Unit 7 Vocab

Belle Epoch

French term meaning 'Beautiful Age;' refers to the decades leading up to World War I when Europe was at its peak of power.

balance-of-power

The European diplomatic goal of preventing any single nation from dominating the entire continent.

Crimean War (1853 – 1856)

The first major war fought between European nations since the Napoleonic Wars; Russia faced an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, Britain, and France.

Balkan Peninsula

A large geographic region of southeastern Europe that includes nations like Greece, Albania, and Bulgaria.

'the sick man of Europe'

Nickname of the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s and early 1900s due to its decline as a European power.

Bosporus and Dardanelles

Two strategic straits connecting the Mediterranean and Black Seas, controlled by Turkey.

Florence Nightingale

A British nurse credited with professionalizing nursing and advocating for female nurses during the Crimean War.

nationalism

An emotional political philosophy that glorifies the nation as the primary bond uniting people.

'The sun never sets on the British Empire'

A famous description of the British Empire in the late 19th century, denoting its vastness.

Splendid Isolation

Britain's foreign policy post-Crimean War, focusing on strengthening the Empire with limited European interaction.

Great Reform Bill of 1867

Law that extended voting rights to urban working-class men in Britain.

Franchise Act of 1884

Law that extended voting rights to rural laborers in Britain, enfranchising the adult male population.

universal manhood suffrage

Political term meaning all adult men have the right to vote.

Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU)

Organization leading the fight for British women’s voting rights.

Emmaline Pankhurst

The leading figure in the struggle for British women's voting rights, founder of the WSPU.

Second French Empire (1852 – 1870)

Government of Emperor Napoleon III of France, ending with defeat in the Franco-Prussian War.

plebiscite

A direct vote by the common people on a significant issue.

Emperor Napoleon III

The ruler of France, nephew of Napoleon, first as President and later as Emperor.

Suez Canal

An engineering feat linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas, built in the 1860s.

Piedmont – Sardinia

The most important Italian state in the 19th century, leading the unification of Italy.

Franco-Prussian War (1870 – 1871)

Conflict orchestrated by Chancellor Bismarck, leading to German unification.

Third French Republic (1870 – 1940)

Established after France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, marked by cultural dynamics and political division.

Paris Commune

Radical group that seized control of Paris' government during the Franco-Prussian War.

Dreyfus Affair

Political crisis in the Third Republic centered on Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish Army officer accused of treason.

anti-Semitism

Hatred of Jewish people and their religion.

Theodor Herzl

Austrian journalist who advocated for an independent Jewish nation post-Dreyfus Affair.

zionism

Political and cultural movement aimed at establishing the state of Israel.

Emancipation Edict of 1861

Proclamation by Tsar Alexander II ending serfdom in Russia.

anarchy

A radical political movement advocating for the destruction of all forms of government.

Trans-Siberian Railroad

A major engineering accomplishment stretching 7,000 miles across Siberia.

Austria-Hungary (aka: Dual Monarchy)

Central European state formed by granting equal rights to the Hungarian minority.

Ausgleich

The 1867 decision elevating the Hungarians to equal status within the Austrian Empire.

Count Cavour

Prime Minister of Piedmont-Sardinia, instrumental in the unification of Italy.

defensive alliance

A military alliance where members pledge to defend each other if attacked.

Giuseppe Garibaldi

Italian nationalist leader who played a key role in the unification of Italy.

Red Shirts

Italian nationalist group led by Garibaldi, known for liberating southern Italy.

Chancellor Otto von Bismarck

Political leader who spearheaded the unification of Germany under Prussian dominance.

Ems Dispatch

Telegram from Kaiser Wilhelm I, altered by Bismarck to provoke war with France.

Alsace – Lorraine

Historic region between France and Germany with a predominantly ethnically German population.