Title: Absolutism vs. Democracy: Age of Absolutism, Causes of Revolution, The English Civil War
1Absolutism vs. DemocracyAge of Absolutism,
Causes of Revolution, The English Civil War The
Glorious Revolution, The Enlightenment The
Birth of the American Republic
- Mrs. McKenna
- World History
2- Standard WHII.6 The student will demonstrate
knowledge of scientific, political, economic
religious changes during the sixteenth,
seventeenth eighteenth centuries by - describing the Age of Absolutism, including the
monarchies of Louis XIV Peter the Great - assessing the impacts of the English Civil War
the Glorious Revolution on democracy - explaining the political social ideas of the
Enlightenment the ways in which they influenced
the founders of the United States. - Essential Questions Who were the absolute
monarchs? What effect did the absolute monarchs
have on their countries? Who were some
Enlightenment thinkers what were their ideas?
How did the British Parliament assert its rights
against royal claims to absolute power in the
1600s? How did the English Civil War the
Glorious Revolution promote the development of
the rights of Englishmen? How did philosophers of
the Enlightenment influence thinking on political
issues? How did the Enlightenment promote
revolution in the American colonies? - Essential Understanding
- a) The Age of Absolutism takes its name from a
series of European monarchs who increased the
power of their central govts ruled by divine
right - b) Enlightenment thinkers believed that human
progress was possible through the application of
scientific knowledge reason to issues of law
govt Enlightenment ideas influenced the leaders
of the American Revolution the writing of the
Declaration of Independence
3Age of Absolutism
4Key Terms
- Monarch A king or queen who rules a territory,
usually for life by hereditary right - Absolutism A system in which the ruler, usually
a monarch, holds absolute power (complete
authority) over the govt the lives of the
people. This type of government is the opposite
of a constitutional govt or democracy, such as
that found in the United States. - Divine Right The political idea that a monarch
receives his power directly from God. This
allowed monarchs to go unchallenged by their
subjects. - Balance of Power Each nation helps to keep peace
and order by maintaining power that is equal to
rival nations. - The Age of Absolutism takes its name from a
series of European monarchs who increased the
power of their central govt. ruled by divine
right
5Power of a Monarch
- In the 17th Century, people looked to the monarch
for political stability - Absolute monarchs had tremendous power
- Make laws
- Levy taxes
- Administer justice
- Control the states officials
- Determine foreign policy
- Control aspects of daily life
- ALL OF THIS W/ NO CHECKS ON POWER
- No written Constitution or Bill of Rights most
people had no rights at all
6Examples of Absolute Power
- Louis XIV of France Peter I the Great of
Russia - BOTH CENTRALIZED ROYAL POWER RULED BY DIVINE
RIGHT - -Nicknamed himself the Sun King
-Wanted to westernize/modernize Russia - b/c he was the center of France just
(adopted western ideas, technology - as the sun was the center of the universe
culture) - -Built the Palace of Versailles as a
-Created a strong military - symbol of his wealth and power
-Fought wars to expand Russias borders - -Created a strong military
(attempted to gain a warm-water port for
trade) - -No meeting of the legislative assembly
-Forced men to shave their beards all - for approximately 175 years (no checks
people to adopt western-style clothing - on royal power)
-Executed people who challenged his
authority - -Perfected the levee an elaborate
-Built a new capital city at St. Petersburg to - ceremony that emphasized his importance serve
as a Window on the West - distracted nobles who were a threat to
- royal power
7Independent Practice
- Section Summary Chapter 4.2
- France Under Louis XIV
- Section Summary Chapter 4.5
- Absolute Monarchy in Russia
8Causes of Revolution
9Causes of Revolution (NOTES)
Revolution Great change over a short period of
time a forcible overthrow of a govt. or social
order for a new system
- 1. Unpopular Method of Rule People dont like
the leader and/or the type of government (ex.
absolutism, dictatorship, govt that is too
oppressive and/or too weak) - 2. Nationalism Pride in your people or nation
wanting your country to be the best (patriotism,
superiority over other countries) (ex. Nazi
Germany, Communist Soviet Union) - 3. Social Injustice A group of people are
treated unfairly (ex. peasants cant own land,
blacks women cant vote, Holocaust in Europe,
slavery) - 4. Economic Distress Money problems (ex.
depression, recession, war debt, excessive
spending) - 5. Enlightenment Ideas New better ways of
doing things better forms of govt. (ex. rights
of individuals, right to rule comes from the
consent of the governed, democracy) - 6. Religious Intolerance A religious group is
outlawed or treated unfairly (ex. Puritans in
England, Jews in Palestine, Muslims in America
after 9/11)
10Independent Practice
- Case Study
- England Early 1600s
11The English Civil War The Glorious Revolution
12The English Civil War The Glorious Revolution
13Main Ideas
- Monarchy vs. Parliament (power struggle)
- Charles I Absolute monarch dismissed
Parliament - English Civil War Charles I (Cavaliers) vs.
