Difference between revisions of "World History Study Guide from 1648"

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|Deadliest conflict began on July, 28, 1914 mainly in Europe and the Middle East. World War I was between the Central Powers and Allies, but ended with the collapse of the Central Powers in November 1918.
 
|Deadliest conflict began on July, 28, 1914 mainly in Europe and the Middle East. World War I was between the Central Powers and Allies, but ended with the collapse of the Central Powers in November 1918.
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|World War II began in the 1930's when Germany invaded Poland. It lasted until 1945 when the Allied powers defeated the Axis powers and forced them to surrender.
 
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[[Category:World History lectures]]
 
[[Category:World History lectures]]

Revision as of 17:14, December 2, 2011

This is the growing list of study terms for World history, from 1648 (the same midpoint used by the CLEP exams) to the present. This list will also include history in the century or so prior to 1648 which is not included in World History Study Guide to 1648.

As of Nov. 20 this list has about 144 terms, and it should grow to about 400 terms by early December. An examination on this material will be given in late December 2011.

Honors terms

Term Definition
Age of Exploration (1450-1650) A time period when nation-states in Europe (mainly England, France, Portugal and Spain) embarked on expeditions to distant lands. The American continents were discovered during this period.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) American (German-born) physicist. Einstein is generally regarded as one of the very greatest scientists in history. His ideas and speculations have brought about the most profound revolution in scientific thought since Copernicus. In 1905 he published four great discoveries in theoretical physics: the special theory of relativity, the equivalence of mass and energy, the theory of Brownian motion, and the foundation of the photon theory of light. His famous special theory of relativity merged the traditionally absolute concepts of space and time into a space of four dimensions. In 1916 he advanced his general theory of relativity, which was substantiated by other scientists in 1919. In 1950 he introduced a merger of quantum theory with the general theory of relativity, thereby establishing one set of determinate laws for subatomic phenomena and large-scale physical phenomena. In 1952 the element einsteinium was identified by researchers at Berkeley, California, and named in his honor. Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921.
balance of power the concept, first established by Europeon nations after the final defeat of Napoleon, whereby alliances called the Concert of Europe required nations to assist each other in order to defeat any one nation that became too power and started invading others.
Bastille Day (July 14, 1789) The day when French peasants invaded the huge Bastille prison in Paris, freeing political prisoners. This started the Great Fear, when riots broke out ever day, with peasants burning wealthy homes.
Big Bang The theory that developed in the early 20th century that the universe was created by an explosion.
caravel a miniature, highly maneuverable, lightweight ship developed by the Portuguese, which was often used to carry cargo
Charles Darwin (1809-1882) English naturalist who proposed the theory of evolution: that all species had evolved into complex forms of life over millions of years through the process of "natural selection," or "survival of the fittest."
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) Greatest English novelist of the Victorian period, who sympathized with the poor. Author of many iconic novels and characters whom we admire to this day.
Georges Jacques Danton (1759–1794) Famous Jacobin during the French Revolution who joined and fully supported it until he saw the reign of terror and started to change his mind. Danton was subsequently executed.
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) Italian explorer funded by Spain to sail in four voyages across the Atlantic ocean in search for a trade route to India, and discovered the "New World" (the Caribbean)
David Ricardo (1772-1823) A British classical economist who advocated the advantages of more trade between nations.
David Livingstone Scotsman who explored central Africa in the late 1860s to find the source of the Nile.
England An imperialistic nation-state based in the British isles off the western coast of Europe, which established the largest non-contiguous empire in history in the late 1800s.
Emilio Aguinaldo Led a rebellion against the U.S. to establish freedom in the Philippines in 1899.
Emiliano Zapata Cowboy who helped lead the Mexican Revolution.
Expressionism Style of art that arose in the 20th century that used distorted forms and bold colors to create art.
Forbidden City Imperial palace located in Beijing, China, which was used for twenty-four emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Franz Kafka Author and attorney with a troubled life that wrote several classics stories, including the short story The Metamorphosis (1915).
Glorious Revolution Revolution that took place in England in 1688, and replaced the Catholic King James II with the Anglican King and Queen, William and Mary.
imperialism the practice of one strong nation controlling another weaker nation, territory, or a group of people; several types of imperialism (from strongest to weakest forms) are: colonization, protectorates, spheres of influence, and economic.
Impressionism a type of painting that didn't focus on the detail but on the feeling and impressions.
Isaac Newton (1643-1727) the Englishman who, inspired by daily readings of the Bible, developed calculus and discovered the invisible force of gravity
The Enlightenment a philosophical movement in Europe in the 1700s that challenged traditional views and emphasized reason instead of faith; thinkers included Rousseau, Voltaire, Hume, Kant, Jefferson, Locke, and Diderot.
James Stuart Cousin of Queen Elizabeth who took over the English throne as James I. Under his reign, the "Gunpowder Plot" was invented, and the King James Version of the Bible was published. Contrary to his cousin Elizabeth, James I fought with Parliament continually.
