18th Century History Overview

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Questions and Answers

What was a significant outcome of the 18th century Agricultural Revolution?

Decrease in scientific advancement

Improvement in crop yields (correct)

Decrease in urban population

Reduction in consumerism

What was one of the primary causes of the 7 Years War?

Dispute regarding trade regulations in Europe

Conflict over agricultural lands in France

Territorial disputes between France and Spain in Europe

Rivalry over colonies in North America and India (correct)

Which group was primarily excluded from the Academies of Science during the Enlightenment?

Clergy

Women (correct)

Commoners

Nobility

What was a characteristic of the Ancien Regime in pre-revolutionary France?

Heavily taxed commoners with no representation Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the Bourgeoisie during the 18th century?

They were educated commoners who gained wealth through trade. Signup and view all the answers

What was primarily the goal of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution?

To protect the republic from enemies Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the Edict of Nantes in French history?

It granted religious rights to Huguenots Signup and view all the answers

Which principle is best associated with John Locke's political philosophy?

Natural rights and the right to rebel Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary cause of the Fall of Bastille during the French Revolution?

Fear of Louis XVI arresting the National Assembly Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Crop Rotation' refer to?

Changing crops annually to enhance soil fertility Signup and view all the answers

What was the aim of the Continental System established by Napoleon?

To blockade Europe against British trade Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the concept of 'Divine Right of Kings'?

The belief that kings are chosen by God and have absolute authority Signup and view all the answers

Which event signified the start of the French Revolution?

Storming of the Bastille Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the main criticisms of Enlightened Absolutism?

It incorporated Enlightenment values selectively Signup and view all the answers

What significant achievement is Ferdinand Magellan known for?

Being the first to circumnavigate the globe Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Mercantilism' refer to in economic theory?

State control of trade to maximize national wealth Signup and view all the answers

What prompted the rise of the Dutch Republic as a maritime power?

Encouragement of trade and exploration Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following outcomes was a direct result of the Haitian Revolution?

A successful slave uprising against colonial rule Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the key outcomes of the Peace of Westphalia?

Recognized the sovereignty of individual states Signup and view all the answers

Which event marked the establishment of parliamentary sovereignty in England?

The Glorious Revolution Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the primary motivations behind the Age of Exploration?

Gold, God, and glory Signup and view all the answers

What role did salons play during the Enlightenment?

They facilitated private intellectual exchange Signup and view all the answers

What was a key belief of Thomas Hobbes regarding human nature?

People are inherently violent and chaotic Signup and view all the answers

What was one significant result of the French Revolution?

The emergence of a constitutional monarchy Signup and view all the answers

What was Martin Luther's view on indulgences?

A corruption of Christian principles Signup and view all the answers

How did the printing press influence society in the 1700s?

It led to higher literacy rates and wider reading Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary objective of the Spanish Inquisition?

To eliminate heresy and unify religious practices Signup and view all the answers

What was one impact of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution?

Increased radical violence and executions Signup and view all the answers

Which philosopher is known for the idea of predestination?

John Calvin Signup and view all the answers

What was the nature of the Tennis Court Oath?

A vow to not separate until a national assembly was formed Signup and view all the answers

What was a major factor in the political causes of the French Revolution?

Dissatisfaction with the absolute monarchy of Louis XVI Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

18th Century Agricultural Revolution

Increased crop yields and crop rotation
Led to population growth and urbanization
Fueled by agricultural innovation stemming from the Scientific Revolution

18th Century Consumer Revolution

Rise in consumerism
Growth of the middle class
Reshaped social identities and daily life

Seven Years' War

Conflict between Britain and Prussia vs. France, Austria, Russia, and Spain (primarily Britain vs France)
Driven by colonial rivalry in North America and India
Austria sought to reclaim Silesia from Prussia
Britain emerged victorious (Treaty of Paris), gaining territory in North America and India

