AP European History Flashcards: Comparison in the Age of Absolutism and Constitutionalism
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What was the general trend regarding political power in Europe from 1648-1815?
The general trend was toward political centralization, although the form and degree of this centralization varied significantly between states, resulting in different models of sovereignty.
Card 1 of 10
All Flashcards (10)
What was the general trend regarding political power in Europe from 1648-1815?
The general trend was toward political centralization, although the form and degree of this centralization varied significantly between states, resulting in different models of sovereignty.
How did the expansion of European commerce impact the global economy?
The expansion of European commerce accelerated the creation of a worldwide economic network, laying the groundwork for a more integrated global market.
What were the two main, competing forms of political power that developed in Europe after 1648?
The two main models were absolute monarchy, which was prevalent across much of the continent, and alternative political systems (like constitutionalism) that emerged from challenges to monarchical power.
Why didn't all of Europe adopt absolute monarchy during this period?
Challenges to monarchical power in certain states were successful, leading to the establishment of alternative political systems instead of absolute monarchy.
What is meant by the 'struggle for sovereignty' (KC-1.5)?
This refers to the conflict between monarchs and other groups (like nobility or parliaments) over who held the ultimate political authority and power within a state.
Define absolute monarchy as a model of political sovereignty.
Absolute monarchy was a dominant political model in Europe where a monarch held supreme and centralized authority, unconstrained by other political or social groups.
What was the primary outcome of the struggle for sovereignty between monarchs and other groups in Europe from 1648 to 1815?
This struggle resulted in varying degrees of political centralization across different European states, with some consolidating power under a monarch and others developing alternative systems.
What fundamental political conflict characterized the period from 1648 to 1815?
The period was characterized by a competition for power and a struggle over sovereignty between monarchs aiming to centralize control and various groups resisting that centralization.
What is a market economy in the context of 1648-1815 Europe?
A market economy was an economic system that emerged from the expansion of European commerce and the development of a worldwide economic network.
What long-term societal changes did the developing market economy contribute to?
The market economy was a significant contributing factor to the agricultural, industrial, and consumer revolutions that transformed European society.