Jazz music originating in New Orleans around the beginning of the 20th century and subsequently developing through various increasingly complex styles, generally marked by intricate, propulsive rhythms, polyphonic ensemble playing, improvisatory, virtuosic solos, melodic freedom, and a harmonic idiom ranging from simple diatonicism through chromaticism to atonality.
John Locke (1632-1704) English philosopher during the Enlightenment who created the idea of a "social contract" between the people and their government, which became the philosophical basis of rebellion in England and American Revolution when the people felt that government had broken the contract
Louisiana Purchase Tract of land that Napoleon sold to America for a very low price in 1803. Was the transfer of the western half of the Mississippi Valley from Spain and France to the United States.
Voltaire (1694-1778) French philosopher who was perhaps the greatest figure in the Enlightment, Voltaire favored absolute freedom and whose ideas led to French Revolution, senseless murdering, and the destruction of churches
nation-state (beginning in the 1400s) a single country comprised of people unified in language and culture, such as England, France and Spain, and other European nations such as Germany much later.
Marie Antoinette Wife of Louis XVI. Was reported to have said, "Let them eat cake!" upon hearing of the shortage of bread.
Monarch A person who reigns over a kingdom or empire. He may be above the law (absolute monarch) or subject to it (constitutional monarchy). The position is generally inherited (notable exception: the Pope)
absolute monarch an all-powerful king or queen, such as the "Sun King" French King Louis XIV (in power from 1643-1715), who said, “L’etat c’est moi!” (“I am the state”)
divine right of kings belief they were given power by God and responsible to God alone, which lasted until religious conflict in England in the 1600s and the French Revolution in the late 1700s
Philip II (reigned 1556-1598) King of Spain who was the great-grandson of Isabella and Ferdinand; he kept Spain Catholic, and viewed Elizabeth I of England as his main rival, but his mighty Spanish Armada was crushed by a quicker English fleet in 1588.
William of Orange (1579) led the Netherlands in a revolt against their Spanish masters; this (along with the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the British) weakened Spanish power
Muhammad Ali Pasha (1769-1849) Albanian commander in the Ottomon army; regarded as the founder of modern Egypt.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1923) created the modern state of Turkey, with a combination of military rule and an elected Parliament; also converted the Arabic language to a modern, Latin-style alphabet
opium a harmful, addictive drug that the British sent in large amounts to China, which was a cause of the great Taiping Rebellion.
Capitalism An economic system that private companies own all capital goods and sell them at a competitive price. This system is almost always successful until excessive government prevails.
Columbian Exchange The trade of plants and animals from America to Europe; Europe to America. This was put into action some time after Columbus discovered America in 1492.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) a Polish Catholic scientist who started the "Scientific Revolution" with his discovery that the Earth revolves around the Sun, and published his discovery in a book at the end of this life ("On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres")
Hernando Cortes aided by superior weapons and horses, he led the Spanish conquest of Mexico in 1519 and conquered the Aztec empire, capturing the Aztec ruler known as Montezuma; Cortex burned the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and built Mexico City in its place
Francisco Pizzaro also aided by the use of horses and superior weapons, he led the Spanish conquest of Peru, eventually killing their emperor, Atahualpa; Pizzaro destroyed the ancient Peruvian city of Cuzco, and replaced with the city of Lima. While in Peru, Pizzaro also discovered the greatest silver mine in the Americas.
encomiendas beginning in 1503: Spanish system whereby a Spanish soldier (or colonist) received a section of land from the king along with the Indians or South American residents, who would then work the land for the soldier similar to slavery.
repartimientos 1575: after complaints about the encomiendas by a Spanish monk named Bartholomew de Las Casas, a new Spanish system of repartimientos replaced it by supposedly limiting the amount of labor and requiring payment to the workers, and also requiring an application for approval by the king
Rasputin Peasant-turned-monk that was the only person who could heal Czar Nicholas II's son from his hemophilia.
John Cabot 1497-1498: a British explorer (who had been born in Genoa, Italy, like Columbus) who discovered Newfoundland and the New England coast, so that land became the property of England
Jacques Cartier 1534, 1541: French explorer who discovered Canada and the Mississippi Basin, including Louisiana; the lack of gold and silver in North America made it less interesting to Europeans than South America
Czar (Tsar) Absolute emperor of Russia since the 1500's, the first being Ivan IV "The Terrible."
Neo-Confucianism More of a philosophy than a religion, Neo-Confucianism is a combination of Confucianism and Buddhism, and was the primary practice of the Chinese nation in the 1600's.
Reign of Terror Started after the execution of Louis XVI when Maximilian Robespierre guillotined numerous alleged enemies, including Marie Antoinette, and ended with his death (1794); a time of terrifying chaos when anyone could be killed for no reason
Robert Fulton American engineer and inventor who created the first commerical steamboat service in 1807.
