AP European History: Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment Study Guide 🚀

Hey there! Let's get you prepped for the AP Euro exam with a super-focused review of the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment. We'll break down the key concepts, make connections, and get you feeling confident!

🏛️ Rediscovery of Classical Works & Seeds of Change

The Renaissance was a total game-changer! It wasn't just about art; it was about rediscovering ancient knowledge.

• Renewed Interest: Think of it as Europe dusting off old books from Greece and Rome. 📚
• Impact: This sparked new ways of thinking about the world, moving away from strictly religious explanations.
• Observation: People started looking at the natural world with fresh eyes, which set the stage for the Scientific Revolution.

🔬 The Scientific Revolution: A New Way of Knowing

The 16th and 17th centuries saw a massive shift in how people understood the universe.

• Emphasis on Observation & Experimentation: Scientists like Galileo, Kepler, and Newton used observation, experimentation, and math to challenge traditional views.
• Challenging the Old Guard: Aristotle's ideas about the cosmos and the human body were questioned and often overturned. 🤯
• Example: Galileo's telescope observations supported the heliocentric model (sun-centered) of the solar system, contradicting the geocentric (Earth-centered) view.

Caption: Galileo Galilei, a key figure in the Scientific Revolution.

💡 The Enlightenment: Reason & Reform

Building on the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment applied reason to society, politics, and religion.

• Core Values: Empiricism (experience), skepticism, reason, and rationalism.
• Social Contract: The idea that government should protect individual rights, not just rule. Thinkers like Locke and Rousseau developed this concept.
• Government Reform: Enlightenment thinkers advocated for limited government and the separation of powers.

☕ Spreading the Ideas: Salons, Coffeehouses, & Print

Enlightenment ideas didn't stay in books; they spread like wildfire!

• New Public Spaces: Salons, coffeehouses, and lecture halls became hubs for intellectual discussion.
• Printing Press: The widespread availability of books and pamphlets allowed for the rapid dissemination of new ideas. 📰
• Public Sphere: People started engaging in national and international conversations about politics and society.

Caption: A salon, a popular place for intellectual discussion during the Enlightenment.

⚖️ New Political & Economic Theories

The Enlightenment challenged absolutism and mercantilism.

• Absolutism vs. Limited Government: Thinkers like Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau advocated for individual liberty, democracy, and the separation of powers.
• Mercantilism vs. Free Markets: Adam Smith promoted free market principles, arguing that the economy should regulate itself without government intervention.
• Key Thinkers:
  • Montesquieu: Separation of powers
  • Voltaire: Freedom of speech and religion
  • Rousseau: Social contract and general will
  • Adam Smith: Free market economics

Caption: Voltaire, a prominent Enlightenment thinker.

🙏 Religion & the Enlightenment

The Enlightenment challenged traditional religious views.

• Reason over Faith: Enlightenment thinkers believed that religious beliefs should be subject to rational scrutiny.
• Natural Religion: Emphasized reason and nature in understanding the divine.
• Religious Toleration: Advocated for freedom of religion and the separation of church and state.

🏘️ Everyday Life in the 18th Century

Life was changing rapidly in the 18th century.

• Demographic Shift: Population growth led to overcrowding in cities and a growing labor market.
• Environmental Changes: Draining of wetlands and clearing of forests impacted agriculture and the environment.
• Medical Advances: Smallpox vaccination improved public health and decreased mortality rates.
• Technological Innovations: The steam engine and spinning jenny revolutionized industry.

Caption: An illustration depicting the Age of Enlightenment.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Life & Consumerism

Family structures and consumer habits were evolving.

• Smaller Families: Families became more nuclear, with fewer children.
• Consumer Culture: The rise of advertising and marketing led to new forms of consumerism.
• Private Life: Homes shifted from large, multi-generational households to smaller, more private spaces.

🎯 Final Exam Focus

Here’s what to focus on for the exam:

• Key Concepts: Scientific method, empiricism, rationalism, social contract, separation of powers, free market economics, religious toleration.
• Key Figures: Galileo, Newton, Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, Adam Smith.
• Connections: How the Scientific Revolution influenced the Enlightenment and how Enlightenment ideas challenged the existing European order.
• Essay Topics: Be prepared to discuss the impact of the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment on politics, economics, religion, and society.
• Time Management: Quickly identify the main points of the question and focus on providing specific evidence.

📝 Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following best describes the primary focus of the Scientific Revolution? (A) The rediscovery of classical art and literature (B) The application of reason and logic to social problems (C) The development of new methods for observing and understanding the natural world (D) The promotion of religious tolerance and freedom of conscience

2. Which Enlightenment thinker is most associated with the concept of the separation of powers? (A) John Locke (B) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (C) Baron de Montesquieu (D) Adam Smith

3. The ideas of the Enlightenment were MOST directly a challenge to which of the following? (A) The principles of mercantilism (B) The authority of absolute monarchies (C) The development of the scientific method (D) The expansion of European trade networks

Free Response Question

Question: Analyze the ways in which the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment challenged the existing European understanding of the world and its social order.

Scoring Breakdown:

• Thesis (1 point): Presents a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the prompt.
  • Example: The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment fundamentally challenged the existing European understanding of the world and its social order by promoting reason and empirical observation over traditional authority, leading to new political and social theories.
• Contextualization (1 point): Describes a broader historical context relevant to the prompt.
  • Example: The Renaissance and its rediscovery of classical texts and emphasis on humanism set the stage for the Scientific Revolution by encouraging new ways of thinking about the world.
• Evidence (2 points): Provides specific examples of how the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment challenged existing ideas.
  • Example: The Scientific Revolution challenged the Aristotelian view of the cosmos with the heliocentric theory and the Enlightenment challenged absolutism with ideas of limited government and the social contract.
• Analysis and Reasoning (2 points): Explains how the evidence supports the argument and demonstrates historical reasoning.
  • Example: The shift from a geocentric to a heliocentric view of the universe undermined the authority of the Church and the emphasis on reason and individual rights led to calls for political reform.
• Complexity (1 point): Demonstrates a complex understanding of the topic by considering nuance and different perspectives.
  • Example: While the Enlightenment promoted reason, it also led to new forms of social and political inequality, and not all Enlightenment thinkers agreed on the best way to organize society.

You've got this! Remember to stay calm, manage your time wisely, and trust in your preparation. Good luck on the exam! 🍀