Untitled Flashcard Set

🧠 AP EURO MEMORY NOTES (UNDERSTANDABLE + MEMORIZABLE)

⚖ POLITICS / POWER

Absolutism vs Constitutionalism

• Absolutism = king has total control

  • Example: Louis XIV → “I am the state” → centralized power

• Constitutionalism = laws limit ruler

  • Example: English Bill of Rights → Parliament gains power

👉 Big idea:
Europe shifts from absolute monarchs → limited governments

Revolutions

• Caused by:

  • Inequality

  • Enlightenment ideas

  • Economic problems

• Example: French Revolution

  • Third Estate angry about taxes + lack of power

  • Leads to radical change (Reign of Terror)

👉 Use in essays:
Revolutions = people challenging authority

20th Century Governments

• Democracy vs totalitarianism

• Totalitarian states control:

  • politics, media, economy

Examples:

• Adolf Hitler

• Joseph Stalin

👉 Big idea:
Crisis → people accept strong leaders

💡 IDEAS / INTELLECTUAL MOVEMENTS

Enlightenment

• Belief in:

  • reason

  • natural rights

  • progress

Key thinkers:

• John Locke → life, liberty, property

• Rousseau → power from people

👉 Impact:

• Challenges monarchy

• Inspires revolutions

Nationalism

• Loyalty to your nation (shared culture/language)

Effects:

• Unifies countries (Germany, Italy)

• Causes conflict (WWI)

👉 Use in essays:
Nationalism = unity + conflict

Socialism

• Reaction to industrial inequality

• Supports workers’ rights

👉 Big idea:
Economic change → new political ideas

💰 ECONOMY

Industrial Revolution

Causes:

• Natural resources

• Population growth

Effects:

• Factories replace home production

• Cities grow (urbanization)

• Poor working conditions

👉 Key impact:

• New classes:

  • bourgeoisie (middle class)

  • proletariat (working class)

Capitalism vs Socialism

• Capitalism → private profit

• Socialism → protect workers

👉 Use in essays:
Industrialization → class tension

👥 SOCIETY

Class Structure

• Before: nobles, clergy, peasants

• After industrialization:

  • middle class grows

  • working class struggles

👉 Leads to:

• protests

• labor unions

Women

• Limited rights early on

• Gradual improvement (education, voting later)

👉 Use:
Shows continuity + change over time

⛪ RELIGION

Reformation

• Break from Catholic Church

• Creates Protestant churches

👉 Weakens religious unity

Secularization

• Over time, religion becomes less dominant

• Science + reason become more important

👉 Big pattern:
Religion → less control over society

🌍 EUROPE & THE WORLD

Exploration & Imperialism

• Europe expands globally

• Gains wealth + power

World War I

Causes:

• Nationalism

• Alliances

• Militarism

Effects:

• Empires collapse

• Political instability

World War II

Causes:

• Anger after WWI

• Rise of dictators

👉 Leads to:

• massive destruction

• Holocaust

Cold War

• Ideological conflict:

  • capitalism vs communism

👉 No direct war, but global tension