Parliament (Roundheads led by Oliver Cromwell) - Result of Civil War Charles I defeated,
captured executed (first time a ruling monarch
was tried executed by his own people) - Cromwell the Commonwealth abolished monarchy
ruled as a virtual military dictator support by
military - Restoration of the Monarchy Charles II called
home to be king b/c Parliament knew they could
work w/ him - James II dismissed Parliament returned to
absolute monarchy - Glorious Revolution Parliament invited William
Mary to rule but they had to sign the English
Bill of Rights - English Bill of Rights Established a
Constitutional Monarchy, which limited the power
of the monarchy ensured the superiority of
Parliament over the monarch
14Independent Practice
- Section Summary Chapter 4.3
- Parliament Triumphs in England
15The Enlightenment
16Scientific Law vs. Natural Law
- Scientific Law rules discoverable by
- observation experimentation
- (scientific discoveries the functioning of the
universe) - Natural Law rules discoverable by reason
- (human nature the need for government)
17Scientific Law or Natural Law?
- What goes up must come down
18 19Scientific Law or Natural Law?
- People are by nature greedy and selfish and need
to be controlled
20 21Scientific Law or Natural Law?
- The best governments are ones that listen to the
people
22 23Scientific Law or Natural Law?
- The Earth revolves around the sun
24 25Scientific Law or Natural Law?
- Blood circulates throughout the body
26 27Scientific Law or Natural Law?
- People are happiest when they are free
28 29What was the Enlightenment?
- The Enlightenment was an 18th Century
philosophical movement a revolution/change in
thinking - The Enlightenment philosophers hoped to reform
society by applying reason to social, political,
and economic problems
30Roots of the Enlightenment
- The Scientific Revolution
- Scientific successes created great confidence in
the power of reason if people could use reason
to find laws that governed the physical world
(physical sciences), why not use reason to
discover laws that govern human nature? - The Renaissance and Reformation
- The humanists of the Renaissance questioned
accepted beliefs and celebrated the worth of the
individual - During the Reformation, Protestants rebelled
against the Catholic Church - Classical Influences
- Many Enlightenment thinkers were inspired by
classical culture, going all the way back to the
ancient Greeks (some pointed to the democracies
of ancient Athens and Rome)
31 Philosophers
- Thinkers called philosophe(r)s championed
Enlightenment ideas - Philosophers often gathered in informal meetings
called salons, held in the elegant homes of the
wealthy - During the salons, they exchanged and
debated ideas, which helped to shape and
spread the ideas of the Enlightenment
32Madame Geoffrins Salon
One of the most respected salons. Mozart
played for her guests.
33New Ideas vs. Old Beliefs
- Enlightenment thinkers questioned accepted
beliefs - Reason was more important than authority
(challenged the Catholic Church) - Examples of things that were questioned
- Christian faith, which was based largely on trust
in the Bible as Gods word - Divine right of kings to rule
34Guided Practice
- As we go through the notes, we will complete the
- Enlightenment Philosophers Comparative Chart
35Thomas Hobbes (15881679)
- People are by nature selfish greedy
- To avoid chaos, people must enter into a social
contract giving up their freedom to a government
that will ensure order (represents what is best
for society as a whole) - Believed absolute power was needed to preserve
order in society absolute monarch must be strong
and able to suppress rebellion
Leviathan 1651 People are naturally cruel,
greedy, and selfish. Life in a state of nature
would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and
short
36The Social Contract
- Social Contract Human beings have made an
agreement with their government, whereby the
government and the people have distinct roles and
responsibilities - The theory is based on the idea that humans
abandoned a natural (free and ungoverned)
condition in favor of a society that provides
them with order, structure, and most importantly,
protection
37John Locke (16321704)
- People are by nature reasonable moral
- Natural rights (rights that belonged to all
humans from birth) Life Liberty Property - Wrote Two Treatises of Government
- People formed governments to protect their
natural rights - Government existed to protect rights, and if it
didnt, it should be overthrown (Social Contract) - Supported democracy (limited power and accepted
by all citizens) opposed absolute
monarchy
Men beingby nature all free, equal
independent, no one can be put out of this estate
subjected to the political power of another
w/out his own consent.
38What are Natural Rights?
- Freedom of religion, speech, press,
- assembly, property, the pursuit of
- happiness
- These rights are referred to in the American
Declaration of Independence - Question How did these ideas
- challenge Europes traditional order
- of divine-right monarchies?
