SOL Acronyms
World Religions
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Judaism
Beliefs of Judaism T. Torah = Jewish holy book
O. Oh, most Jews live in Israel and N. America
R. Religious Laws = the 10 commandments
A. Abraham = founder
H. Hebrews = first believers in monotheism
Christianity
Beliefs of Christianity J. Jesus' life & teachings in New Testament (Bible)
E. Early church councils made doctrine (beliefs)
S. Second monotheistic religion
U. United under Catholic Church until 1517
S. Son of God = Jesus
Islam
Beliefs of Islam I. Islam's holy book = Koran
S. Started in Middle East (Saudi Arabia)
L. Laws = 5 pillars of Islam
A. Allah = Islamic name for God
M. Muhammad = founder
I. Islam is monotheistic
C. Cities (holy) = Mecca, Madinah, & Jerusalem
Hinduism
Beliefs of Hinduism K. Karma = reincarnation based on behavior
A. All Hindus live in India'scaste system - strict classes
R. Reincarnation = rebirth based on behavior
M. Many gods - polytheism
A. All Hindus want to end reincarnation
Buddhism
Beliefs of Buddhism B. Buddha - Siddhartha Gautama = founder
U. U love Habeebism
D. Doctrine - 4 Noble Truths
D. Doctrine - Follow the 8 Fold Path to enlightenment & nirvana
H. Hey, Buddhism started in India
A. Asoka spread Buddhism to China & SE Asia
Renaissance
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The Renaissance was a REBIRTH R. Rebirth of Greek and Roman classic culture
E. Established in Italian city-states
B. Birth of the modern world c.1350-1600
I. Italian artists - da Vinci & Michelangelo
R. Renaissance spreads from Italy to N'ern Europe
T. Theater: Shakespeare wrote plays and sonnets
H. Humanism: Erasmus is most famous
Reformation
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Protestants were mad because 
Catholic Church made them say IMAD
I. Indulgences: Certificates that take away sin
M. Merchants want usury
A. Absolute power and wealth of church
D. Domination of church by Italians
Luther's ideas were FUN F. Faith saves people - not good works
U. Ultimate authority for Christians = Bible
N. Nobody is more important in God's eyes
Calvin's ideas hit the church with a POW P. Predestination - God chooses who goes to heaven
O. Our moral lives reveal if we're chosen by God
W. Work ethic that honors God
Henry VIII is the DAD of the Anglican 
Church
D. Divorce: Henry wants one but Pope says no
A. Aha! Henry becomes head of Anglican Church - no pope
D. Did away with Catholic Church's land & wealth in England
Counter Reformation:  The Catholic 
Church Reformed Its SINS
S. Society of Jesus (Jesuits) proselytize for Catholic Church
I. Inquisition: church court set up to punish protesant heretics
N. No more indulgences
S. Stop spread of Protestants: 30 Years' War
Exploration
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Impact of Exploration on the Americas
Europeans RACED to conquer the 
Americas
R - Rigid class system and rule by dictators
A - Africans brought to Americas as slaves
C - Colonies imitate culture of parent countries
E - Europeans immigrate to Americas
D - Diseases kill native Americans
The Columbian Exchange led to CROPS C - Cash crops grown in Americas
R - Racial Slavery (Africans)
O - Oh, cash crops - cotton, tobacco, sugar, coffee
P - Plantation system to grow cash crops
S - Slaves from Africa
Enlightenment
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Effects of the Enlightenment:
Enlightened thinkers thought FASTER
F - Fueled democratic revolutions (French, American, Latin America)
A - Arrival of classical music (Bach and Mozart)
S - Stimulated religious tolerance (Voltaire)
T - The novel invented, Cervantes (Don Quixote)
E - Eugene Delacroix, painter (Liberty Leading the People
R - Revolution in agriculture (crop rotation, breeding)
French Revolution
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The French Revolution caused a TERROR T - The influence of the Enlightenment and the American Revolution
E - Estate system - 3rd estate treated unfairly by 1st & 2nd
R - Revolution begins - storming of the Bastille
R - Reign of Terror - kills anyone against the revolution
O - Off with the absolute monarch, Louis XVI's, head
R - Rise of Napoleon - becomes dictator after coup d'etat
Napoleon's Legacy was like TNT T - Tried to unify all of Europe 
N - Napoleonic Code of Laws 
T - The growth of nationalism in countries he conquered
Congress of Vienna
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Metternich wanted to go BACK to 1789 B - Balance of Power - no country in Europe too powerful
A - A new map of Europe drawn - France weaker
C - Congress of Vienna = peace conference after Napoleon
K - Kings put back in power
Revolutions: Unification of Italy & 
Germany
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Nationalists made Italy ONE O - Oh, Cavour unites N. Italy
N - Nationalist Garibaldi joins S with N
E - Eventually papal states (Rome) joined Italy - 1870
Bismarck makes Germany BIG B - Bismarck used war and German nationalism
I - I do whatever it takes - realpolitik
G - Germany unified after Franco-Prussian War (1870)
Industrial Revolution
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The Industrial Revolution saw the 
growth of INDUSTRY
 I - Increase in population, education, and the middle class
N - New Advancements in Science
D - Dangerous working conditions
U - Urbanization
S - Standard of Living Increases
T - Transportation improved
R - Rise of Pollution
Y - Yeah, steel production improved
The Industrial Revolution led to CHANGES C - Cotton gin led to more slavery
H - Harsh conditions led to unions
A - America, Britain, and Germany are most industrialized
N - No more child labor
G - Give women suffrage
E - Education increases
S - Socialism/Communism
Imperialism
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4 Main Reasons for Imperialism M - Markets for goods - need to sell goods made in the Industrial Revolution
A - Acquire resources - needed resources to produce new goods
I - Introduce Christianity - wanted to proselytize
N - Nationalism - each country wanted to be the best
World War I
and Russian Revolution
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World War I started because I'M A 
DUNCE
I - Imperialism
M- Militarism

