Absolute Monarchs
Explain where the wealth of the Spanish Empire came from, how their power grew, and what the Spanish Empire did with their wealth and power.
Spain had claimed a great deal of land in the Americas as Spanish Colonial Territories. Gold, silver and other treasures were brought back to Spain from those colonies. This wealth funded Spain’s “golden century”, when Spain was the most powerful European country and much artwork and literature was commissioned
Describe which British rulers during the 1500s & 1600s had a good relationship with Parliament and how they accomplished this.
The Tutors (King Henry VIII & Queen Elizabeth I) realized they needed a good relationship with Parliament in order to govern effectively. Charles II knew he had to act through Parliament. Queen Mary & William of Orange accepted the English Bill of Rights, which ensured the superiority of Parliament over the monarchy.
Explain the ideas of the Scientific Revolution.
The Scientific Revolution pushed people to think in new ways about the natural world and the place of humans in the universe. Scholars developed new ways to approach science, using observation, experimentation, and careful reasoning.
Describe the three Estates in France before the French Revolution, in terms of their relative population, land ownership and tax obligations.
First Estate: .5% of the population, owned 10% of land, Taxed little or not at all
Second Estate: 1.5% of the population, owned 30% of land, Taxed little or not at all
Third Estate: 98% of the population, owned 60% of land, Taxed 50% of their income
Explain the events that led to the Congress of Vienna and the purpose of their meeting.
In 1814 & 1815, European monarchs met in Austria at the Congress of Vienna. They wanted to bring lasting peace to Europe & a balance of power between European nations. The agreed to meet regularly to negotiate peaceful solutions to their problems and to crush nationalistic revolts to keep monarchs in power.
Describe the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the economic activities of the era.
The Industrial Revolution transformed the way people lived, traveled & worked. The textile manufacturing industry was the first to be transformed by the Industrial Revolution. In the late 1700s new inventions such as the spinning jenny & the steam-powered loom made the production of cloth faster and more efficient.
What is the Edict of Nantes?
The Edict of Nantes was a decree issued by King Henry IV of France in 1598 that granted religious and civil rights to French Protestants.
Explain why King Henry IV faced religious conflict, and the steps he took to reduce religious conflict in France.
During the 1500’s in France, there were wars due to religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants. King Henry IV of France was a Huguenot, which led French Catholics to oppose him. King Henry reduced religious conflict by converting to Catholicism, and also issuing the Edict of Nantes, which gave religious freedom to Huguenots.
Describe which British rulers during the 1500s & 1600s had a poor relationship with Parliament and how they accomplished this.
James I believed he should have absolute power & his son, Charles I ruled as an absolute monarch. James II, wanted to have absolute power.
Explain how the ideas of the Scientific Revolution influenced the Age of Enlightenment.
The idea that nature was predictable and could be explained greatly influenced Enlightenment Thinkers. Many ideas that were developed by thinkers during the Scientific Revolution led Enlightenment thinkers to look for new answers rather than just relying on the teachings of ancient writers or the Church.
Describe the factors which led to the French Revolution.Describe the documents associated with the Frenc
Most people were in the Third Estate. They paid heavy taxes and had few rights. By the late 1700s, the French government was nearly bankrupt. At the same time, crop failures led to serious shortages of food. To raise money, King Louis XVI raised taxes.
List the countries that had revolts in 1820.
Italy & Spain
What were the positive outcomes of the invention of the steam engine?
Some people enjoyed a higher standard of living because of the steam engine. The steam engine allowed people to travel greater distances in less time, and to transport goods farther and more quickly. Now, factories could be built anywhere.
What does Nationalism mean?
Nationalism is a strong attachment to a particular country, or nation. It is also called patriotism. In the modern world, many citizens are very loyal to their country or to their ethnic group.
Explain King Louis XIV’s views on his power, and describe the things he did to demonstrate power.
King Louis XIV believed that he had the Divine Right to all the power in France. King Louis XIV demonstrated his power by spending a lot of money on objects of beauty, such as the Palace of Versailles, taking the power away from the nobles and developing elaborate court rituals, which required the nobles to perform humble tasks for him.
Describe the actions taken by King Charles I of England that led to the English Civil War.
Charles ruled as an absolute monarch. He put his enemies in jail without trials, he tried to establish new taxes, he signed the Petition of Right, but dissolved Parliament the following year. He ruled England without Parliament for 11 years, adding new taxes & fines, & his religious policies made people fear he was trying to bring back Catholicism. He led his troops to Parliament to try to arrest some of its members.
Describe the ideas of John Locke, which were a central inspiration of the Age of Enlightenment.
their own lives. He also believed that people have natural rights, or rights that belong to all people from birth, which include life, liberty, and property.