- God gave certain rights solely to monarchs, not
to the general population
39Independent Practice
- Venn Diagram
- Comparing Hobbes Locke
40Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755)
- The best way to protect liberty was to divide
power between three branches the legislative,
executive, and judicial (separation of powers) - Each branch has the power to check the other two
(checks balances) in order to prevent any one
person or group from gaining too much power
Spirit of the Laws 1748 In order to
have liberty, it is necessary that government
be set up so that one man need not be afraid of
another.
41Voltaire (1694 1778)
- Strong supporter of Freedom of Speech, Thought,
Religion - Battled corruption, injustice, and inequality
- Believed in the separation of church and state
- Used wit as a weapon to expose the abuses of his
day (the French Monarchy, the nobility, and the
Catholic Church) - Wrote Candide as a way to bypass censorship
- Imprisoned and forced into exile
I do not agree with what you have to say, but
I'll defend to the death your right to say
it. (Freedom of Speech!)
42Independent Practice
43Jean-Jacques Rousseau (17121778)
- People are naturally good, but society corrupts
them b/c of this, some controls are necessary,
but should only be imposed by govts that had been
freely elected - Champion of democracy for his idea that
political authority lies with the people - Opposed strong government (oppression)
Social Contract 1762 Man is born free, but
everywhere he is in chains Only the general
will can direct the energies of the state in a
manner appropriate to the end for which it was
founded --- i.e., the common good.
44Cesare Beccaria (17381794)
- For centuries, punishments for crimes had often
been quite cruel one reason was that extreme
punishment was necessary to deter crime in a time
when the police force was too weak to ensure that
criminals would be captured - In 1764, Cesare Beccaria, argued in his essay On
Crimes and Punishments that punishments should
not be exercises in brutality (no cruel or
unusual punishment) - He also argued against capital punishment,
finding it absurd that the
government commits murder to
punish a murderer
45Censorship
- Censorship restricting
- access to ideas info
- Govt church officials
- banned burned books
- imprisoned writers
- However, ideas spread
- regardless
- Question How do you think
- philosophers and writers avoided
- censorship?
46Answer
- -Exchanged ideas at salons
- -Disguised ideas in works of fiction
-
- Example The hero of Voltaires novel, Candide
(1759), travels across Europe, the Americas, and
the Middle East in search of the best of all
possible worlds. He slyly uses the tale to
expose the corruption and hypocrisy of European
society.
47Think, Pair, Share Who Said It?
- Now we will look at several quotes some of
which are actual quotes some of which could
have been quotes - YOUR JOB Figure out which Enlightenment
philosopher said it or could have said it - Directions
- -Independently read over each quote on the
handout identify who said it (or could have
said it) - -Discuss your answers with your partner
- -Be prepared to share
http//www.polleverywhere.com/my/polls
48Independent Practice
- Section Summary Chapter 5.1
- Philosophy in the Age of Reason
49- Enlightenment Main Ideas
- Applied reason to the human world (human nature,
govt) - Stimulated religious tolerance
- Fueled democratic revolutions around the world
- Influenced the framers of the United States
Constitution - Results of the Enlightenment
- Ideas about freedom and representative government
inspired leaders in the American colonies to
revolt and establish an independent republic
(United States of America), which in turn
influenced the French Revolution and the Latin
American Revolutions - The United States Declaration of Independence,
Constitution, and Bill of Rights incorporated
Enlightenment ideas - Can you identify some of the ideas?
50- Birth of the
- American Republic
51Influencing Revolution
- Lockes idea that the people could overthrow a
government that isnt protecting their natural
rights influenced leaders of the American
Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Latin
American Revolutions
52Causes of Revolution
- Enlightenment Ideas Why would this make people
want change? - Unpopular Method of Rule If people listened to
Locke, what form of government would become
popular? - Economic Distress What are some kinds of money
problems that would make people want change? - Social Injustice Can you think of some real-life
examples of this? - Religious Intolerance What group left England
because they wanted religious freedom? - Nationalism How could nationalism influence
revolution?