Napoleon (lived 1769-1821) Dictator of France after the French Revolution; signed peace treaties with major European enemies, created a successful system of laws known as the Napoleonic Code, and conquered much of continental Europe; defeated at Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo 1815 Marked the end of Napoleon's reign in France when he was defeated by Prussia and Great Britain
Bernhard Riemann (1826-1866) an influential German mathematician who made lasting contributions to differential geometry and analysis, some of which provided a foundation 40 years later for the theory of general relativity in physics.
Congress of Vienna 1815: convention of European nations proposing a balance of powers among the rival nations to ensure than no single nation could threaten the others as Napolean had just done
Concert of Europe established during the Congress of Vienna; alliances between the nations requiring assistance of each other if war broke out, protecting against any revolutions or invasion; adopted changes including the legitimacy of monarchies and growing nationalism in Europe
Constitution of the United States (1787) the oldest working constitution in the world, which established a masterful design for government
Cotton Cotton is a natural fiber used in clothing. It comes from the seed of the cotton plant. People have grown cotton since 3000 B.C. and traded it for other goods.
David Hume (1711-1776) a Scottish philosopher who promoted materialism and naturalism rather than Christianity, which later influenced Charles Darwin; Hume wrote "A Treatise on Human Nature" and believed in relativism rather than absolute truth
Declaration of Independence (1776) an American statement of "inalienable" (God-given) rights, and asserting a right of the people break their "social contract" with a ruler (a king) when he violates those rights, such as the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
Edmund Burke (1729-1797) a conservative Irish statesman in the British parliament who sided with the American colonies in the period leading up to the American Revolution, coined the phrase "salutary neglect" to support economic growth in the colonies, and criticized the French Revolution when most others were praising it
The Federalist Papers (1788) Brilliant essays encouraging ratification of the U.S. Constitution, written mostly by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison
Gandhi Spiritual leader who set out to win independence for India through peaceful civil disobedience.
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) a leading German philosopher, Kant felt that behavior is moral only if it would work as a rule if everyone did it (e.g., littering is immoral for one person to do it, because it wouldn't work if everyone did it); Kant's book "A Critique of Pure Reason" criticized the use of pure reason to determine morality
Industrial Revolution technology-driven changes in society that began about 1760 in England and later in other countries, characterized chiefly by the replacement of hand tools with power-driven machines, as the power loom and the steam engine, and a shift from farming to factories for many workers
James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879)British physicist. Maxwell is ranked as the foremost physical scientist of the 19th century. His greatest achievement was the synthesis of the contributions of Faraday, Gauss, and Ampère into a single coherent electromagnetic theory. Of his several academic appointments the most important was the post of professor of experimental physics at Cambridge. He made contributions of fundamental importance to many branches of physics. The maxwell, a unit of magnetic flux, was named in his honor.
Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750 German composer famous for Fugues, Inventions, English Suites and Passion according to St. Matthew.
Louis Pasteur 1822–95,French chemist and bacteriologist who founded microbiology invented pasteurization, and discovered vaccinations for anthrax, rabies, and chicken cholera.
Louis XVI Louis XVI was the king of France from 1774 to October 1792. On August tenth during the French Revolution he was arrested. He was tried and found guilt of high treason. He was then executed by the guillotine on 21 January 1793.
Matthew Perry Helped to break the isolation of Japan by sailing into Edo harbor and helped the Treaty of Kanagawa to be signed in 1854.
Niels Bohr physicist. He won a 1922 Nobel Prize for his investigation of atomic structure and radiations. His son Aage Niels Bohr (born 1922), also a physicist, shared a 1975 Nobel Prize for discovering the asymmetry of atomic nuclei.
Slavery the state or condition of being a slave; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life, liberty, and fortune
Realism the doctrine that universals have a real objective existence
Steamboat A steamboat is a waterborne ship powered by a steam engine. Historically, the steam was produced by burning coal (or less often, wood), although modern steamboats tend to use more portable fuels such as diesel gasoline.
Economies of scale The decrease in a firm's long-run average costs as the size of its production increases.
Enclosure movement Early 1700's during the industrial revolution in England.. Wealthy farmers bought land from small farmers, benefiting from economies of scale in farming huge tracts of land.
Adam Smith (1723-1790) a Scottish political economist who wrote a book with his idea about how the "invisible hand" of capitalism will create wealth and prosperity, in the "Wealth of Nations" (1776)
Factors of production Inputs used by companies to produce goods. Basic models of production have two input factors, labor and capital.
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) Was an English soldier, statesman, and leader of the Puritan revolution.
Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603) was known as the "Virgin Queen" of England and her 45-year reign was the “Elizabethan Age”; Virginia was named in her honor
Victor Hugo (1802-1885) Is considered one of the greatest Romanticist poets. He was a French man who wrote the classics Cromwell (1827), The Hunchback of Notre Dame of Paris (1831) and Les Miserables (1862).
