle of separation of religion from political, social, and educational institutions.

Printing Press

A machine for printing text or pictures from type or plates, invented by Johannes Gutenberg.

Theology

The study of the nature of God and religious belief.

Vernacular

The language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region.

Geometric perspective

A mathematical system for the drawing of three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface.

Patronage

Support given by a patron, often by wealthy individuals or institutions to artists or scholars.

Naturalism

A style and theory of representation based on the accurate depiction of detail.

Mannerist

A style of art that emerged in the late Renaissance characterized by exaggerated forms and perspectives.

Baroque

An artistic style known for its grandeur, drama, and movement, popular in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Heliocentric

Believing that the sun is at the center of the universe with the planets orbiting around it.

Inductive reasoning

A method of reasoning in which a general principle is derived from specific observations.

Deductive reasoning

A method of reasoning from the general to the specific.

Scientific method

A systematic approach to research that involves observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and analysis.

Alchemy

A philosophical and protoscientific tradition aimed at the transformation of matter, particularly the conversion of base metals into gold.

Astrology

A belief system that suggests there is a relationship between the position of celestial bodies and events on Earth.

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself or another state.

New Monarchies

Refers to the centralized governments that began to emerge in Europe during the late 15th century.

Holy Roman Empire

A multi-ethnic complex of territories in central Europe that lasted from the early Middle Ages until 1806.

The Prince

A political treatise by Niccolò Machiavelli, addressing the qualities of effective political leadership.

Bureaucracy

A system of government in which most of the decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

Parliament

A legislative body of government.

Religious pluralism

The presence of multiple religious beliefs within a society.

Jesuit Order

A religious order founded in 1534 focused on education, missionary work, and promoting the Catholic faith.

Mercantilism

An economic theory that trade generates wealth and is stimulated by the accumulation of profitable balances.

Nuclear Family

A family unit consisting of two parents and their children.

Italian Renaissance

A period of great cultural change and achievement in Italy between the 14th and 16th centuries.

Peace of Westphalia

A series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years War in 1648.

English Civil War

A series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 to 1651.

Protestant Reformation

A religious reform movement that swept through Europe in the 16th century, leading to the creation of Protestant churches.

Catholic Reformation

The period of Catholic resurgence initiated in response to the Protestant Reformation.

Council of Trent

An ecumenical council of the Catholic Church in response to the Reformation, held between 1545 and 1563.

French Wars of Religion

A series of conflicts in France between Catholics and Huguenots from 1562 to 1598.

Edict of Nantes

A 1598 decree by Henry IV of France granting religious freedom to Huguenots.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread exchange of plants, animals, culture, human populations, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World.

Great Famine/Great Plague/Little Ice Age

A period marked by widespread famine, plague, and climate change from the mid-14th to the 17th century.

War of the Roses

A series of civil wars for control of the throne of England fought between the houses of Lancaster and York.

Reconquista

The period of history in the Iberian Peninsula from 718 to 1492 during which Christian kingdoms sought to recapture territory from the Moors.

Spanish Inquisition

A group of offices established to root out heresy in Spain, established in 1478.

Colonization

The act of establishing control over foreign lands and peoples.

Peace of Augsburg

A treaty that allowed German princes to choose either Catholicism or Lutheranism as the official religion of their state.

Defeat of the Spanish Armada

The 1588 naval engagement in which the English fleet defeated the Spanish armada, marking the decline of Spanish power.

Scientific Revolution

A period of great advances in scientific thought and experimentation from the late Renaissance to the 18th century.

Thirty Years War

A series of conflicts in Central Europe from 1618 to 1648, rooted in political and religious disputes.

Humanists

Renaissance thinkers who emphasized the study of classical texts and human potential.

Protestants

Followers of the reform movements in Christianity that led to the establishment of Protestant churches.

Copernicus

A Renaissance mathematician and astronomer who formulated a heliocentric model of the universe.

Galileo

An Italian astronomer who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution and improved the telescope.

Newton

An English mathematician known for formulating the laws of motion and universal gravitation.

William Harvey

A physician who made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of blood circulation.

Francis Bacon

An English philosopher and statesman known for developing the scientific method.

Rene Descartes

A French philosopher and mathematician known for his statement 'Cogito, ergo sum' ('I think, therefore I am').