A - Alliances

D - Diplomatic Failures
U - U love World History
N - Nationalism
C - Competition for colonies
E - Eek! Archduke Ferdinand's assassination is the Spark!

Russian Revolution puts the Tsar in JAIL J - Japan humiliates Russia in Russo-Japanese War
A - A lot of losses in WWI
I - Incompetence of Tsar Nicholas II
L - Landless peasants want land
Between the Wars
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The Worldwide Depression was caused by a
CRASH
C - Credit Expands
R - Reparations
A - American Industry too dominant
S - Stock Market Crashed, 1929
H - High Protective Tariffs
World War II
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WWII was started by AGGRESSION A - Appeasement: Allies give into Hitler
G - Germany takes over Austria/Czechoslovakia
G - German Nationalism
R - Real Reason, Hitler invades Poland
E - Everyone ignores League of Nations
S - Stupid Treaty of Versailles makes Germany and Italy want revenge 
S - Stupid Pacifism in GB and France
I - Italy wants land
O - Oh, US is isolationist
N - No one stops Japan in Asia
The US fixed W. Germany and Japan with 
MAGIC after WWII
M - MacArthur rebuilds Japan and  Marshall Plan rebuilds W Germany
A - Asia's economy dominated by Japan, Europe's by W Germany
G - Guaranteed security by US (Japan & W. Germany)
I - Incapable of having own military (Japan or W. Germany)
C - Created democracies in Japan & W Germany & W Berlin
The Holocaust was caused by HATRED H - Hitler's belief in Master Race
A - Anti-Semitism
T - Totalitarianism + Nationalism
R - Rascist genocide - "final solution" = kill all Jews quickly
E - Economic Depression blamed on German Jews
D - Defeat in WWI blamed on Jews
Cold War
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The Cold War ended when it 
got WARMER
W - Warsaw Pact countries become nationalistic
A - Awful Soviet Economy
R - Ronald Reagan wins arms race
M - Mikhail Gorbachev lets Soviets see what West has
E - Expansion of NATO
R - Rah, Rah! USSR empire collapses