William Prynne (1600 – 24 October 1669) Was an english lawyer, author, political figure and prominent Puritan.
Maximilian Robespierre (1758-1794) a French Jacobin who was most responsible for reign of terror; under the influence of the work of Rousseau, Robespierre unbendingly murdered moderates and all opponents, and was eventually killed by the guillotine himself in 1794.
French Revolution The French Revolution started in 1789 with the storm of the Bastille prison. The Revolution included the capture and beheading of King Louis XVI, and the Reign of Terror by Maximilien de Robespierre which ended in 1794 with Robespierre's death.
Prince Henry the Navigator founded the School of Navigation in Portugal in 1419, to train sailors to explore the West African coast with a goal of eventually finding sea routes to India
Bartholomew Diaz a Portuguese navigator who sailed around the southern tip of Africa (the Cape of Good Hope) in 1487 to establish a sea route to India
Ferdinand and Isabella Ferdinand and Isabella were the king and queen of Spain in the late fifteenth century A.D. They were patrons of Christopher Columbus. After reconquering the small Moorish Kingdom of Granada, they established the Spanish Inquisition (1478) and expelled the Jews and Muslims from Spain in 1492.
William and Mary William III (1650-1702 A.D.) was the king of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1682 to 1702 A.D..They both founded the college of William and Mary in 1693. He ruled along with Queen Mary II (1662-1694 A.D.) until she died. William continued to rule until his death in 1702.
Reconquista (AD 722-1492) Was the regaining by Christians of Spain and Portugal, which had been under Muslim control.
Treaty of Tordesillas 1494: established an 1100-mile long "Line of Demarcation," giving one side to Portugal and the other side to Spain for controlling the New World (Western Hemisphere)
Line of Demarcation a north-to-south line giving Portugal trading rights in India, China, the East Indies, East Brazil and the Spanish Americas, and giving Spain control of the remaining, vast majority of the Americas.
Ferdinand Magellan 1519-1522: led the first successful voyage to go around the world, going around the southern tip of South America. Magellan himself was killed by Philippine natives prior to completing the last leg of the journey.
Results of Magellan's voyage Spain gained control of many South American territories, including Peru; Spain also obtained control over the Philippines in the Far East.
Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) Was the minister president of Prussia (1862-71), and the first chancellor of the German Empire (1871-90). Known as the "Iron Chancellor".
Napoleon III Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (20 April 1808 – 9 January 1873) was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire.
First French Empire (1804-1814/1815) Was the empire of Napoleon I of France, and was a dominant power of most of continental Europe during the early 19th century.
Second French Empire Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic in France.
George Washington George Washington (1732-1799) was the first President of the United States (1789-1797) and Commander In Chief of the Continental Army. He was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775-1797, leading the American victory over Britain in the American Revolution and was the unanimous choice to serve as President. He voluntarily stepped down from office in 1796.
United Kingdom The term "United Kingdom" refers to the combination of "Great Britain" and "Northern Ireland" which is part of the island of Ireland.
Luddites A social movement in England that rioted and protested against the changes of the Industrial Revolution.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) revolutionized instrumental music and took it to new heights never thought possible. Beethoven became totally deaf at the age of forty. He wrote most of his best music while he was total deaf.
King Henry VIII (lived 1491-1547, reigned beginning in 1509) Founded the Church of England (the Anglican Church)
Guillotine The guillotine was invented by Dr. Joseph Guillotine. It has a heavy blade that is lifted up and then dropped onto the execution victim to severe their head. During the Reign of Terror, the guillotine was the main form of execution.
American Revolution The American Revolution started when some American colonists thought that the English were taxing them too much. So, in 1776 they wrote the Declaration of Independence. The Patriots (the side of the revolutionaries) allied with France to equal the playing field. Through a series of battles that were wins and losses the Patriots came out on top and in 1783 the Treaty of Paris was signed ending the war.
American Revolution A revolution against the British in the American Colonies beginning in 1776 with the American Declaration of Independence.
France A nation-state in Europe that was ruled by a monarch until the French Revolution.
Prussia a very militaristic nation-state in Europe in part of the area where Germany is today
Louisiana purchase A purchase land made by the American Colonies in 1803 from the French empire.
Corsica Became one of the 27 regions of France in 1769. The birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Communist Manifesto Written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848. It inspired citizens across the world to partake in revolutions against seemingly unjust behavior.It lays the foundation for Marxist thinking, teaching that class struggles are the origin of all progress in society.
Sun Yixian Also known as Sun Yat-sen, he was the leader of the Kuomintang or nationalist Party that overthrew the Qing Dynasty of China. He also became the first leader of the former Republic of China.
Divine Right of Kings European doctrine that held that the authority of kings came from God.
Virginia Declaration of Rights A declaration of rights made by the representatives of the people of Virginia on June 7, 1776 written by George Mason.This later influenced the writting of the Declaration of Independance.