Academies of Science

Supported scientific research during the Enlightenment
Women were excluded

Ancien Régime/Three Estate System

Pre-revolutionary France's social structure
Clergy (Catholic Church): most powerful, exempt from taxes
Nobility: also tax-exempt
Commoners (Third Estate): heavily taxed, no political representation
Inequality fueled the French Revolution

Bourgeoisie

Wealthy, educated commoners who made money through trade and commerce

Cardinal Richelieu

Louis XIII's chief minister
Weakened the nobility
Strengthened France and diminished Habsburg power
Established a centralized government, key to French absolutism

Christian Humanists

Combined humanism (emphasizing human potential and classical texts) with Christian teachings

Northern Renaissance

Examples include Erasmus, who emphasized the importance of education and the Bible

Columbian Exchange

Transfer of plants, animals, goods, people, and diseases between the Old World (Europe, Asia, Africa) and the New World (Americas)

Committee of Public Safety

Protected the newly established republic from enemies
Led by Robespierre, using any means necessary

Continental System

Blockade of Europe and Britain to cripple the British economy and military
Failed; Britain established a counter-blockade

Crop Rotation

Alternating crops to maintain soil fertility
Transition from a two-field system to a three-field system
Supported population growth and improved nutrition

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Defined natural rights (liberty, property, equality before the law) of French citizens
Defined liberty as actions that don't harm others
Called for a constitutional monarchy to limit royal power

Divine Right of Kings

Belief that kings derive authority directly from God
Inherent right to absolute rule

Dutch Republic

Seven Dutch provinces that gained independence from Spain
Major maritime power
Confederation with religious tolerance
Power declined in the 17th century due to war and instability

Economic Liberalism

Arising during the Enlightenment
Advocated for free trade and minimal government intervention
Influenced by Adam Smith

Edict of Nantes

Granted religious rights to French Protestants (Huguenots)
Ended 36 years of religious conflict
Revoked by Louis XIV, believing most Protestants had converted

Enclosure Movement

Wealthy landowners fenced off common lands
Focused on improving agriculture
Displaced peasants and contributed to rural-urban migration

Enlightened Absolutism

Monarchs incorporating Enlightenment ideals (religious tolerance, education) into their rule
Demonstrated limitations in aspects like Jewish emancipation

Estates-General

Representative assembly of pre-revolutionary France
Composed of representatives from the three estates
Key to the outbreak of the French Revolution when the Third Estate broke away

Fall of the Bastille

Storming of the Bastille prison in Paris
Triggered by fear of Louis XVI arresting the National Assembly
Marked the beginning of the French Revolution

Ferdinand Magellan

First to circumnavigate the globe
Changed European understanding of Earth's shape and size

Galileo Galilei

Key figure in the Scientific Revolution
Promoted the heliocentric model (sun-centered universe)
Developed the scientific method
Faced conflict with the Catholic Church

Rousseau's General Will

Concept of the common good
Belief that people, when acting collectively, can determine what is best for society

Georges Danton

First president of the Committee of Public Safety
Later executed by Robespierre
Opposed the Reign of Terror

Guillotine

Execution method used to eliminate perceived enemies of the revolution

Haitian Revolution

Successful slave revolt against European colonial rule
Served as a potent example and feared by slave-holding societies

Henry VIII

Broke from the Roman Catholic Church
Established the Church of England
Had six wives

Italian Humanists

Emphasized the study and revival of classical Greek and Roman texts
Petrarch considered the father of humanism

Jacobins

Prominent political group during the French Revolution, notably the Girondists and the Mountain
Advocated the Declaration of the Rights of Man
Responded to the Declaration of Pillnitz

Jean-Paul Marat

Supported the sans-culottes (common people)
Fueled revolution through radical journalism

John Locke

Advocated for natural rights
Believed that government violating natural rights justifies revolution

Maria Theresa of Austria

Reformed the Austrian Empire
First woman ruler in her own right
Mother of Joseph II
Reforms aimed at a stronger, more efficient state

