All AS History Terms

Question 1

The Estates General

Answer 1

Special parliament called by Louise XVI in May 1789 to solve the French financial crisis, consisting of all 3 Estates: Clergy, Nobility and the rest.

Question 2

Feudalism

Answer 2

System that relied on people holding land in return for service or labor to the landowner. Closely related to the French Ancient Regime.

Question 3

Liberals

Answer 3

People who favour reform of traditional beliefs and structures to the benefit of individual freedoms. Open mindedness and tolerance. Counter current to the conservatives.

Question 4

Bourgeoisie

Answer 4

The middle class people: shopkeepers, doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs. Significantly increased their political influence during the French revolution and the Industrial revolution.

Question 5

Ancien regime

Answer 5

Monarchical governments and their strictly hierarchical societies before the French Revolution. Closely related to feudalism

Question 6

Jacobins

Answer 6

Radical French revolutionaries. At some point led by Robespierre, their goals increasingly radicalized during the revolution leading to a split between the (more moderate) Girondins and the (more radical) Montagnards.

Question 7

The Directory

Answer 7

Although technically only a group of 5 Directors, this term is used to refer to the government of France between 1795 and 1799. Responsible for the ‘coup of Fructidor’ in 1797. Overthrown by Napoleon in 1799 (Coup of Brumaire).

Question 8

Flight to Varennes

Answer 8

The royal family’s failed attempt to escape Paris in June 1791.

Question 9

Coupe of Brumaire

Answer 9

Coup d’etat that overthrew the system of the government called the Directory and put Napoleon in power. Took place in 1799.

Question 10

Sans-culottes

Answer 10

Radical, urban, lower classes, which had a radicalizing effect on the revolutionary governments in Paris.

Question 11

Nationalists

Answer 11

People who value and appreciate a (perceived) common bond (nationality, culture, language…) and want to govern themselves rather than being ruled by another country or culture.

Question 12

Bastille

Answer 12

Fortress and prison in Paris, symbol of tyranny of the ancien régime. This was stormed on July 14, 1789. This action is sometimes seen as the start of the French Revolution as it was the first act of violence.

Question 13

Assignats

Answer 13

Paper money used instead of coins and guaranteed by the government. The value thus depends on people’s confidence in it and their willingness to accept it as payment for goods. The value was linked to the appropriated church lands.

Question 14

James Watt

Answer 14

A Scottish engineer who had further developed Thomas Newcomen’s steam pump in 1712. He enable other inventors to improve on his steam engines.

Question 15

Pius IX

Answer 15

A pope elected in 1846 who wanted to broaden education and develop railways. However, in the wake of the revolutions of 1848 turns conservative and opposed an united Italy.

Question 16

Massimi d’Azedgio

Answer 16

(1798-1866) Prime minister of Piedmont after 1848 revolution. Recognized Cavour and wanted Cavour to succeed him.

Question 17

Feargus O’Çonnor

Answer 17

Irishman, chartist, selected as an MP, became a political agitator, owned the newspaper Northern Star and lost power when government banned Chartist march in London.

Question 18

Wilhelm II

Answer 18

Kaiser of Germany in 1888, tension with Bismarck, wanted to increase Germany’s power despite Bismarck’s warnings, abdicated in 1918 after WW1

Question 19

Charles Albert

Answer 19

King of Sardinia (1831-1849), established the Albertine Statute (first Italian constitution), abdicated after which Victor Emmanuel II took his place.

Question 20

Giuseppe Mazzini

Answer 20

Founder of Young Italy (in 1832), part of the Carbonari. His nickname is the heart of Italian unification as he is one of the most passionate nationalists.

Question 21

Giuseppe Garibaldi

Answer 21

Italian nationalist from Nice. Most known for the Expedition of the Thousand during which he conquered the south of Italy and handed it over to Victor Emmanuel II. Known as the Sword of the Risorgimento.

Question 22

Risorgimento

Answer 22

Italian word for Rising Again/Resurgence, political and social movement to unite Italian States, 1815-1871

Question 23

Count Cavour

Answer 23

Known as the Brain of the Risorgimento, Prime minister of Piedmont, negotiated in many wars such as Crimean War and 2nd Italian War of Independence: made the secret treaty of Plombieres with Napoleon III.

Question 24

National Assembly

Answer 24

Parliament created in response to unfair voting procedures in the Estates General: the EG did not represent the people fairly. When they are locked out of their meeting room they will form the National Constituent Assembly.

Question 25

National Constituent Assembly

Answer 25

Parliament created in response to members of the National Assembly being locked out from their meeting place. Will swear Tennis Court Oath; promising to give France its first constitution.

Question 26

Robespierre

Answer 26

The leading member of the Committee of Public Safety during the radical phase of the French Revolution. Led to the Reign of Terror. Invented the Cult of the Supreme Being.

Question 27

National Convention

Answer 27

Parliament when France became a Republic. Will supervise the implementation of the Terror and the execution of Louis XVI. Effective executive powers were with the Committee of Public Safety.

