First Semester Final Study Guide Name: __________________
Lesson 2 - The Rise of Nation States
Vocabulary Words:
Heretic: A person who opposes or does not conform to established religious teachings.
Inflation: steady rise in prices
National Sovereignty: the full right and power of a nation to govern itself.
Fill in the Blank:
1. King Philip II of Spain strengthened control over his empire by enforcing strict
conformity to Catholicism.
2. The Huguenots being 50 percent of the Nobility supports the conclusion that
Protestantism posed a political threat to French monarchy.
3. The loss of Muslim and Jewish merchants was a major cause of political decline in
Spain.
4. The Peace of Westphalia weakened the Holy Roman Empire by recognizing the
sovereignty of more than 300 states.
People and Events:
King Philip II: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Peace of Westphalia: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Thirty Years’ War: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Edict of Nantes: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Discussion Prompt:
Explain how the concept of absolutism and the divine right of kings impacted the
sovereignty of nations like Spain and France.
First Semester Final Study Guide Name: __________________
Lesson 3 – War and Revolution in England
Vocabulary Words:
Divine Right of Kings: belief that the power of monarchs comes from God and is
absolute
Puritans: Protestants in England inspired by Calvinist ideas
Natural Rights: the rights with which people are born
Fill in the Blank:
5. James I believed in the Divine Right of Kings
6. The principle that Parliament must give its consent to taxation was accepted during the
Restoration period.
7. William Blackstone, a judge and professor of law, wrote Commentaries on the Laws of
England which argued that political stability could be achieved through a revived
emphasis on English Common Law
People and Events:
English Common Law: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
English Civil War: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
The Glorious Revolution: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
William of Orange: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Discussion Prompt:
Explain the difference between the beliefs of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. How did
their experiences impact their views of government? (HINT: English Civil War and
Glorious Revolution)
First Semester Final Study Guide Name: __________________
Lesson 4 - Absolutism
Vocabulary Words:
Absolutism: a political system in which a ruler claims to hold total power
Authority: power; person in command
Czar: Russian for “Caesar.” The title used by Russian emperors
Fill in the Blank:
4. Unlike Louis XIV in France, Philip IV was unable to curtail the powerful Spanish Nobles.
5. Frederick William of Prussia set up the General War Commissariat to levy taxes for the army
and oversee its growth, it would soon become an agency for civil government.
6. The Austrian monarchy never became a highly centralized absolutist state like France because
the various ethnic and religious difference between Austrian territories.
7. Determined to westernize Russia, Peter the Great was eager to borrow European technology.
People and Events:
Louis XIV: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Philip IV: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Peter the Great: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
William of Orange: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Discussion Prompt:
Explain the role of Versailles in helping Louis XIV maintain absolute power in France.
First Semester Final Study Guide Name: __________________
Lesson 6 - The Scientific Revolution
Vocabulary Words:
Natural Philosopher: a person who studies and tries to explain the world; a thinker
Heliocentric: sun-centered: the system of the universe in which the planets move around
the sun
Geocentric: Earth-centered: a system of motion in which the sun, moon, and planets
revolve around Earth.
Rationalism: a system of though based on the belief that reason is source of knowledge
Scientific Method: a systematic procedure for collecting and analyzing evidence.
Fill in the Blank:
4. Nicolaus Copernicus’s heliocentric theory challenged the Ptolemaic model of the universe.
5. Maria Winckelmann along with her husband, made some original contributions to astronomy
including the discovery of a comet
6. The Scientific Method emphasized systematic observation and experimentation as opposed to
ancient authorities.
7. The Catholic Church ordered Galileo to abandon the Copernican idea.
People and Events:
Nicolaus Copernicus: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Johannes Keppler: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Isaac Newton: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Descartes: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Discussion Prompt:
How did the Renaissance influence the Scientific Revolution? How did new technologies
lay the foundation for the Scientific Revolution?