Martin Luther

Sparked the Protestant Reformation
Emphasized faith over works
Criticized indulgences
Believed scripture is the sole source of God's authority

Medici Family

Powerful Italian banking family
Influenced the Renaissance through patronage
Three popes

Mercantilism

System of state-controlled trade
Maximize national wealth through a favorable balance of trade (exports exceeding imports)
Increased state power, exemplified by Colbert

Montesquieu

Advocated for the separation of powers (three branches of government)
Challenged absolute rule

Napoleon's Civil Code of 1804

Established equality before the law for men
Removed feudal privileges
Limited women's rights, making them subordinate to their husbands
Spread to conquered territories & appealed to peasants defending revolutionary land/status gains.

Napoleon's Grand Empire

Territory controlled by Napoleon at the height of power
A vast European empire (except Great Britain and Russia)
Led to the Continental System

National Assembly

Legislative body formed during the French Revolution
Composed of representatives from the Third Estate, which declared itself the National Assembly and wrote a new constitution.

Natural Philosophy

Study of the natural world
Included the growth of natural history, a major achievement of the scientific revolution

New Monarchs

Powerful, centralized governments of the mid-15th century
Weakened the nobility and the Church
Marked a transition to absolutist rule
Enabled economic growth

Northwest Passage

Sought-after sea route through North America to Asia
N. European nations competed for access

Partition of Poland

Division of Poland among Russia, Prussia, and Austria
Poland disappeared

Peace of Augsburg

Recognized Lutheranism and allowed regional choice between Catholicism and Lutheranism
Temporarily ended religious conflict

Peace of Westphalia

Ended the Thirty Years' War
Recognized religious tolerance and state sovereignty (self rule of states within a state)
Weakened the Holy Roman Empire

Peter the Great

Initiated Russian westernization
Established St. Petersburg as a capital
Increased military service requirements
Created a strong navy
Built a strong Russian fiscal-military state

Philosophes

Enlightenment thinkers advocating for reform and reason
Challenged traditional authority
Examples include Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu (involved in Encyclopedias)

Predestination

Belief that God predetermined who would achieve salvation

Printing Press

Facilitated the rapid spread of ideas
Increased the accessibility and affordability of books
Responded to a rising demand for reading

Public Sphere

Space for public discussion, especially important during the Enlightenment

Reign of Terror

Period of radical violence during the French Revolution
Execution of perceived enemies of the revolution using the guillotine

Robespierre

Leader of the Reign of Terror and the Jacobins

Salons

Gatherings for intellectual discussions
Supported the spread of Enlightenment ideas
Important role of women

Scientific Method

Key method in the Scientific Revolution
Involved inductive reasoning through observation of the natural world

Spanish Inquisition

Intended to eliminate heresy
Ferdinand and Isabella sought religious unity
Enforcement influenced Spain's economic decline

Tennis Court Oath

Gathering of the Third Estate
Pledge to not separate until a new constitution was written
Crucial moment in the French Revolution

Thermidorian Reaction

End of the Reign of Terror
Execution of Robespierre
Move away from radicalism, toward moderation
Establishment of the Directory, a weak government eventually replaced by Napoleon

Thomas Hobbes

Believed humans are inherently violent
Argued for a strong monarchy to prevent chaos
Rejected natural rights concepts

Utopia

Idealized society
Reflection of Renaissance humanism

Universal Male Suffrage

Voting rights for all men
Advocated by the Jacobins to grant rights to the lower classes

Women's March on Versailles

March fueled by high bread prices
Forcing Louis XVI to return to Paris
Significant event in the French Revolution

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Description

Explore the transformative events of the 18th century, focusing on the Agricultural and Consumer Revolutions, the Seven Years' War, and the social structure of pre-revolutionary France. This quiz examines how these elements interacted to shape modern society. Test your knowledge of key developments and historical contexts from this pivotal era.