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A History of World Civilizations since 1750

Study Guide for Test # 1 

1. The Enlightenment

characteristics of the enlightenment (emerged before 1740 in Europe with France as epicenter, challenged the place and role of church and monarchy in society, raised questions about rights). 

the definition of Enlightenment: it was a philosophical movement in 18th-century Europe that fostered the belief that one could reform society using reason. So, the Enlightenment applied the methods and questions of the Scientific Revolution to the study of the human society). 

the proponents of this movement were called: Philosophes (keep in mind the difference between philosophers (concerned with abstract theories) and philosophes (concerned with solving the problems of the world).

the main ideas of the Enlightenment: 1. Use reason to study and understand human societies 2. Use reason to better organize societies. So reason was the key word of the enlightenment.

the hallmarks of Enlightenment were: individual rights, political liberties, and democratic governments.

targets of the Enlightenment: philosophes attacked the monarchy and church, (because they symbolized ignorance and the beliefs and values associated with the old order).

how philosophes diffused their ideas: through personal contracts, letters, diaries, books, and newspapers.

Jean Jacques Rousseau (wrote The Social Contract). 

places where enlightenment ideas were mainly discussed (tea rooms, coffeehouses, meeting halls, and the ‘salons’ sponsored by aristocratic women.

the impact of the Enlightenment: it was a powerful force of change and called for change. Some rulers in Europe welcomed the ideas of the enlightenment to promote reforms, including Catherine the Great of Russia Frederick II of Russia. Finally keep in the significance of the Enlightenment: it led to political revolutions (French, (1789), American (1776), and Haiti (1804).  

2. The American Revolution, 1776-1800 

13 colonies were involved in the America revolution. They were under British control. 

Definition of colony (an era or country that is ruled by another country) and A colonist (a person who lives in a country).

The causes of revolution: 1. A problem of Frontier (started after Seven Years War that opposed French and British troops. The British tried to contain both Indians and American colonies to move east and west. To slow down their settlement, British issued the Proclamation of 1763 which set a western limit along the Ohio River and the Quebec Act in 1774. 2 The British government issues new taxes to raise revenue and force colonists to pay for the cost of colonial administration: Stamp act (1765, which required the payment of fee on all legal documents, publications, and all printed material). Keep in mind that after Stamp Act, British issued new taxes that led to the Boston Massacre (March, 5th 1770, 5 people killed). More violence occurred in the American colonies when British allowed East Indian Company to sell tea, monopoly that provoked anger among Americans, leading to the Boston Tea Party.  

The signs of revolution (13 colonies formed a separate nation, their population increased and their economy boomed, created the Continental Congress, created own currency, organized an army leaded by George Washington, deposed all British governors, and boycotts).  

The ideological support for independence given by Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense. Keep also that Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin drafted the American declaration of independence, which was accepted and approved on July 4, 1776.

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