AP European History Flashcards: Contextualizing the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
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.
Mercantilism
An economic theory, challenged by new Enlightenment ideas, that promoted governmental regulation of a nation's economy to augment state power.
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Mercantilism
An economic theory, challenged by new Enlightenment ideas, that promoted governmental regulation of a nation's economy to augment state power.
What traditional political and economic systems were challenged by new theories during this period?
New political and economic theories directly challenged the systems of absolutism and mercantilism.
Absolutism
A political system, challenged by Enlightenment thought, where a monarch holds supreme and unrestricted power.
What was the overall context in which the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment developed?
These movements developed in a European context where new scientific methods were challenging classical views, creating an environment ripe for intellectual change.
If a philosopher argues that all knowledge must be tested and observed, which core Enlightenment principle are they advocating?
They are advocating for empiricism, which posits that knowledge comes from sensory experience and observation.
How did the Scientific Revolution influence the Enlightenment?
The Scientific Revolution's emphasis on observation and reason provided the intellectual foundation for the Enlightenment's application of those same principles to society, government, and faith.
What were the core principles of Enlightenment thought?
Enlightenment thought was centered on empiricism (knowledge from experience), skepticism (questioning beliefs), and the power of human reason.
What was the methodological basis for new ideas in the Scientific Revolution?
The new ideas in science were based on a methodology of observation, experimentation, and the application of mathematics.
What aspects of society did the Enlightenment's focus on reason and skepticism question?
Enlightenment thought challenged the prevailing patterns of thought concerning social order, the structure of government, and religious faith.
How did the Scientific Revolution challenge classical views?
It introduced new ideas based on observation, experimentation, and mathematics, which questioned traditional understandings of the cosmos, nature, and the human body.