8.1 - 8.6 Enlightenment to Imperialism and World War I

Practice vocabulary flashcards covering the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the founding of the German Empire, Industrialization, and World War I based on the provided history lecture notes.

$$1789$$

Beginning of the French Revolution.

$$1806$$

The end of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and the founding of the Kingdom of Bavaria.

Enlightenment (Aufklärung)

Era of intellectual history in the $17\text{th}$ and $18\text{th}$ century based on reason that questioned many traditions. Immanuel Kant’s main demand was: „Habe Mut, dich deines eigenen Verstandes zu bedienen!“

Human Rights (Menschenrechte)

Inherent and inalienable rights of every human being, such as the right to life, freedom, and equality before the law.

Separation of Powers (Gewaltenteilung)

Principle demanding the division of state power into three branches: Legislative (e.g., Parliament), Executive (e.g., Government), and Judicative (e.g., Judges), which control each other to prevent abuse of power.

Constitutional Monarchy (konstitutionelle Monarchie)

A form of government in which a monarch's power is limited by a constitution, with the monarch heading the executive branch while acting within constitutional guidelines (e.g., Kingdom of Bavaria).

Nation

People living in a specific area who feel connected by common features such as language, culture, or history and form or strive for a political community.

Bourgeoisie (Bürgertum)

Social class consisting of merchants, scholars, officials, and craftsmen that emerged in cities and played an important role during the Enlightenment and Industrialization.

Napoleon Bonaparte

French General who gained political power during the French Revolution, crowned himself Emperor of the French in $1804$, and temporarily made France a hegemonic power in Europe.

Secularization (Säkularisation)

Expropriation and nationalization of church property (including monasteries, lands, art treasures) and the dissolution of spiritual principalities, e.g., in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in $1803$.

$$1815$$

The occurrence of the Congress of Vienna (Wiener Kongress).

$$1832$$

The date of the Hambach Festival (Hambacher Fest).

$$1848/49$$

Revolution in Germany with the goal of founding a national state based on a liberal constitution.

German Confederation (Deutscher Bund)

A loose association of German states founded at the Congress of Vienna ($1815$), comprising $35$ states and four free cities.

Nationalism (Nationalismus)

A $19\text{th}$-century political movement striving for a common national state; today used to describe an exaggerated national consciousness that places one's own nation above others.

Liberalism (Liberalismus)

A political movement emerging in the $19\text{th}$ century that emphasizes and demands individual freedom and rights.

Parliament (Parlament)

In democratic states, the representative body of the people whose most important tasks are legislation, budgetary rights, and control of the government.

Industrialization (Industrialisierung)

Profound change in working conditions and society starting in England in the $19\text{th}$ century through the use of machines.

Social Question (Soziale Frage)

The question of solving social problems caused by industrialization, such as housing shortages, child labor, and lack of social security.

Socialism (Sozialismus)

Political current proceeding from a class society and seeking to overcome it through a more equal distribution of property or nationalization of the means of production.

Communism (Kommunismus)

A philosophic-political approach developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels during early industrialization aiming for a classless society where all means of production are state-owned.

$$1871$$

Founding of the German Empire (Deutsche Reichsgründung).

German Empire (Deutsches Kaiserreich)

Founded in $1871$ after the wars of unification as a constitutional-monarchical national state; dissolved in $1918$ during the November Revolution.

Otto von Bismarck

Conservative Prussian Prime Minister who achieved the founding of the empire in $1871$ and significantly shaped the German Empire as the first Imperial Chancellor.

Social Legislation (Sozialgesetzgebung)

Introduction of health, pension, and accident insurance under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck to defuse the Social Question and stop the voter growth of Social Democrats; it marks the beginning of modern state social policy.

Reichstag

The elected parliament of the German Empire starting from $1871$; its building in Berlin is currently the seat of the German Bundestag.

$$1914\text{--}1918$$

The years of the First World War.

$$1917$$

Entry of the USA into the war and the Russian Revolution.

Imperialism (Imperialismus)

The pursuit by states for global political power expansion and economic influence in the late $19\text{th}$ and early $20\text{th}$ century, e.g., through colonies; driven by religious/cultural missions and racist attitudes.

Treaty of Versailles (Vertrag von Versailles)

Peace treaty concluded in $1919$ ending the First World War. The victorious powers established Germany's sole war guilt and mandated territorial losses, military restrictions, and reparations.