Describe the documents associated with the French Revolution, when they were created, and why they were created.
1789 - The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen - guaranteed basic rights
1791 - The Constitution of 1791 - ended the king’s absolute power - gave the National Assembly the power to make laws, collect taxes, and decide issues of war & peace
Describe the Greek rebellion against the Ottomans; what inspired it and how Europe responded.
In 1821, Greek nationalists rebelled against the Ottoman empire. European leaders wanted to force the Ottoman Turks out of Europe. A coalition of Great Britain, France & Russia helped Greece gain independence from the Ottomans.
How did the Industrial Revolution change cities?
The cities were not prepared for the flood of people crowding into housing that wasn’t designed to hold the large population. The houses lacked running water & toilets, and cities lacked sewage systems. Waste and pollution contaminated the water, which helped spread diseases, such as cholera, typhoid & typhus.
The cities also offered the advantages of access to shipping, railroads, workers & customers.
What was The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen?
Written by French revolutionaries, outlined fundamental rights and principles that they believed all citizens deserved. The document listed 17 articles that established basic rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to own property. It declared that law should be the same for everyone and that people should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
Describe the actions taken by Czar Peter the Great to modernize Russia.
Czar Peter the Great traveled in disguise to Western Europe in order to study their customs, industries and technologies. He brought this knowledge back to Russia in order to institute reforms which would modernize his country.
Who were the British people on the side of King Charles I during the English Civil War?
The king’s supporters were known as the Cavaliers, or royalists
Explain the ideas of Mary Wollstonecraft and how her ideas influenced the Enlightenment Period.
Mary Wollstonecraft, a prominent figure of the Enlightenment era, championed the idea that women should have equal rights to men, particularly access to education, arguing that this would enable them to be rational, independent contributors to society, rather than being confined to domestic roles;
What was the Reign of Terror, when did it happen & who led it?
In 1793, the Jacobins & Maximilien Robespierre took control of the French government. The declared a “policy of terror” and arrested & executed the king & queen, supporters of the monarchy, and others who disagreed with their policies. They killed tens of thousands of people.
Describe the process by which Germany became a unified nation.
Otto von Bismarck developed a plan to unify Germany under Prussian leadership by building a powerful army and using it to gain territory and increase Prussia’s power. Bismarck played on Germans’ fears of a French threat in order to build German nationalism. During the war with France, many of the German states finally agreed to unite under Prussia’s leadership. King William I became the emperor of Germany & Otto von Bismarck became the Chancellor of Germany.
How did the changes in cities due to the Industrial Revolution impact the people living in the cities?
Life was short and disease was common. People suffered from terrible living conditions & poverty wages.
City life could offer greater opportunities compared to the countryside, where famine & poverty were even more widespread.
Describe “spheres of influence” and give an example.
Several countries occupied large regions of a country, each maintaining a separate “sphere of influence”. This is what imperialism in China looked like, with France, Germany, Russia & Great Britain each occupying and controlling different port areas.
Describe the actions taken by Catherine the Great to expand Russian territory
Czar Catherine the Great was determined to expand Russia’s borders to the west even farther than Peter had. Catherine fought Poland and the Ottoman Empire, conquering territory in Eastern Europe, around the Black Sea & into Alaska
Who were the British people who were against King Charles I during the English Civil War?
Parliament’s supporters were called “Roundheads” because they wore their hair short
What inspired the ideas of socialism?
The demand for workers’ rights and better working conditions inspired a new economic ideal called socialism. Socialists wanted to build a world in which all would benefit from wealth, with a mix of public and private ownership.
Describe the outcome of Napoleon’s wars of conquest in Europe.
Under Napoleon, France was almost constantly at war. Napoleon conquered much of Europe - Spain, Northern Italy, Austria, Germany, Poland, & Switzerland
Describe the process by which Italy became a unified nation.
Many strong nationalist leaders, such as Mazzini and Garibaldi, fought for unity & independence in Italy. In the 1850s, King Victor Emmanuel II & County Camillo Cavouir organized a popular vote to join southern & northern Italy, which voters approved.
What were the main goals of labor unions?
Industrial workers suffered low pay, harsh working conditions and no welfare protections, such as unemployment benefits. If workers complained or attempted to negotiate for better working conditions or pay, they were likely to be fired. Labor unions fought for better pay and working conditions. Britain, Europe & the United States outlawed labor unions in the late 1800s as a result.
Describe gunboat diplomacy and give an example.
Gunboat diplomacy is threatening the use of firepower to gain concessions. This is how the United States forced Japan into a diplomatic & trade relationship.