Martin Luther and the 95 Theses & Silver Role

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Questions and Answers

What innovation facilitated the widespread distribution of reformist ideas during the Protestant Reformation?

Steam Engine

Telegraph

Postal Service

Printing Press (correct)

Which of the following was a significant effect of Martin Luther's 95 Theses?

Formation of new Catholic sects

Rise of secular rulers (correct)

Increase in church wealth

Strengthening of papal power

Which American region became a central hub for Spanish galleons transporting silver to Chinese markets?

Zacatecas

Potosí

New Spain

Manila (correct)

What was a major consequence of the global demand for silver from China?

Flow of silver into Asia and trade imbalances (A) Signup and view all the answers

What significant social consequence occurred as a result of the expansion of the Atlantic slave trade?

Devastation of African societies (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these was a key natural resource that contributed to the start of the Industrial Revolution in Europe?

Coal (A) Signup and view all the answers

What societal change emerged as a result of industrialization in Europe during the late 1700s to 1800s?

Growth of urban working class (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these key technological innovations was NOT commonly associated with the Industrial Revolution?

Television (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was a key belief of Adam Smith regarding government intervention?

Free markets require minimal government intervention. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which thinker is associated with the idea of natural rights and the right to overthrow oppressive governments?

John Locke (D) Signup and view all the answers

What was one of the primary effects of the French Revolution?

The radicalization of political thought during the Reign of Terror. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What role did the Enlightenment play in the political landscape of the time?

It encouraged democratic ideals and natural rights. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which event is considered a symbol of the revolution against tyranny in France?

The storming of the Bastille. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Who is known for opposing torture and advocating for fairer criminal justice systems?

Cesare Beccaria (C) Signup and view all the answers

What major change resulted from the Haitian Revolution?

Haiti became the first independent nation formed by a slave-led revolution. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was a cause of the French Revolution?

Economic crisis and taxation inequality. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What ideology did Simon Bolivar advocate for in his independence movements?

Pan-American unity despite regional divisions. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How did women's roles during the Enlightenment challenge prevailing notions of gender?

Women began advocating for education and rights. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Martin Luther and the 95 Theses (1517)

Corruption in the Catholic Church, particularly the sale of indulgences, fueled criticism.
The printing press rapidly spread reformist ideas.
Humanism's emphasis on individual thought and questioning of authority contributed.
The 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation, leading to new denominations (Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism).
Religious wars, like the Thirty Years' War, resulted.
Church authority decreased, and secular rulers gained power.
The Catholic Church responded with reforms through the Council of Trent (Counter-Reformation).

Role of Silver (1450s - 1750s)

Silver became the first truly global commodity, driving international trade.
Major sources were Potosí (Bolivia) and Zacatecas (Mexico).
China's demand for silver, used for taxes, led to a "silver drain" into Asia.
This created a global trade imbalance.
Manila became a critical hub connecting American silver mines to Chinese markets via Spanish galleons.
Spain initially prospered, but inflation ("Price Revolution") weakened its economy.
China's economy boomed, but social inequality worsened due to increased taxes on peasants.

Triangular Trade Route (1500s - 1800s)

The route connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
Europe exported manufactured goods (e.g., guns, textiles).
Africa provided slaves.
The Americas supplied raw materials (e.g., sugar, tobacco, cotton).
The trade drastically expanded the Atlantic slave trade, harming African societies.
It significantly boosted European economies and industrialization.
Social and racial hierarchies in the Americas were altered.

Afro-Eurasian Trade Goods/Routes

Trade routes included the Indian Ocean, Silk Roads, and Trans-Saharan routes.
Luxury goods (e.g., silk, porcelain from China, gold, ivory from Africa) were exchanged.
Agricultural products (e.g., sugar, rice, cotton) were also traded.

Industrial Revolution (Late 1700s - 1800s)

Europe's advantages stemmed from natural resources (coal, iron), Enlightenment ideas, and wealth from colonies.
Britain's early access to resources and a developed banking system were significant factors.
Key innovations included the steam engine (James Watt), mechanized textile production (spinning jenny, power loom), and railroads.
The revolution fostered a growing middle class (industrial capitalists) and an expanding urban working class.
Working-class women and children faced harsh exploitation in factories.
Middle-class women were constrained to domestic roles (cult of domesticity).

Karl Marx/Communism

Karl Marx criticized capitalism for its exploitation of the working class.
He advocated for a classless, stateless society through revolution.
His key text was The Communist Manifesto (1848).

Adam Smith/Capitalism

Adam Smith promoted free markets and limited government intervention (laissez-faire).
His key text was The Wealth of Nations (1776).

French Revolution (1789-1799)

The revolution was driven by economic crisis (government debt, unequal taxation), Enlightenment ideas challenging absolutism, and food shortages.
The storming of the Bastille symbolized the revolt.
The Reign of Terror, led by Robespierre, involved thousands of executions.
The revolution marked the end of the French monarchy and the rise of republican ideals.
Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power and stabilized France but led to further expansion.

Enlightenment (1600s - 1700s)

Enlightenment thinkers emphasized natural rights, popular sovereignty, and separation of powers.
Key thinkers include:
John Locke: Natural rights (life, liberty, property), right to revolt.
Thomas Hobbes: Strong, absolute government for order.
Baron de Montesquieu: Separation of powers.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Popular sovereignty and the "general will."
Voltaire: Freedom of speech and religious tolerance, criticism of absolute monarchs.
Adam Smith: Free market economics.
Cesare Beccaria: Fair criminal justice, opposing torture and the death penalty.
The Enlightenment challenged the Divine Right Theory, replacing it with democratic ideals.
Early feminists emerged (Mary Wollstonecraft, Olympe de Gouges), advocating for women's education and rights.

Chattel Slavery/Coerced Labor (1500s - 1900s)

Chattel slavery was permanent and inheritable.
Coerced labor included indentured servitude, encomienda systems, and debt peonage.

Globalization (1400s - Present)

Globalization involved the Columbian Exchange (transfer of goods, diseases, and ideas).
European imperialism integrated colonies into global trade networks.
Spread of technologies like the printing press.

Absolutism vs. Divine Right Theory (1500s - 1700s)

Absolutism involved centralized royal authority (e.g., Louis XIV).
The Divine Right Theory justified monarchs as divinely appointed rulers.

Haitian Independence (1791 - 1804)

Harsh plantation systems reliant on enslaved labor, inspiration from the French Revolution, Toussaint L'Ouverture's leadership prompted the revolution.
Haiti became the first successful slave-led revolution, gaining independence in 1804.
Economic sanctions from Western powers limited its economic recovery.

Simon Bolivar (1800s)

Bolivar led independence movements in South America (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador).
Inspired by Enlightenment ideas and revolutionary movements in France and the US.
He advocated for Pan-American unity but faced regional and geographical challenges.

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Description

This quiz explores the significance of Martin Luther's 95 Theses and its impact on the Protestant Reformation, as well as the global role of silver in trade from the 1450s to the 1750s. Delve into how these historical events shaped religious authority and international commerce. Test your knowledge on important figures, movements, and economic implications.