Guy Fawkes A conspirator against the English throne who belonged to a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
Utilitarianism proposed by Englishmen Jeremy Bentham and advocated by John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), this non-Christian concept prefers overall "utility" (overall benefits minus costs) rather than individual justice. Tossing two people overboard in a lifeboat in order to save the other ten is an example.
John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) British philosopher and last of the English classical economists; proponent of utilitarianism and also advocated the development of labor unions and farm cooperatives, as well as emancipation by women
Nationalism when loyalty by a people to their nation becomes part of their identity; began in the late 1700s, around the same time as Romanticism, and later led to aggression by Germany and Japan in the 20th century.
Realpolitik Concept invented by Otto von Bismarck that emphasized practical politics rather than philosophy
Laissez-faire Approach in economics in which transactions between private parties are free from state and government intervention
Handel George Frederick Handel was a German composer, resident in England, and noted particularly for his oratorios, including the Messiah
Haydn 1732--1809, Austrian composer who played a major part in establishing the classical forms of the symphony and the string quartet.
Mozart 1756--91, Austrian composer. A child prodigy and prolific genius, his works include operas, such as The Marriage of Figaro (1786), Don Giovanni (1787), and The Magic Flute (1791), symphonies, concertos for piano, violin, clarinet, and French horn, string quartets and quintets, sonatas, songs, and Masses, such as the unfinished Requiem (1791).
Beethoven 1770--1827, German composer, who greatly extended the form and scope of symphonic and chamber music, bridging the classical and romantic traditions. His works include nine symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, five piano concertos, a violin concerto, two masses, the opera Fidelio (1805), and choral music.
Nazi a member of the National Socialist German Workers' party of Germany, which in 1933, under Adolf Hitler, seized political control of the country, suppressing all opposition and establishing a dictatorship over all cultural, economic, and political activities of the people, and promulgated belief in the supremacy of Hitler as Führer, aggressive anti-Semitism, the natural supremacy of the German people, and the establishment of Germany by superior force as a dominant world power. The party was officially abolished in 1945 at the conclusion of World War II.
Gregor Mendel Father of Modern Genetics. As an Augustinian monk, Mendel studied Pea inheritance and interpreted his results to shape genetics till this day with his laws of Segregation and Independent assortment.
Sigmund Freud Father of Modern Psychiatry. Arguably a pseudoscientist, with heavy focus on Ego and Eros. Famous for invention of the "Oedipus Complex" which is arguably a reflection of his troubled personal life.
Classical Economics Mostly 19th century economics but also including 18th century Adam Smith, arguing for less government restriction on society.
Charles Spurgeon Charles Spurgeon was a Minister in England who taught that faith without works is dead and that people should try to help the poor.
Franco-Prussian War Otto von Bismarck started the Franco-Prussian War. He had an idea that if he enticed the French to attack Prussia that the German tribes around him would band together to defeat the opposition. The War lasted only six weeks.
Thomas Malthus Thomas Malthus was a British economist. He believed that the economy was inevitable going to collapse and fail.
Giuseppe Mazzini In Italy, a prominent nationalist, Giuseppe Mazzini, began to argue strongly for the unification of Italy as one nation. He formed the “Brotherhood of Young Italy” in 1831.
Belgium King Leopold II Leopold II (9 April 1835 – 17 December 1909) was the second king of the Belgians. He is chiefly remembered for being the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free state.
Manfred von Richtofen Better known as the "Red Baron" was (and still is) the most well known, and possibly the most admired dogfighting ace of all time.

At the end of his life, he had an impressive 80 kills. He was shot down, by an unknown person on April 21,1918.

Triple Alliance Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy; formed in 1879 to protect from French attacks; later became the Central Powers after Italy left and the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria joined
Triple Entente Great Britain, Russia, France; formed in 1907 against the Triple Alliance; later became the Allied Powers after Italy and Japan joined
Treaty of Versailles 1919 Imposed limits on the size of the German army and its use of weapons and required Germany to pay reparations of $33 billion over a 30-year period; also took away some of its colonies and territories
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin 1870-1924 Leader of the Communist Party who overthrew the Russian government; became leader of the Bolsheviks and ruled the Soviet Union, imposing a system of Marxism-Leninism which remained until the 1990s; also arranged for peace with Germany to end Russia's support of the Allies in the war in 1918
Bolsheviks After 1903, the more extreme Marxist group, as opposed to the Mensheviks, who wanted a sooner violent revolution; led by Lenin
quantum mechanics this breakthrough in physics in the early 20th century, used today by electronic technology: there is an underlying uncertainty in subatomic particles, such that they have probabilities of being in different places at the same time until they are observed
First Battle of Marne From September 6-12, 1914, the First Battle of Marne was a key conflict which halted the German efforts to capture France. This forced the Germans to fight a two front war. The French losses were horrific, 250,000. The German losses were similar.
