Europe Regents Review

Renaissance

Sparked renewed interest in classical knowledge, with the main cause being the Crusades.

Scientific Revolution

Curiosity about nature led to experiments, challenging traditional authority.

Reformation

Challenged the Catholic Church, leading to Protestant churches and diminishing the Church’s influence.

Absolutism

A system of government where the ruler holds absolute power and authority, ruling by divine right.

France

Louis XIV, who built the Palace of Versailles, symbolizing his power and wealth.

Russia

Peter the Great westernized Russia, and Catherine the Great made Russia modern.

Core beliefs of the Enlightenment

Everyone is born with inherent rights, and people form governments to protect these rights.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

Document that outlined fundamental rights during the French Revolution.

Guillotine

Device used for execution by beheading and became the symbol of the Reign of Terror.

The Napoleonic Code

Set of laws enacted by Napoleon Bonaparte that codified principles such as property rights, liberty, and some rights for women.

Agricultural Revolution in England

Less land available for poor farmers because of the Enclosure Act and the Seed Drill, fewer farmers needed to produce the same amount of food.

Capitalism

Adam Smith explained it in 'Wealth of Nations'; based on supply and demand.

Communism

Karl Marx addressed the exploitation of poor people, advocating for equal distribution of goods and resources.

Nationalism in Germany and Italy

Otto von Bismarck unified Germany using realpolitik. Camilo de Cavour and Giuseppe Garibaldi unified Italy

Scramble for Africa

European countries divided up Africa among themselves at the Berlin Conference.

Social Darwinism

Some races are better than others and have more rights

White Man’s Burden

It was the Europeans job to civilize the people of their colonies

MAIN Causes of World War One

Building up armies, mutual defense agreements, desire for colonies, belief in the superiority of one’s own country.

Alliances of WW1

Allied Powers: France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan (later the US)

Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire

Trench Warfare

Defensive war that led to high casualties due to new weapons.

Treaty of Versailles after WWI

Germany had full blame, had to pay reparations, and had a limited military.

Causes of the Russian Revolution

Poor leadership, World War One, bad government, and weak economy.

Vladimir Lenin

Bolshevik communist, advocated for “peace, land, bread,” took control of Russia and created a command economy

New Economic Policy

After Lenin’s command economy failed, he introduced this to allow a little bit of capitalism, the economy improves

USSR under Stalin

Controlled every aspect of life, used fear, propaganda, and violence.

Five-Year Plan

Successful economic change, with the goal of rapid industrialization of the USSR.

Collectivization

Under Stalin, forced peasants to give up private farms and work on large, government-run farms

Benito Mussolini

Invented fascism and took power in Italy, totalitarian government with private property and capitalism

Adolf Hitler

Fascist leader of Nazi Germany, took control during the Great Depression

Non-Aggression Pact

Agreement between Hitler and Stalin to not fight each other.

Blitzkrieg

Fast-moving attacks utilizing tanks and air cover.

Nuremberg Laws

A set of laws that took away rights from Jews

Invasion of the Soviet Union by Germany

Breaking the non-aggression pact between Hitler and Stalin, it was the largest attack in human history.

WW2 Causes

Japanese aggression in China, German aggression, League of Nations fails to stop aggression,Appeasement.

Nuremberg Trials

Tribunal crimes against humanity and crimes against peace.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Written by the United Nations in response to the Holocaust

The Cold War

Continuing state of hostility and tension between USA and USSR without direct fighting.

Containment

US policy to stop the spread of communism in any way

Berlin Blockade

Stalin cut off all supplies to West Berlin

NATO

Formed to provide collective security against the Soviet Union and communism

Soviets in Afghanistan

Soviets invaded because they wanted to distract Russians from realizing how bad things were

The Estates System

Three groups in society with very different rights: clergy, nobility, and everyone else

Estates General & Tennis Court Oath

Conference system where each estate had one vote, leading to the Third Estate forming the National Assembly.

Reign of Terror

Marked by mass executions; Maximilian Robespierre and the Jacobins led the executions using the guillotine.

The Napoleonic Code

Set of laws enacted by Napoleon that codified principles such as property rights and liberty.

Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)

Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues were attacked throughout Germany and Austria.

Appeasement

Western democracies allowed Hitler to break rules to avoid war, such as at the Munich Conference where Germany could take control over the Sudetenland

Congress of Vienna

The Congress of Vienna tried to maintain balance of power, prevent any single country from dominating (like France under Napoleon), and stop Enlightenment ideas.

Mikail Gorbachev

Glasnost and Perestroika: more western ideals

freedom of speech, capitalism