Global Regents Review

Topic 1

Absolutism

Absolutism in the 16th-18th centuries was a political system where a single ruler held complete authority over the government and people. It aimed to centralize power, often leading to the suppression of dissent and the establishment of a strong, centralized state. Key absolutist monarchs during this period included Louis XIV of France and Peter the Great of Russia.

Absolutism Flashcards

• Absolutism: A political system where a single ruler holds complete power and authority over the government and the people.

• Divine Right: Belief that monarchs are chosen by God to rule and their authority is absolute and not subject to questioning.

• Centralization: Concentration of power and decision-making in the hands of the monarch, often at the expense of nobles and local authorities.

• Louis XIV: King of France known for his embodiment of absolutism; caused debt due to his high spending at Versailles

• Versailles: Lavish palace built by Louis XIV to centralize power and control the nobility through court life and ceremonies.

• Autocracy: System of government where the ruler has unlimited power and authority, often associated with absolutism.

• Mercantilism: Economic policy aimed at increasing the wealth and power of the state through regulation of trade, accumulation of gold and silver, and protectionist measures.

• Peter the Great: Tsar of Russia who modernized and westernized the country, centralizing power and implementing reforms to strengthen the state.

• Prussia: German state known for its militarism and strong centralized government under rulers like Frederick the Great.

• Habsburg Monarchy: Powerful European dynasty that ruled over territories in Central Europe and Spain, known for its absolutist tendencies.

• Tokugawa Shogunate - stratified society by using limited mobility. It had an alternate attendance system (sankin kotai) forced Japanese nobles (daimyo) to live part of the year at the palace in Edo, similarly to Versailles.

European Colonialism

In the 16th-18th centuries, Europe’s focus was on the Americas and the western hemisphere. Established colonial empires to extract resources.

• Africa and Asia - Euro presence was primarily coastal

Western hemisphere gained independence in late 18th 19th c

• American Revolution

Topic 2

Enlightenment/Age of Reason

The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was an intellectual and cultural movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, science, and individualism. It promoted ideas such as freedom, democracy, and the separation of church and state, leading to significant advancements in philosophy, science, and politics.

Enlightenment Flashcards

• Enlightenment: Intellectual movement in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries emphasizing reason, science, and individualism.

• Rationalism: Belief in reason and logic as the primary source of knowledge.

• Empiricism: Theory that knowledge comes from sensory experience.

• Individualism: Emphasis on the worth and autonomy of the individual.

• Secularism: Separation of religion and state.

• Scientific Revolution: Period of scientific discoveries and advancements in the 16th and 17th centuries.

• Social Contract: Idea that individuals agree to form a society and abide by its rules for mutual benefit.

• Freedom of thought: Concept that individuals have the right to hold and express their own beliefs and opinions.

French Revolution

The French Revolution was a period of radical social and political change in France from 1789 to 1799. It was marked by the overthrow of the monarchy, the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the establishment of a republic. The revolution had a profound impact on France and the rest of the world, leading to the end of feudalism and the rise of modern democracy.

Topic 3

Latin American Independence

Conditions in Spanish Colonies in the Americas

Encomienda System - racial hierarchy based on slave labor

Economic exploitation of human and natural resources of the colonies to benefit Spain

Cash crop economies and plantation agriculture

Inspired by the Enlightenment, American and French Revolutions + influenced by Napoleonic Wars

Leadership of Independence Movements

Haiti - French colony that produced sugar

• rebellion began as a slave revolt against French plantation

• Toussaint L’Ouverture - former slave and leader of the independence movement

• by 1804 - established Republic of Haiti

South America

• Simon Bolivar - liberated norther South America

• Jose de San Martin - liberated southern South America

Problems since Independence

• difficult transitions to democracy

  • many governments have been military dictatorships called “juntas”

• reliance on cash crops - ongoing racial discrimination

• racial discrimination

• role of USA, including migration