AP European History Flashcards: Balance of Power
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 11 cards to help you master important concepts.
Why was a state's ability to "marshal sufficient resources" critical to its military power from 1648-1815?
Advances in military technology made warfare more expensive, so states that could effectively tax and organize their economies were better able to field powerful armies.
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Why was a state's ability to "marshal sufficient resources" critical to its military power from 1648-1815?
Advances in military technology made warfare more expensive, so states that could effectively tax and organize their economies were better able to field powerful armies.
How does the formation of a coalition against Louis XIV illustrate the concept of the balance of power?
It demonstrates that when one state became powerful enough to threaten the autonomy of others, rival states would set aside differences to form an alliance and restore the equilibrium.
How did European powers react to the nearly continuous wars of Louis XIV?
Louis XIV's expansionist policies provoked a coalition of European powers that opposed him in order to maintain the continental balance of power.
How did advances in military technology, known as the "military revolution," affect the balance of power?
New military techniques and technologies tipped the balance of power toward states that were able to marshal sufficient resources to fund and manage them.
After the Peace of Westphalia (1648), what major shift occurred in the primary causes of European warfare?
Religion declined in importance as a cause for war, and was replaced by the concept of the balance of power, along with dynastic and state interests.
What was the "balance of power" in the context of European diplomacy from 1648 to 1815?
It was a guiding principle where European states sought to prevent any single nation from becoming dominant, often forming alliances to counter threats.
What event marks the historical turning point where the balance of power began to supplant religion as a key military and diplomatic objective?
The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 is the event that marked the decline of religion's importance as a cause for warfare and the rise of the balance of power concept.
What was the relationship between military technology and state administration during this period?
Advances in military technology necessitated the growth of state administration, as larger bureaucracies and more efficient tax collection were required to support modern armies.
What was the ultimate goal of European states in attempting to maintain a balance of power?
The primary goal was to ensure their own sovereignty and security by preventing any single state from achieving continental hegemony.
Besides the balance of power, what two factors influenced diplomacy and frequently led to war after 1648?
After 1648, dynastic and state interests, along with Europe's expanding colonial empires, heavily influenced diplomacy and were frequent causes of war.
What were two domestic consequences for states that adopted new, more advanced forms of warfare?
The new forms of warfare required heavier taxation on the populace and the development of a larger, more complex bureaucracy to manage the state's resources.