Machiavelli

An Italian diplomat and philosopher known for his political treatise, 'The Prince'.

Erasmus

A Dutch Renaissance humanist who is best known for his writings critiquing the Church.

Martin Luther

A German theologian who initiated the Protestant Reformation by posting his Ninety-Five Theses.

John Calvin

A Protestant reformer whose teachings profoundly influenced the development of Reformed theology.

Anabaptists

A Christian movement that rejected infant baptism, advocating for adult baptism.

Henry VIII

King of England known for his six marriages and for initiating the English Reformation.

Elizabeth I

Queen of England from 1558 to 1603, known for her quiet resolve and leadership during the Spanish Armada.

Hapsburgs

A prominent royal family in Europe which played a significant role in political affairs from the Middle Ages onward.

Ferdinand and Isabella

The Catholic Monarchs of Spain who unified Spain and completed the Reconquista.

Charles V

Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain who ruled over a vast empire in the 16th century.

Absolute Monarchy

A form of government in which a single monarch has complete control over the government and is not bound by a constitution or laws.

Nobility

A social class that is typically granted privileges or titles based on heritage, often linked to land ownership and political power.

Aristocracy

A form of government in which power is held by the nobility; often characterized by hereditary rule.

Enlightened Absolutism

A form of absolute monarchy that incorporates principles of the Enlightenment, such as rationality and empirical evidence, while retaining absolute power.

Westernization

The process of adopting Western ideas, culture, and technology, often leading to societal and political change.

Parliament

A legislative body in government, often comprising representatives elected by the populace.

Oligarchy

A form of power structure in which power resides in the hands of a small number of people.

Traditional Rights

Long-standing rights or customs that societies have historically recognized.

Louis XIV’s Dynastic and State Interests

The intertwining of personal and governmental ambitions of Louis XIV as he sought to enhance both his royal legacy and the power of the state.

Enlightened Ideas

Philosophical concepts that emphasize reason, scientific thought, and individual rights stemming from the Enlightenment period.

Constitutional Monarchy

A system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government.

Nationalism

A political ideology that emphasizes the interests and culture of a particular nation, often in opposition to foreign influence.

Legal status of women

The rights and entitlements allowed to women within a legal framework.

Revolutionary ideas

Concepts promoting significant change and upheaval in political, economic, or social systems.

Emperor

A sovereign ruler of great power and rank, especially one ruling an empire.

Facade

An outward appearance or illusion, often used to cover up true intentions or realities.

New military tactics

Innovative strategies and methods in warfare designed to improve effectiveness and efficiency.

Balance of power

A political theory that suggests a system should be established to prevent any one entity from gaining too much power.

Commercial Revolution

A period of European economic expansion, colonialism, and mercantilism from the 11th to the 18th centuries.

Market Economy

An economic system where decisions regarding investment, production, and distribution are guided by the interactions of citizens and businesses.

Mercantilism

An economic doctrine that emphasizes the role of the state in managing international trade to increase national wealth.

Transatlantic slave-labor

The forced migration and labor of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to work in the Americas.

Overseas products

Goods that are imported or exported from one country to another, typically from colonies or foreign nations.

Raw materials

Basic substances used in the production process to create finished goods.

Population growth

An increase in the number of individuals in a population.

Inoculation

The introduction of a vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease.

Illegitimate birth rate

The rate of children born to parents who are not married to each other.

Rural/urban

Terms describing areas that are either countryside (rural) or city-based (urban).

Consumer Revolution

A period marked by an increase in the consumption of goods and services in society.

Commercial rivalries

Competition between businesses or nations for economic dominance and profit.

Natural Rights

Philosophical theory that individuals are inherently entitled to certain rights simply by being human.

Exclusion of women from political life

The practice of denying women participation in political processes and institutions.

Salons

Gatherings held in private homes where intellectuals discussed ideas and literature during the Enlightenment.

Literate public

A population that has a basic ability to read and write.

Divine Right

The doctrine that kings derive their authority from God and are not accountable to their subjects.

Natural Sciences

Branches of science that study the physical world, including biology, chemistry, and physics.

Free trade and free market

Economic systems that allow for unrestricted trade and commerce between countries without government interference.