Question 28

Tennis Court Oath

Answer 28

Members from the Third Estates and some First and Second estates members vowed to “not separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require until the constitution of the kingdom is established.”

Question 29

Metternich

Answer 29

The Austrian foreign minister and an important delegate at the Congress of Vienna in 1814-15, priority was to maintain international order to protect Austria. Main Conservative leader.

Question 30

John Locke

Answer 30

The British philosopher, regarded as the father of classical liberalism. Believed that all men should have the right to independence and liberty

Question 31

Helmuth von Moltke

Answer 31

Skillful battlefield commander who cemented his reputation with his reorganization of the Prussian army in 1860s. Becomes Chief of staff.

Question 32

Albecht von Roon

Answer 32

Helped persuade Wilhelm I to appoint Bismarck, and his partnership with Bismarck and Moltke was key to Prussia’s success in the Wars of Unification. Becomes minister of war.

Question 33

Otto von Bismarck

Answer 33

Prussian leader. Political career as a conservative opponent of the liberals. In 1862 he became minister president of Prussia. He gave blood and iron speech in 30 September 1862. Often seen as the architect of German unification.

Question 34

Thermidorian reaction

Answer 34

A parliamentary revolt that overthrew Robespierre and the Jacobins. Can be considered the ending point of the reign of terror and therefor the end of the radical phase of the French revolution.

Question 35

William Lovett

Answer 35

The leader of the chartist movement who favored moral force (no violence) to achieve the Chartist objectives.

Question 36

Napoleonic code

Answer 36

A set of French civil rules established by Napoleon that brought a legal system with clear, uniform and unified, established laws. Also brought back paternalism and slavery.

Question 37

Chartism

Answer 37

A working class movement seeking political reforms in Britain in order to create laws more fair for the lower classes. Named after the people’s charter.

Question 38

Joint stock company

Answer 38

A business system in which people join in collective investments and share stock of the company. This helped reduce the risk in investing making more people invest in businesses and trade. Links to the rise of Capitalism as an economic system.

Question 39

The Enlightenment

Answer 39

An intellectual movement that sought to place reason and science at the center of human endeavor, pitting itself against religious irrationalism and superstition.

Question 40

The August Decree

Answer 40

A series of new laws that effectively brought about the end of feudalism in France and granted more rights to peasants and workers. Adopted in August 1789.

Question 41

Treaty of Campo Formio

Answer 41

(17 Oct. 1797) a peace settlement between France and Austria who had been at war with each other since 1792. By this treaty Belgium and several other smaller territories were handed over to France.

Question 42

Nationalverien

Answer 42

(1859) a group set up to promote liberalism in Prussia, and its members looked for a united Germany under Prussian leadership. (Good example of National Liberal movement).

Question 43

Carlsbad Decrees

Answer 43

(20 Sept. 1819) a series of measures which were intended to control radical groups through censorship. Introduced by Metternich in response to the murder of von Kotzebue by Karl Sand.

Question 44

Richard Trevithick

Answer 44

(1771-1833) A British inventor and engineer who successfully created the world’s first steam railway by using high pressure steam. Dies in poverty.

Question 45

Romanticism

Answer 45

It was a musical, artistic and intellectual movement at the near end of the 18th century. It was about expressing emotion in arts and the past and nature along with it. Closely related to Nationalism as it emphasized a shared language and belonging to a shared territory.

Question 46

Louis XVI of France

Answer 46

Louis XVI was the last king of France before the fall of the French monarchy during the French revolution, his indecisiveness caused the people of French to revolt. He is executed in January 1793 after a close vote in the National Convention.

Question 47

Zollverein

Answer 47

1834. A custom union to manage tariffs, trades and economic policies between the independent German states. It did not include Austria. Key to German unification as it allowed for further integration of the various economies.

Question 48

Triple Alliance

Answer 48

Formed in 1882. An agreement and formation of Austria-Hungary, Italy and Germany. Created to support each other from attacks from other countries.

Question 49

The Three Emperors’ League

Answer 49

Formed in 1873, alliance between Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary. To isolate France and to ease the tension between Austria-Hungary and Russia over the Balkan.

Question 50

The Dual Alliance

Answer 50

Formed in 1879, alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary. Agreed to help when attacked by Russia and stay neutral in case of an attack by another country.

Question 51

The Reinsurance Treaty

Answer 51

Secret treaty between Germany and Russia signed in 1887. Both states promised not to fight each other, unless Germany attacked France or Russia attacked Austria. The treaty was not renewed in 1890, leading the Russians to seek an alliance with the French.

Question 52

The Franco-Russian Alliance

Answer 52

Formed in 1894, between Russia and France. Mutually defense treaty. The Franco-Russian Alliance would remain in place as long as the Triple Alliance existed. Because both feared the Triple Alliance’s power.

Question 53

Entente Cordiale

Answer 53

Signed in 1904, treaty of friendly relations between Great Britain and France. It helped solve disputes between them by acknowledging one another’s control over their respective colonies. (Including Morocco, Egypt and Thailand).