Renaissance and Reformation

Term Definition
Mercenary a hired soldier fighting for wages
Republic a government in which the power belongs to a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by the leaders and representatives elected by those citizens to govern according to law
Burgher the middle class of European society ****during the Middle Ages (500-1500 C.E.)
Humanism ****the revival of classical letters, individualistic and critical spirit, and emphasis on secular concerns characteristic of the Renaissance
Vernacular of, relating to, or being a nonstandard language or dialect of a place, region, or country
Fresco the art of painting on freshly spread moist lime plaster with water-based pigments

Chapter 16

Christian Humanism egards classical humanistprinciples like universal human dignity, individual freedom, and the importance of happiness as essential and principal or even exclusive components of the teachings of Jesus.
Salvation deliverance from the power and effects of sin
Indulgence remission of part or all of the temporal and especially purgatorial punishment that according to Roman Catholicism is due for sins whose eternal punishment has been remitted and whose guilt has been pardoned (as through the sacrament of reconciliation)
Lutheranism of or relating to the Protestant churches adhering to Lutheran doctrines, liturgy, and polity
justification the act, process, or state of being justified by God (see JUSTIFY)
predestination the doctrine that God in consequence of his foreknowledge of all events infallibly guides those who are destined for salvation
annul to declare or make legally invalid or void
ghetto (history) a quarter of a city especially in Europe in which Jews were formerly required to live

People to Know

Scientific Revolution and Enlightment

Term Definition
Geocentric having or relating to the earth as center
Heliocentric having or relating to the sun as center
Universal law of gravity that every particle attracts every other particle in the universe with a force that is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
rationalism a theory that reason is in itself a source of knowledge superior to and independent of sense perceptions
scientific method principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses
inductive reasoning any of various methods of reasoning in which broad generalizations or principles are derived from a body of observations.
philosophe the French word for "philosopher," and was a word that the French Enlightenment thinkers usually applied to themselves.
separation of powers the doctrine under which the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government are not to infringe upon each other's constitutionally vested powers
Deism a movement or system of thought advocating natural (see NATURAL) religion, emphasizing morality, and in the 18th century denying the interference of the Creator with the laws of the universe
laissez-faire a doctrine opposing governmental interference in economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for the maintenance of peace and property rights
free enterprise system freedom of private business to organize and operate for profit in a competitive system without interference by government beyond regulation necessary to protect public interest and keep the national economy in balance
social contract an actual or hypothetical agreement among the members of an organized society or between a community and its ruler that defines and limits the rights and duties of each
salons a fashionable assemblage of notables (such as literary figures, artists, or statesmen) held by custom at the home of a prominent person
Rococo of or relating to an artistic style especially of the 18th century characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentation