AP European History Notes

Unit 1: Renaissance and Exploration

Context of the Renaissance

• Period of cultural and intellectual rebirth (14th-17th century)
• Emphasized classical learning, humanism, and arts
• Humanism: Valued human agency, education, reason, and study of classical literature.
• Art: Focused on classical forms, realism, humanism with artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
• Science: Period of discovery; Galileo and Kepler's contributions; development of the scientific method.
• Literature: Renewed interest in classical forms with writers like Shakespeare and Dante.

European Society

• Flourishing of arts and culture
• Rise of nation-states and centralized power
• Protestant Reformation
• Exploration and colonization
• Emergence of middle class and capitalism
• Limited rights for women, patriarchal society

Exploration Causes

• Crusades and trade routes
• Renaissance revival of knowledge
• Technological advancements
• Competition for wealth and power

Italian Renaissance

• Cultural growth in art, literature, philosophy
• Emergence due to rediscovery of ancient texts, merchant class growth, Medici patronage
• Impact on Western culture, arts, literature

Northern Renaissance

• Intellectual and artistic growth in Northern Europe
• Humanism, religious reformation, artistic innovation

Printing Press

• Invented by Gutenberg; revolutionized information dissemination
• Increased literacy rates

New Monarchies 1450-1648

• Monarchies centralized power and established states
• Decline of feudalism, growth of trade

Age of Exploration

• European exploration for new trade routes, wealth, and territories
• Major explorers include Columbus and Magellan

Colonial Rivals

• European expansion leading to conflicts over resources and territories

Columbian Exchange

• Exchange of plants, animals, diseases between Old and New World

Slave Trade and Triangular Trade

• Slavery began with Portuguese traders
• Triangular trade involved Europe, Africa, Americas

Commercial Revolution

• European economic expansion, rise of capitalism

Causation in Renaissance and Age of Discovery

• Driven by desire for knowledge, wealth, power

Unit 2: Age of Reformation

Contextualizing 16th and 17th Century Challenges and Developments

• Pre-Luther reformers like Wycliffe, Hus, Erasmus
• Critiques of the Catholic Church's corruption
• Economic developments: capitalism, trade
• Political developments: rise of nation-states, religious conflicts, absolutism

Luther and the Protestant Reformation

• Martin Luther's 95 Theses; emphasis on faith and Bible
• John Calvin's influence and ideas
• Protestant beliefs: sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia

Protestant Reform Continues

• State control over church, conflicts with dissenting groups

Wars of Religion

• Major conflicts like German Peasants' War, French Wars of Religion, Thirty Years' War

The Catholic Reformation

• Catholic Church response to Protestant Reformation

16th-Century Society & Politics

• Social classes, community life, leisure activities

Mannerism and Baroque Art

• Mannerism: artistic style with elongated proportions
• Baroque art: dramatic, emotional intensity

Causation in Age of Reformation and Wars of Religion

• Religious, political, social factors driving change

Unit 3: Absolutism and Constitutionalism

Context of State Building (1648-1815)

• Sovereignty levels: dynastic, territorial, popular
• Rise of absolutism, challenges from Enlightenment

English Civil War and Glorious Revolution

• Conflict between Royalists and Parliamentarians
• Establishment of constitutional monarchy

Economic Practice and Development (1648-1815)

• Agricultural Revolution, Commercial Revolution

Economic Development and Mercantilism

• Growth of trade, capitalism
• Mercantilism: nation wealth through trade

The Dutch Golden Age

• Economic growth, artistic development, political power

Balance of Power

• Wars of King Louis XIV, decline of empires

Absolutist Approaches to Power

• Absolutism emphasized monarch power

Unit 4: Scientific, Philosophical, and Political Developments

Contextualizing the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment

• Humanism, individualism, intellectualism
• Enlightenment ideas: reason, individual rights, liberty

The Scientific Revolution

• New ideas: empiricism, scientific method
• Advances in anatomy, medicine, astronomy

The Enlightenment

• Political theories: social contract, natural rights

18th-Century Society and Demographics

• Population growth, medicinal advancement, Agricultural Revolution

18th-Century Culture and Arts

• Literature, music, art, fashion

Enlightened and Other Approaches to Power

• Rise of Prussia, enlightened despots

Unit 5: Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century

Contextualizing 18th-Century States

• Economic expansion, political changes

The Rise of Global Markets

• Global trade, population growth

Britain's Ascendency

• Glorious Revolution, colonial power

The French Revolution

• Causes, phases, effects

The Haitian Revolution

• Successful slave revolt

Napoleon's Rise, Dominance, and Defeat

Causation in the Age of the Scientific Revolution

Romanticism

• Cultural movement emphasizing emotion

Unit 6: Industrialization and Its Effects

Contextualizing Industrialization

• Mechanized production, urbanization, government reactions

Spread of Industry

• Britain as leader, innovations

Second-Wave Industrialization and Its Effects

The Concert of Europe and European Conservatism

• Congress of Vienna, Concert of Europe

Revolutions 1815-1914

• Political revolts, Russian reformers

Ideologies of Change and Reform Movements

Institutional Responses and Reform

Causation in the Age of Industrialization

Unit 7: 19th-Century Perspectives and Political Developments

Context of 19th Century Politics

Nationalism

• Factors, spread, impact

National Unification and Diplomatic Tensions

• Unification of Italy and Germany

Darwinism and Social Darwinism

The Age of Progress and Modernity

New Imperialism

• Motivations, methods

Imperialism's Global Effects

• Responses, rebellions, effects on European societies

19th-Century Culture and Arts

Causation in 19th Century Perspectives and Political Developments

Unit 8: 20th-Century Global Conflicts

Context of 20th Century Global Conflicts

• Political, economic, social context

World War I

• Causes, military advancements, global conflict

The Russian Revolution and Its Effects

Versailles Conference and Peace Settlement

Global Economic Crisis: The Great Depression

Fascism and Totalitarianism

• Leaders and regimes

Europe During the Interwar Period

World War II

• Causes, European, Middle Eastern/African, Pacific theatres

The Holocaust

20th-Century Cultural, Intellectual, and Artistic Developments

Continuity and Changes in the Age of Global Conflict

Unit 9: Cold War and Contemporary Europe

Context of the Cold War and Contemporary Europe

Rebuilding Europe After World War II

The Cold War

Two Super Powers Emerge

Postwar Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Atrocities

Contemporary Western Democracies

The Fall of Communism

20th-Century Feminism

Decolonization

The European Union

Migrations within and to Europe Since 1945

Technological Developments Since 1914

Globalization

20th- and 21st-Century Culture, Arts, and Demographic Trends