53Independent Practice
- Case Study
- American Revolution 1775-1781
54Birth of the American Republic
- Quick Overview
- People left England in search of 1) religious
freedom and 2) new sources of wealth - England controlled the American colonies even
though the colonists didnt have people
representing their interests in Parliament No
taxation without representation! - After the Seven Years War, the British
government needed money to pay off their debts,
so they began taxing the colonists (e.g., Stamp
Act, Sugar Act) - Merchants didnt want the British government to
run their affairs - The American colonies and Great Britain had
numerous crises throughout the 1770s (e.g., the
Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre) - The First Continental Congress convened in 1774
to decide what action to take (e.g., create a
list of grievances, demand independence, etc.) - Fighting between Britain and the colonists
erupted at Lexington and Concord in 1775 - Declaration of Independence written and signed in
1776 (formally declared the colonies intent to
be independent) - American Revolution was fought from 1775-1781
- The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787
- Social Contract (agreement between the government
and the people) - Elected executive and legislature (instead of a
hereditary monarchy) - Federal republic (power divided between the
federal government and the states) - Separation of Powers (three branches)
- Checks and Balances (to prevent any one branch
from having too much power) - Rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights (the
first 10 Amendments to the Constitution)
55Discovery Education Video
- American History
- Foundations of American Government (5512)
- 900-1043, 3626-end
56Independent Practice
- Section Summary Chapter 5.3
- Birth of the American Republic
57America Influenced by the EnlightenmentThink,
Pair, Share Who Influenced Each Idea?
- As we look at passages from the United States
- Declaration of Independence,
- Constitution,
-
- Bill of Rights
- Think about which Enlightenment philosopher
- influenced each passage
58The Constitution of the United States of
America Article 1 All legislative Powers herein
granted Section 1 shall be vested in (given to) a
Congress of the United States, which shall
consist of a Senate and House of
Representatives. Article II The executive
Power shall be vested in a Section 1 President of
the United States of America. Article III The
judicial Power of the United States Section
1 shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in
such inferior (lower) Courts as the Congress
may from time to time ordain and establish.
59The Bill of Rights Amendment 1 Congress shall
make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof or abridging (limiting) the freedom of
speech or of the press. Amendment 5 No person
shallbe subject for the same offense to be twice
put in jeopardy of life or limb nor shall be
compelled (forced) in any criminal case to be a
witness against himself nor be deprived of life,
liberty, or property, without due process of
law. Amendment 8 Excessive bail shall not be
required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel
and unusual punishments inflicted.
60The Constitution of the United States of
America Article 1 All legislative Powers herein
granted Section 1 shall be vested in (given to) a
Congress of the United States, which shall
consist of a Senate and House of
Representatives. Article II The executive Power
shall be vested in a Section 1 President of the
United States of America. Article III The
judicial Power of the United States Section
1 shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in
such inferior (lower) Courts as the Congress
may from time to time ordain and
establish. ANSWER Montesquieu Three Branches of
Government
61The Bill of Rights Amendment 1 Congress shall
make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof or abridging (limiting) the freedom of
speech or of the press. ANSWER
Voltaire Amendment 5 No person shallbe subject
for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy
of life or limb nor shall be compelled (forced)
in any criminal case to be a witness against
himself nor be deprived of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law. ANSWER
Locke Amendment 8 Excessive bail shall not be
required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel
and unusual punishments inflicted. ANSWER
Beccaria
62- Declaration of Independence
- The government has an obligation to protect the
peoples natural rights to life, liberty, and
property (Locke) - The people have a right to alter or abolish
unjust governments (a right to revolt/overthrow
the govt) (Locke) - The principle of popular sovereignty, which
states that all power comes from the people, is
another important point in the Declaration - Constitution
- A social contract into which the people would
enter (Hobbes, Rousseau) - Elected legislature and an elected president,
instead of a hereditary monarch (Locke,
Montesquieu) - Separation of powers among the legislative,
executive, and judicial branches (Montesquieu) - Checks and balances (Montesquieu)
- Bill of Rights (important to the passage of the
Constitution) - People had basic rights that the government must
protect, such as freedom of religion, speech, and
the press (Voltaire)
63(No Transcript)
64Debate Absolutism vs. Democracy
- Purpose By studying different political systems,
we can better understand how government affects
the way we live. - Assignment Students will be assigned into teams
one team will argue the benefits of an absolute
form of government (absolutism) while the other
team argues the benefits of a democratic form of
government (democracy). -
- This is a debate so you must be knowledgeable
about the pros and cons of both forms of
government. You must be prepared to defend your
form of government and challenge the other teams
assertions that their form of government is best.
- Actions
- 1) With your team, conduct internet research to
identify pros cons of each form of government
to collect evidence to support your arguments - 2) While researching, use the attached table to
list pros cons - 3) Be sure to provide evidence to support each
pro/con (you must have at least one example/piece
of evidence for each pro/con) evidence could be
in the form of - a) A quote from an Enlightenment philosopher
- b) Details from the class notes and/or textbook
- c) Internet resources
- d) Examples from real-life governments (absolute
monarchies, democracies) - 4) Work with your team to prepare for your
debate each team member must have equal speaking
time so be sure to distribute information evenly
- Index cards are a great way to record your
arguments so that you can access information
easily on the day of the debate
65Coming up
- 1789 Influenced by the American Revolution,
- the French Revolution toppled the monarchy in the
name of liberty and equality