Gallipoli Campaign Allied forces landed on the Turkish peninsula of Gallipoli in April 1915. The allies were not prepared for the terrain or there opponent. Nine months after the landing the allies had to retreat. They suffered 46,000 deaths among 250,000 casualties.
Battle of Verdun The French and the Germans fought perhaps one of the most demanding battles in history at the Battle of Verdun. The Germans initiated the battle by attacking the French city of Verdun. The battle lasted for ten months and at least 220,000 soldiers died and 480,000 were wounded in this struggle.
Battle of the Somme This battle started with the British and French meeting a the Somme River to begin an attack on the Germans to distract them from Verdun. The Allies bombed the Germans lines then sent 200,000 troops to storm them. The Germans were prepared for the attack and the losses were great. The British lost 20,000 men and had 40,000 wounded. The British and the French lost nearly 750,000 men.
Third Battle of Ypres The British hid 19 huge land mines under the German lines in southeast Ypres, Belgium over a 18 month period. The British detonated the mines and charged the lines in July 1917. The British plan worked for the beginning stages but soon failed because they did not pursue the Germans quick enough. Soon it rained the wettest fall season in years and the allies were literally stuck in the mud.
Communist League Was the first Marxist international organization. It was founded originally as the League of the Just by German workers in Paris in 1834.
Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher The newspaper that Karl Marz wrote for after moving to Paris in 1843.
St. Helena A British island used as a place of exile, the most notable prisoner was Napoleon.
Romanticism (1770-1870) a movement in poetry and the arts (including music) that emphasized individualism and the right to be different, reflecting an emphasis on thoughts and feelings, which coincided with numerous real revolutions like the French Revolution
Neoclassicism (1760-1850) paintings that emphasized clear linear design, using classical themes as subject matter
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) a German Protestant scientist who built on Copernicus's work and discovered that planets orbited the sun in ellipses rather than circular orbits.
Galileo (1564-1642) a Catholic Italian astronomer, a contemporary of Kepler, who improved the design of the telescope but was punished by the Church for publishing Copernicus's theory and saying the Church approved it; the Church then banned Galileo's book ("Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Systems of the World - Ptolemaic and Copernican," published in 1532)
mercantilism an economic system whereby a mother country (e.g., England) accumulates gold by exporting more goods than it imported, and by using her colonies (e.g., the America colonies) to ship it raw materials that could be manufactured and exported to other peoples
William Blackstone (1723-1780) the leading legal authority on English law, upon which American law is based; wrote the book The Rights of Englishmen, in which he described the source of the rights of the people
Charles-Louis Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) a Frenchman who proposed the concept of separation of powers, and checks and balances, in government, which inspired key parts of the U.S. Constitutio; wrote a book, The Spirit of the Laws, that explained essential aspects of good government
Denis Diderot (1713-1784) a French writer during the Enlightenment who edited an encyclopedia of scientific and social knowledge known simply as Encyclopedia (in French: Encyclopédie)
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) a Swiss-born political philosopher who criticized private property and laid the groundwork for future communist writers such as Karl Marx; Rousseau declared that government's goal should be to provide freedom, equality and justice, but this led to the French Revolution and hostility to churches
Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716) a German Lutheran mathematician and philosopher who developed calculus independent of Isaac Newton, and whose Christian-based philosophy was opposed by Voltaire. It was Leibniz, not Newton, who first published the notation for the integral:
Treaty of Westphalia (1648) ended the Thirty Years' War in Europe, leaving a weaker Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as Austria and Spain. Catholic France had sided with the winning Protestants in order to oppose the Holy Roman Empire, and France emerged strengthened and more unified as a result.
Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) a religious conflict in Germany brought by Bohemian Protestants resisting against Hapsburg Catholics who were suppressing religious freedom; this war also engulfed Spain, Holland, Denmark, France, Switzerland and The Holy Roman Empire in the conflict, before the Protestants (and Catholic France) won
Decline of the Holy Roman Empire weakened by the Ottoman Muslims, France, the Reformation, the growth of nation-states, and how the Italian and German cultures grew apart
Zulus A tribe of the Mthethwa African kingdoms of the late 1800's, and their most famous leader was Shaka. They were wiped out by the British in 1879.
locomotive developed in the early 1800s; it allowed man for the first time in history to travel faster than on horseback
King James Bible (1611) the magnificant English translation of the Bible, authorized by King James, which had a positive influence on the development of the English language itself
Jamestown settlement (1607) the first successful English settlement in the New World, in what is now Virginia
Vasco da Gama the first explorer to reach India by sailing eastward around Africa, between 1497 and 1499, with the help of the powerful monsoon winds. This established trade with India under the Portuguese King Manuel.
The Central powers The enemies of the Allies in WWI, and they were Austria-Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman empire.
The Allies The Allies in WWI were Britain (her colonies), France, Russia, Italy, Japan, and in 1917, the United States, and in WWII the Allies were Britain, America, France, and Russia.