First Semester Final Study Guide Name: __________________
Lesson 8 – The Enlightenment
Vocabulary Words:
Philosophe: a person who seeks wisdom; applied to enlightenment thinkers
Separation of Powers: a form of government in which branches have limited power &
control due to checks and balances.
Social Contract: the concept that an entire society agrees to be governed by its general
will and all individuals should be forced to abide by it: best practices for community.
Enlightened Absolutism: a system in which rulers tried to govern by enlightenment
principles while maintaining their full royal power.
Rococo: an artistic style that was highly secular, emphasizing grace, charm and gentle
action.
Fill in the Blank:
6. Enlightenment thinkers began to believe that with changed environments and the correct
influences, people could improve society
7. Joseph II of Austria ended serfdom and the death penalty.
8. Adam Smith believes the pricing of goods and services should be guided by the interactions
between people and businesses with little government involvement.
People and Events:
Montesquieu: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Voltaire: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Diderot: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Rousseau: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Mary Wollstonecraft:
Discussion Prompt:
Why is the Frenchman Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu significant to
the United States and its government?
First Semester Final Study Guide Name: __________________
Lesson 10 - The American Revolution:
Vocabulary Words:
Popular Sovereignty: the right to govern through the consent of the people
Republicanism: A form of government where voters elected officials to represent their
political interests in government rather than participate directly.
Federal System: A form of government in which power is shared between the nation and
state governments
Amendments: an alteration proposed or affected by parliamentary or constitutional
procedure
Fill in the Blank:
10. The stage was set for the Seven Years’ War when, in 1740, a major war broke out over the
succession of the Austrian throne.
11. British leaders felt the colonists should pay for the Seven Years’ War and raised taxes and
tariffs on colonial goods, thus the colonies had great resentment towards Britain
12. The French supplied arms and money to the rebels and French officers and soldiers served
in the Continental Army.
People and Events:
Publishing of Common Sense: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
John Locke & Bill of Rights: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
James Madison & Montesquieu: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Discussion Prompt:
Why did European intellectuals admire the American Revolution and the United States
Constitution?
First Semester Final Study Guide Name: __________________
Lesson 11 - The French Revolution:
Vocabulary Words:
Estates: on of three divisions of society in France under the old regime
Bourgeoisie: the middle class
Coup D’état: a sudden overthrow of the government
Fill in the Blank:
4. The Three Estates were the clergy, nobility, peasants.
5. The bourgeoisie and the nobles both resented the monarchical system that rested on privilege
and an old and rigid social order.
5. The storming of the Bastille symbolized the king’s authority had collapsed in Paris
6. Napoleon toppled the Directory in a coup d’état and brought an end to the French
Revolution.
7. The American Revolution and the French Revolution demonstrated that people could
overthrow a monarchy and reshape a government.
People and Events:
National Convention: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen: Answers will vary
Robespierre & Reign of Terror: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Napoleon: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Discussion Prompt:
Discuss the key functions of the newly elected National Convention.
First Semester Final Study Guide Name: __________________
Lesson 13 - The Rise and Fall of Napoleon:
Vocabulary Words:
Consulate: the top level of French government after the fall of the Directory
Liberalism: a political philosophy based largely on Enlightenment principles; people
should be as free as possible from government and basic rights should be protected
Nationalism: loyalty to one nation above other s and placing an emphasis on promoting
its culture, values, and interests
Principle of Intervention: the idea that great powers have the right to send armies into
countries where there are revolutions to restore legitimate governments
Fill in the Blank:
5. In 1801 Napoleon came to an agreement with the pope that recognized Catholicism as the
religion of a majority of the French people.
6. Napoleon’s Civil Code restricted the rights of women, a step backwards from the French
Revolution.
7. Great Britain was able to hold Napoleon at bay due to its status as an island nation and its
sea power.
People and Events:
The Continental System: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Elba: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Waterloo: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Congress of Viena: Answers will vary – free note taking section.
Discussion Prompt:
Explain Russia’s strategy during Napoleon’s invasion. Why was the outcome of this
conflict significant?
