Unit 5: Ideological Shifts and Material Changes (1750–1900)

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement in the 17th and 18th centuries emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority.

Empiricism

The belief that knowledge comes from sensed experience rather than tradition or religion.

Rationalism

Utilizing logic to solve social and political problems.

Thomas Hobbes

Philosopher known for the concept of the Social Contract in his work Leviathan.

Social Contract

An agreement among individuals to form a society and give up some freedoms in exchange for security.

Natural Rights

Life, Liberty, and Property; rights that cannot be surrendered or taken away.

Baron de Montesquieu

Philosopher who proposed the idea of Separation of Powers in government.

Civil Liberties

Basic rights and freedoms that are guaranteed to all citizens.

The General Will

A concept by Rousseau, suggesting that government should enact the will of the people.

Nationalism

Intense loyalty to a culture or nation; promotes the idea of a Nation-State.

American Revolution

A revolution fueled by Enlightenment ideals leading to the independence of the American colonies.

Declaration of Independence

Document asserting the independence of the American colonies from British rule.

French Revolution

A radical revolution influenced by Enlightenment ideas that led to political and social upheaval in France.

Reign of Terror

The period during the French Revolution characterized by extreme violence and political purges.

Haitian Revolution

The only successful slave revolt in history that established the nation of Haiti.

Toussaint L'Ouverture

Leader of the Haitian Revolution, an educated former slave.

Latin American Revolutions

A series of revolutions in the early 19th century in Latin America against Spanish rule.

Creoles

People of European descent born in the Americas who resented the Peninsulares.

Simón Bolívar

Key figure in Latin America's fight for independence known as 'The Liberator'.

Italian Unification

The process of consolidating various states into the Kingdom of Italy.

German Unification

The unification of German states under Prussian leadership, completed in 1871.

Industrial Revolution

A period of significant change marking the transition to industrialized economies from agrarian ones.

Agricultural Revolution

The period of agricultural development that preceded and facilitated the Industrial Revolution.

Coal and Iron Ore

Natural resources that were crucial for the development and location of early industrial factories.

Factory System

A method of manufacturing that concentrated labor and production in large, centralized locations.

Interchangeable Parts

Manufacturing components made to be identical and easy to replace, leading to mass production.

Chronology Confusion

A common mistake where students misplace the timeline of revolutions and industrialization.

Classical Liberalism

The 19th-century ideology advocating limited government and free markets, distinct from modern political liberalism.

Nation-State

A political entity where the cultural group is also the governing body.