AP Euro Chapter 17 Vocab

Definition: The Enlightenment was a cultural movement of intellectuals beginning in the late 17th and 18th century Europe emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition. Significance: The Enlightenment is significant because it changed the way people conducted things - people start to do stuff that benefited themselves and were rational instead of doing stuff for everybody like in the old days or ''tradition'' had them do.

Definition: François-Marie Arouet or Voltaire (21 November 1694 - 30 May 1778) was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit, his attacks on the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state. Significance: Voltaire is significance because his personal philosophy inspired others to think like he did which started Revolutions such as the American Revolution and the French Revolution.

Definition: Charles-Louis de Secondat or Montesquieu (18 January 1689 - 10 February 1755) was a French social commentator and political thinker who lived during the Age of Enlightenment. Significance: Montesquieu is significant because his idea regarding separation of powers in government is widely used today in many constitutions. The United States and United Kingdom constitution is an example of this type of thinking.

Definition: Denis Diderot (5 October 1713 - 31 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer. He was a prominent person during the Enlightenment and is best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the Encyclopedia. Significance: Diderot is significant because he helped create the Encyclopedia which inspired many modern day Encyclopedias.

Definition: Encyclopedia, or a Systematic Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts and Crafts, was a general encyclopedia published in France between 1751 and 1772, with later supplements, revised editions, and translations. Significance: The Encyclopedia helped spread knowledge about the world which allowed more intellectuals to learn about interesting topics which led to some of these intellectuals questions the monarchy of French which led to the French Revolution.

Definition: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (28 June 1712 - 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of the 18th-century. Significance: Rousseau is significant because of his philosophy that their birth rank, such as peasant or noble, shouldn't influence their future and only their actions should.

Definition: The social contract is a theory or model which addresses the questions of the origin of society and the legitimacy of the authority of the state over the individual. Significance: The social contract theory helped influence constitutions', such as the American constitutions, with the questioning of state governments ruling individual citizens and they're everyday actions.

Definition: The Persian Letters is a literary work by Charles de Secondat recounting the experiences of two Persian noblemen, Usbek and Rica, who are traveling through France. Significance: The Persian Letters is significant because it attracted wide readership because of it's opinions regarding European society

Definition: Adam Smith (5 June 1723 - 17 July 1790) was a Scottish moral philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. Significance: Adam Smith is significant because of his ideas regarding political economy. He is known today as the ''father of modern economics.''

Definition: Laissez-faire is an economic environment in which transactions between private parties are free from government restrictions, tariffs, and subsidies, with only enough regulations to protect property rights. Significance: Laissez-faire is significant because it promoted free trade which in the modern day is a common thing.

Definition: The Wealth of Nations is a book by the Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith. Significance: The Wealth of Nations is significant because it revolutionized economics and brought more national leaders into thinking of how to make their nations more wealthy which improved the quality of life.

Definition: Cesare, Marquis of Beccaria-Bonesana (March 15, 1738 - November 28, 1794) was an Italian jurist, philosopher and politician best known for his treatise On Crimes and Punishments which condemned torture and the death penalty, and was a founding work in the field of penology and the Classical School of criminology. Significance: Beccaria is significant because his writings inspired people to think about certain rights that governments had. His anti- death penalty belief inspired many to follow his lead and has lead to the modern day anti- death penalty movement.

Definition: The philosophes were the intellectuals of the 18th century Enlightenment. Significance: Their beliefs inspired others to study and determine their own opinions which led to uprisings and the shaping of modern day western society.

Definition: Enlightened absolutism is a form of absolute monarchy or despotism in which rulers were influenced by the Enlightenment. Significance: The Enlightened Despotism system is significant because these monarchs allowed their nations to be reformed which allowed other nations to see how it turned out and follow their example if needed.

Definition: Frederick II (24 January 1712 - 17 August 1786) was King in Prussia (1740-1786) of the Hohenzollern dynasty. Significance: Frederick II is significant because he was a follower of Enlightened Despotism and was able to successfully reform his nation and promoted religious tolerance which provided other nations in Europe an example to follow.

Joseph II of Austria Definition: Joseph II (13 March 1741 - 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. Significance: Jospeh II is significant because of his following of Enlightened Despotism and his failure to fully implement his reforms which provided an example of what not to do for other European monarchs who wished to reform their nations for the better.

Definition: Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great (2 May 1729 - 17 November 1796), was the most renowned and the longest-ruling female leader of Russia, reigning from 1762 until her death in 1796 at the age of sixty-seven. Significance: Catherine the Great is significant because she changed Russia into a superpower in Europe by reforming her government and making her nation more productive and western.

Definition: Deism is the belief that reason and observation of the natural world are sufficient to determine the existence of a God, accompanied with the rejection of revelation and authority as a source of religious knowledge. Significance: Deism is significant because it gave people another option regarding religion instead of Protestant or Catholic.

Definition: Rococo Art is an 18th-century artistic movement and style, which affected several aspects of the arts including painting, sculpture, architecture, interior design, decoration, literature, music and theater. Significance: Rococo Art is significant because it provided people with another option then the glamour of Baroque art. It led the art community to another type of art - less glamour and more playful.

Definition: Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the \"classical\" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome. Significance: Neoclassicism is significant because it shaped the architect industry for years and inspired greats such as the White House and the Congress building in the United States of America.

Definitions: Mary Wollstonecraft (27 April 1759 - 10 September 1797) was an eighteenth-century British writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. Significance: Mary Wollstonecraft opinions regarding women's rights inspired other woman rights activisit which would eventually turn into a movement that would eventually give women the right to vote, drive, divorce amongst other things in the Western World.