The Axis The Axis were the enemies of the Allies in WWII, and they were Nazi Germany, Italy (at the start of the war), and Japan.
Siege of Vienna 1529: Christians Europeans defeated the Muslim Ottoman Turks
Battle of Lepanto 1571: Christian Europeans defeated Muslim forces
9/11/1683, Gates of Vienna an alliance of Christian armies, led by the Polish King Jan III Sobieski, defeated a massive Muslim army
Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) France, Russia, Sweden, Poland and Austria were allied against Britain and Prussia, for control of Silesia, a region of Eastern Europe that is mostly part of Poland today. Britain and France also fought in North America (called the French & Indian War here). Britain won the war due to the genius of William Pitt ("Pittsburgh" is named after him), gaining Canada and India as a result; France was humiliated, leading to the French Revolution decades later.
Columbian Exchange plants and animals were brought from colonial America to Europe and vice-versa; Columbus brought from Europe to America wheat, melons, onions, grapes, sugar cane and horses. America had new fruits and vegetables, the white potato, peanuts, pumpkins, squash and chili peppers, which were then exported from America back to Europe.
slave trade 1455-1800s: slave trade ended by a provision in the U.S. Constitution in North America, and slavery itself by the American Civil War (1861-1865); the slave trade was ended by England by Christian reformers Christian reformers William Wilberforce and John Wesley; slavery continued in Brazil until 1888
Andreas Vesalius (1514-64) a Renaissance physician who advanced the understanding of anatomy for physicians
William Harvey (1578–1657) an English physician who first understood the circulation of blood in the body
Rene Descartes (1596-1650) a French mathematician and philosopher who discovered analytical geometry and defined existence by, “I think, therefore I am.”
Francis Bacon (1561–1626) an English philosopher/scientist who promoted research based on experimentation
Ivan IV “the Terrible” (reigned 1547-1584) first czar of Russia, who executed many innocent people; Ivan was succeeded by his son Feodor, whose repeated failures led Russia into a “Time of Troubles.”
Mikhail Romanov (1613) the first of a long line of Romanov Russian czars; under Romanov rule serfs lost almost all of their freedoms
Peter the Great a Romanov who ruled Russia from 1682 to 1696 and instituted sweeping reforms in Russian government and society; he built St. Petersburg and tried to make European traditions a part of Russia.
El Greco (1541-1614) a painter, architect and sculptor best known for his paintings of saints and martyrs, and his painting of a storm over a Spanish town (“A View of Toledo”)
Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) a Spanish painter of portraits of the royal family and scenes from daily life at court
Miguel de Cervantes (1605) wrote the novel Don Quixote, probably the most influential piece of Spanish literature in history
Maria Theresa (1717-1780) a Holy Roman empress who was the last ruler of the House of Habsburg dynasty, ruling over Austria
Frederick the Great (1712-1786) an absolutist King of Prussia, who built it into a powerful nation (before it became a key part of the future Germany)
War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) a broad conflict among many European nations, with the result that Prussia defeated Austria to win the territory of Silesia
Easter Rising (April 24-30, 1916) Irishmen seeking independence from Britain captured key locations in Dublin and proclaimed an Irish Republic; British suppressed this and executed its leaders.
Irish Republic (1919) established through the efforts of its leader, Michael Collins (1890-1922), who was then killed three years later during an Irish civil war
Northern Ireland divided between British Protestants and Irish Catholics, still under the control of the British
Bloody Sunday (1972) Irish held a peaceful march for freedom in Derry, Northern Ireland, but British soldiers responded by shooting and killing some of them, including children; the British never punished those responsible and several rock music songs commemorate the tragedy
9-11 September 11, 2001) 19 Muslims, most from Saudi Arabia, hijacked American airplanes and flew one into each tower of the World Trade Center, a third into the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed in Pennsylvania as the passengers attempted to retake control of the plane from the terrorists.
Christian population steady increased from 0% of the world when Jesus was born, to about 33% of the world today.
globalism the opposite of “nationalism”; “globalism” views the world as one political unit, as one massive village.
The Four Tigers the prosperous Pacific Rim nations of South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong (Hong Kong is now part of communist China but is allowed to remain free until at least the middle of the 21st century)
free trade trade (importing goods) without limitation between nations; it can cause losses in American jobs and an increase in illegal drugs shipped in from other nations
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) (1947) western nations promoted free trade by first freezing tariffs (taxes on goods sent between nations), and later began reducing the tariffs
World Trade Organization (WTO) (1995) most nations agreed to “free trade” and also established international courts for deciding trade disputes among nations
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (1994) established free trade between Mexico, the United States, and Canada, and created international courts to resolve trade disputes
other free trade agreements in the Americas Latin American Free Trade Agreement (LAFTA ), formed in 1961), and replaced in 1981 by the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI); the South American Common Market (Mercosur) which has Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela as members; and a recently enacted Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) which the United States joined.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (1967) free trade group founded by Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines to combat communism; ASEAN later signed trade agreements with Japan (1977) and the European Community (1980)
consumerism people becoming obsessed with buying more than what is healthy or necessary, with brand names (like Nike) becoming more familiar than important things like the Bible
McDonaldization when American advertising (as in the case of McDonalds) has an influence on the world culture, causing distant children (like Chinese) to repeat a McDonald’s slogan they heard on television
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) a United Nations declaration of basic human rights, including “life, liberty, and security of person”
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) (1960) a cartel formed by Middle Eastern countries to keep the price of oil higher than it would be if the members of the cartel competed with each other. Original members were Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq and also the Latin American country of Venezuela; African and Asian countries later joined OPEC too. In 2007, OPEC controlled about 2/3rds of the total oil market.
