# AP European History: Night Before Review 🚀 Hey! Let's get you prepped and feeling confident for your AP Euro exam. This guide is designed to be your go-to resource for a quick, high-impact review. We'll hit the key points, make connections, and get you ready to ace it! Let's dive in! ## 1. Rise of Prussia 👑 ### The Foundation: Peace of Westphalia (1648) - **Westphalian Sovereignty**: Each state gains autonomy over religion. ⛪️➡️ 🔑 - **Weakening of the Holy Roman Empire**: The Catholic Church's influence diminishes, creating an opening for Prussia. - **Religious Choice**: German states, many opting for Protestantism (Lutheranism), reduce Catholic Church's political power. The Peace of Westphalia is a crucial turning point, setting the stage for the rise of individual states like Prussia by undermining the authority of the Holy Roman Empire and allowing religious autonomy. This is a common theme in AP Euro questions. ### 19th Century Prussia - Prussia emerges as a leading Eastern European power. ## 2. Enlightened Despots 💡 ### What are Enlightened Despots? - Absolute monarchs who adopted Enlightenment ideals. They believed in progress, reason, and improving the lives of their subjects, while maintaining their own power. Think of them as 'enlightened' rulers with a dash of 'despotism'. **Enlightened Despots**: Think of them as rulers who wanted to be both *smart* (enlightened) and *in charge* (despotic). They used Enlightenment ideas to make their rule more efficient and powerful. ### Napoleon Bonaparte (1800-1815) - **Controversial Figure**: Exhibits qualities of an enlightened despot but also a dictator. - **Domestic Reforms**: Modeled after the French Revolution: less Church authority, fairer taxes, natural rights. - **Napoleonic Code (1804)**: Unified law code, citizen army, tax reforms, popular sovereignty, religious freedom. - **Military Campaigns**: Sought to control Europe, ultimately leading to his downfall in Russia and defeat at Waterloo. ⚔️ ![](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_830549_3228.jpg?alt=media&token=2cd611bc-0fd5-4506-a402-17c60186ee24) When discussing Napoleon, remember his duality: he was both a reformer and a conqueror. This complexity is often tested in essays. ###### Image Courtesy of History ### Maria Theresa of Austria (1740-1780) - **Initial Challenges**: Faced the War of Austrian Succession. - **Reforms**: Supported education, scientific academy, smallpox inoculation, military academy, mandatory education, regulated serf payments, police force, Supreme Court. 🏛️ - **Religious Policies**: Exiled Jewish people despite other reforms. - **Motivations**: Strengthen Austria economically and politically after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire; show her ability as a female Habsburg leader. ![](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_f9fef2_4168.jpg?alt=media&token=6aa64c12-6c63-415f-ab34-655ac1775eae) ###### Image Courtesy of Wikipedia ### Joseph II of Austria (1765-1790) - **Co-ruler with Maria Theresa**: Oversaw many reforms while his mother was alive. - **Edict of Toleration**: Granted limited religious freedoms to Jewish and Protestant people. 🕊️ - **Church Reforms**: Closed monasteries not engaged in education or hospital work. - **Criticisms**: Reforms aimed to increase taxation, force military service, and consolidate his power. ![](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_28a21a_3649.jpg?alt=media&token=e7a1b630-c4d8-4474-9082-cc9e4a362a9d) ###### Image Courtesy of Proantic Students often confuse Maria Theresa and Joseph II's reforms. Remember Maria Theresa focused on practical improvements, while Joseph II was more radical in his religious and social reforms. ### Frederick William I of Prussia - **Goal**: Build a self-sufficient, militarily strong Prussia. 🛡️ - **Military Reforms**: Developed a system for recruiting and replacing soldiers and managed an officer corps. - **Domestic Policies**: Disbanded his court, repopulated Eastern lands, freed serfs, taxed the wealthy, abolished hereditary privileges, instituted primary education. ![](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_9ee325_1958.jpg?alt=media&token=63b203fc-8789-4209-a9fa-90a107e8e418) ###### Image Courtesy of Wikipedia ### Frederick II of Prussia (1740-1786) - **Continuation of Reforms**: Followed many of his father's policies. - **Focus on Citizen Contentment**: Believed a happy populace was key to achieving foreign policy goals. - **Strong Leadership**: Aimed to be a present and unchallenged leader. ![](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_1f93cf_3011.jpg?alt=media&token=daec7785-5c0f-43c0-ac0f-31fafb9f268f) ###### Image Courtesy of Wikipedia ### Catherine the Great of Russia (1762-1796) - **Liberal Thinker**: Tried to pass a constitution (failed). - **Economic Growth**: Expanded south and west into Poland, kept serfdom, built and resettled cities, expanded trade, encouraged education (especially for women), built the military. 