AP European History AMSCO Guided Notes
3.6: Balance of Power
AMSCO Guided Notes
AP European History Guided Notes
AMSCO 3.6 - Balance of Power
Essential Questions
- How did European states establish and maintain a balance of power on the continent from 1648 to 1815?
I. New Diplomacy and New Warfare
1. What is the balance of power and how did it shape European diplomacy after 1648?
2. How did military technology and tactics change during the wars of religion, and what advantages did these changes give to centralized states?
II. Spain Under the Habsburgs
1. What territories did Spain control under the Habsburgs, and how did Spain's power change during the second half of the 17th century?
2. What triggered the War of the Spanish Succession and why did it matter for the balance of power in Europe?
III. Sweden Under Gustavus Adolphus
1. How did Gustavus Adolphus modernize Sweden's government and military organization?
2. What military innovations did Gustavus Adolphus introduce, and how did they influence other European armies?
IV. France
1. How did Louis XIV make the French army superior to other European armies?
2. What role did fortifications play in Louis XIV's military strategy?
V. Challenges to Monarchs
A. Dutch Resistance in the Spanish Netherlands
1. What was the Dutch Revolt and how did it contribute to Spain's economic decline?
2. How did Amsterdam's rise as a commercial center reflect the shift in European economic power?
B. The Catalan Revolt in Spain
1. Why did the Catalan Revolt occur and what were its consequences for Spain's government?
C. The Fronde in France
1. What caused the Fronde and who led the resistance against royal centralization?
2. How did the failure of the Fronde affect Louis XIV's approach to absolutism?
VI. Conflicts Among Identity-Based Minorities
A. Czech Identity in the Holy Roman Empire
1. How did Czech identity and resistance to Habsburg rule contribute to the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War?
2. What role did Jan Hus's teachings play in shaping Bohemian resistance to Catholic centralization?
B. Celtic Regions of Scotland, Ireland, and France
1. What religious and economic conflicts affected Celtic regions during the 17th century?
VII. European Wars and Diplomacy
A. The End of Ottoman Expansion in Europe
1. Why did the Ottomans attack Vienna in 1683 and what was the significance of their defeat?
2. How did the Battle of Vienna mark a turning point in the balance of power between the Ottoman Empire and European states?
B. The Wars of Louis XIV
1. What were Louis XIV's main objectives in the Dutch War and the Nine Years' War?
2. How did the Peace of Utrecht alter the balance of power established by the Treaty of Westphalia?
3. What were the major territorial changes resulting from the War of the Spanish Succession?
VIII. Prussian and Habsburg Rulers
A. Frederick William I
1. How did Frederick William I transform Prussia into a prosperous and efficient nation?
2. What methods did Frederick William I use to finance and expand Prussia's military?
B. Frederick the Great
1. Why did Frederick the Great invade Silesia in 1740 and what did he gain from this action?
2. What factors allowed Prussia to survive the Seven Years' War despite facing opposition from multiple powers?
3. How did Frederick the Great's military strategy and alliances reflect the balance of power system in 18th-century Europe?
IX. Partitions of Poland
1. What structural weaknesses in Poland's government made it vulnerable to partition by its neighbors?
2. How did the liberum veto affect Poland's ability to function as a unified state?
3. What were the causes and consequences of the three partitions of Poland between 1772 and 1795?
4. How did the partitions of Poland demonstrate the shift in the balance of power toward Russia and Prussia?
Key Terms
balance of power
Parlements
Peace of Utrecht
absolutism
Battle of Vienna
Frederick William I
divine right
Dutch War
Frederick the Great
Peace of Westphalia
Nine Years' War
Maria Theresa
Gustavus Adolphus
Philip V (Philip, Duke of Anjou)
Seven Years' War
Dutch Revolt
Catalan Revolt
War of the Spanish Succession
Stanisลaw II
Fronde
partition
Sejm