impressionism (late 1800s in France) moved painting away from its traditions, by emphasizing the transient effects of color and light, and attempting to capture a fleeting image or “impression”. Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir and Paul Cezanne. They often painted landscapes, and insisted on remaining outdoors until completion of the work
musical impressionism emphasized mood and understatement and reflected its composers’ view that pure sound (like color) is an end to itself
Aggression by Japan in the 1930s Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, attracted in part by the coal and iron deposits there, which began the Asian phase of World War II. In 1937, Japan invaded northern and central China.
Aggression by Italy in the 1930s Italy invaded and conquered Ethiopia in 1935-1936.
Aggression by Germany in the 1930s In 1936, Germany invaded the buffer zone separating Germany from France: the industrialized Rhineland; Germany annexed Austria in 1938 without much resistance, and on Sept. 1, 1939, Germany invaded and annexed western Poland despite armed resistance.
New Orleans a port in SE Louisiana, on the Mississippi River, about 172 km (107 miles) from the sea: the largest city in the state and the second most important port in the US; founded by the French in 1718; belonged to Spain (1763--1803). It is largely below sea level, built around the Vieux Carré (French quarter); famous for its annual Mardi Gras festival and for its part in the history of jazz; a major commercial, industrial, and transportation centre.
Lusitania a British luxury liner sunk by a German submarine in the North Atlantic on May 7, 1915: one of the events leading to U.S. entry into World War I.
Term Definition
Adolf Hitler Leader of the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers Party) AKA Nazis. During WW2 he was known as "der Führer" or the leader of Germany.
Big Bang The theory that developed in the early 20th century that the universe was created from an explosion.
Cold War The Cold War took place in the mid 1900's between the U.S., its allies and the Soviet Union. The war didn't actually involve battles and no bullets were fired or bombs dropped. It mostly included espionage and tense moments where each side was waiting for the other to fire their missiles.
Communism A powerful system of government, beginning in Russia, which states everyone must have the same amount of wealth. The forceful idea of communism creates an unequal, superficial worth for all.
Enigma The Enigma was a cipher used by the Axis in WWII. The German Enigma was thought at the time to be unbreakable until a 27 year old polish mathematician cracked it in 1937.
Fascism Fascists believe that all actions should be done for the good of the state. Fascism is a totalitarian economic and political ideology that came to dominate the social and political systems of Italy under Benito Mussolini and Germany under Adolf Hitler.
The Great War Also known as World War 1. This was one of the deadliest wars in world history fought between the Central Powers and the Allies from 1914 to 1918.
The Holocaust The Germans blamed the Jews for all of Germanys problems. In 1935 a law was past to prevent Jews from holding Government offices. It all went down hill from there. Jews were eventually killed and sent to concentration camps for just being a Jew.
Joseph Stalin Brutal, Russian dictator who murdered millions of people, destroyed many religious gatherings, and worst of all, persuaded all schools to be taught to love the wicked idea of Communism.
M1 Garand One of the most influential American firearms in history, firing a .30 Cal bullet. These were the primary weapons in both World War 2 and the Korean War.
Manhattan Project One day before the attack at pearl harbor, American scientists started the construction of an Atom bomb. The Project was named the Manhattan Project because it was started in Manhattan.
Mussolini Benito Mussolini founded Italy’s Fascist Party, emphasizing the need to improve Italy’s economy and its military. In October 1922, the Fascists protested in Rome, causing the King to make Mussolini leader of Italy. He then made it illegal to strike thinking this would make the economy bounce back.
Rheinische Zeitung The newspaper that Karl Marx wrote for when he lived in Cologne.
U-boat German submarines used to patrol the Atlantic in a terrifying manor and intercept British ships.
Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)The 28th president of the United States who led the United States into World War I, secured the formation of the League of Nations, and at one point persuaded Congress to declare was on Germany in 1917.
World War I Deadliest conflict began on July, 28, 1914 mainly in Europe and the Middle East. World War I was between the Central Powers and Allies, but ended with the collapse of the Central Powers in November 1918.
World War II World War II began in the 1930's when Germany invaded Poland. It lasted until 1945 when the Allied powers defeated the Axis powers and forced them to surrender.