💰 - **Dependence on Aristocracy**: Maintained serfdom despite personal beliefs to keep the support of the aristocracy. ![](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_679f9e_2832.jpg?alt=media&token=f29e2b22-91e2-4225-b1db-045bae1b985b) ###### Image Courtesy of Wikipedia Enlightened Despots are a *major* topic. Be ready to compare and contrast their reforms, motivations, and limitations. Think about how their actions were influenced by Enlightenment ideals and how they maintained their power. ## Final Exam Focus 🎯 ### Key Topics - **Peace of Westphalia**: Its impact on state sovereignty and the decline of the Holy Roman Empire. - **Enlightened Despotism**: Understand the motivations, reforms, and limitations of rulers like Napoleon, Maria Theresa, Joseph II, Frederick the Great, and Catherine the Great. - **Prussian Rise**: Know how Prussia's military and domestic policies led to its prominence. ### Common Question Types - **Multiple Choice**: Expect questions on specific reforms, dates, and the impact of key events. - **Short Answer Questions (SAQs)**: Be prepared to analyze the motivations behind reforms or compare two leaders. - **Free Response Questions (FRQs)**: Often require you to evaluate the extent to which rulers were truly "enlightened" or to compare the impact of reforms across different states. Practice writing concise answers. For SAQs, get straight to the point and use specific evidence. For FRQs, plan your essay before writing and include a clear thesis statement. ### Last-Minute Tips - **Time Management**: Quickly scan questions and prioritize those you feel most confident about. Don't get bogged down on one question. - **Avoid Common Pitfalls**: Don't just list facts; analyze them. Make sure you understand the "why" behind the "what." - **Stay Calm**: Take deep breaths. You've got this! 💪 ## Practice Questions ### Multiple Choice Questions 1. Which of the following best describes the impact of the Peace of Westphalia (1648)? (A) It strengthened the power of the Holy Roman Empire. (B) It established religious uniformity across Europe. (C) It recognized the sovereignty of individual states within the Holy Roman Empire. (D) It led to the immediate unification of Germany. 2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of enlightened despots? (A) They embraced rationalism and progress. (B) They sought to limit the power of the aristocracy. (C) They implemented reforms to improve the lives of their subjects. (D) They believed in the divine right of kings. 3. Which enlightened despot is most associated with the Edict of Toleration? (A) Frederick the Great (B) Catherine the Great (C) Joseph II (D) Maria Theresa ### Short Answer Question 1. Briefly explain ONE way in which the reforms of Maria Theresa and Joseph II were similar. Then, explain ONE way in which their reforms differed. ### Free Response Question To what extent were the enlightened despots of the 18th century truly "enlightened"? In your response, be sure to discuss at least THREE different rulers and their policies. **Scoring Breakdown:** * **Thesis (1 point)**: A clear, historically defensible thesis statement that addresses the extent to which enlightened despots were truly enlightened. * **Evidence (2 points)**: Provides specific examples of at least THREE different rulers and their policies. (1 point for each example) * **Analysis (2 points)**: Explains the extent to which the rulers were truly enlightened, by analyzing the motivations and impact of their policies. (1 point for each analysis) * **Synthesis (1 point)**: Extends the argument by explaining a connection to another historical period, situation, or concept. (e.g., the limitations of absolutism, the impact of the Enlightenment, etc.)

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Enlightened and Other Approaches to Power

Hannah Hill

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