Absolutism vs. Democracy:Age of Absolutism, Causes of Revolution, The English Civil War & The

Glorious Revolution, The Enlightenment & The Birth of the American Republic

Mrs. McKenna

World History

Standard: WHII.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of scientific, political, economic & religious changes during the sixteenth, seventeenth & eighteenth centuries by:

a) describing the Age of Absolutism, including the monarchies of Louis XIV & Peter the Great;

b) assessing the impacts of the English Civil War & the Glorious Revolution on democracy;

c) 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

Age of Absolutism

Key TermsMonarch: 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

Power of a Monarch• In the 17th Century, people looked to the monarch for political

stability

• Absolute monarchs had tremendous power:Make lawsLevy taxesAdminister justiceControl the state’s officialsDetermine foreign policyControl 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

Examples 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 Russiab/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 militarysymbol of his wealth and power -Fought wars to expand Russia’s 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 & allfor approximately 175 years (no checks people to adopt western-style clothingon 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

Independent Practice

Section Summary Chapter 4.2:

France Under Louis XIV

Section Summary Chapter 4.5:

Absolute Monarchy in Russia

Causes of Revolution

Causes of Revolution (NOTES)

1. Unpopular Method of Rule: People don’t 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 can’t own land, blacks & women can’t 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)

Revolution: Great change over a short period of time; a forcible overthrow of a govt. or social order for a new system

Independent Practice

Case Study

England: Early 1600s

The English Civil War &

The Glorious Revolution

The English Civil War & The Glorious Revolution

Main IdeasMonarchy 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

Independent Practice

Section Summary Chapter 4.3:

Parliament Triumphs in England

The Enlightenment

Scientific Law vs. Natural LawScientific 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)

Scientific Law or Natural Law?Scientific Law or Natural Law?

What goes up must come down

Scientific

Scientific Law or Natural Law?Scientific Law or Natural Law?

People are by nature greedy and selfish and need to be controlled

Natural

Scientific Law or Natural Law?Scientific Law or Natural Law?

The best governments are ones that listen to the people

Natural

Scientific Law or Natural Law?Scientific Law or Natural Law?

The Earth revolves around the sun

Scientific

Scientific Law or Natural Law?Scientific Law or Natural Law?

Blood circulates throughout the body

Scientific

Scientific Law or Natural Law?Scientific Law or Natural Law?

People are happiest when they are free

Natural

What was the Enlightenment?What 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

Roots of the EnlightenmentRoots 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)

PhilosophersPhilosophers• 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

Madame Geoffrin’s Salon

One of the most respected salons. Mozart played for her guests.

New Ideas vs. Old BeliefsNew 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 God’s word– Divine right of kings to rule

Guided Practice

As we go through the notes, we will complete the:

Enlightenment Philosophers Comparative Chart

Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) • 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”

The Social ContractThe 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

John Locke (1632–1704)John Locke (1632–1704) • 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 didn’t, it should be overthrown (Social Contract)

• Supported democracy (limited power and accepted by all citizens); opposed absolute monarchy

“Men being…by 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.”

What are Natural Rights?What 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 Europe’s traditional order

of divine-right monarchies?

God gave certain rights solely to monarchs, not to the general population

Independent PracticeIndependent Practice

Venn Diagram:

Comparing Hobbes & Locke

Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755)Baron 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.”

Voltaire (1694 – 1778)Voltaire (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!)

Independent Practice

Biography: Voltaire

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778)Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778)

• 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.”

Cesare Beccaria (1738–1794)Cesare Beccaria (1738–1794)

• 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

CensorshipCensorshipCensorship = restricting access to ideas & info

Govt & church officials banned & burned books & imprisoned writers

However, ideas spreadregardless

Question: How do you think philosophers and writers avoided

censorship?

Answer:

-Exchanged ideas at salons

-Disguised ideas in works of fiction

Example: The hero of Voltaire’s 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.

Think, 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

Independent Practice

Section Summary Chapter 5.1:

Philosophy in the Age of Reason

Enlightenment: Main IdeasEnlightenment: 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 EnlightenmentResults 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?

Birth of the

American Republic

Influencing RevolutionInfluencing Revolution

Locke’s idea that the people could overthrow a

government that isn’t protecting their natural

rights influenced leaders of the

American Revolution, the French Revolution,

and the Latin American Revolutions

Causes of Revolution1. Enlightenment Ideas: Why would this make people want

change?

2. Unpopular Method of Rule: If people listened to Locke, what form of government would become popular?

3. Economic Distress: What are some kinds of money problems that would make people want change?

4. Social Injustice: Can you think of some real-life examples of this?

5. Religious Intolerance: What group left England because they wanted religious freedom?

6. Nationalism: How could nationalism influence revolution?

Independent Practice

Case Study:

American Revolution 1775-1781

Birth of the American RepublicQuick 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 didn’t 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 didn’t 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)

Discovery Education Video

American History:

Foundations of American Government (55:12)

9:00-10:43, 36:26-end

Independent Practice

Section Summary Chapter 5.3:

Birth of the American Republic

America: Influenced by the EnlightenmentAmerica: Influenced by the EnlightenmentThink, Pair, Share: Who Influenced Each Idea?Think, 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 philosopherinfluenced each passage

The Constitution of the United States of America

Article 1 All legislative Powers herein grantedSection 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.

The 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 shall…be 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.

The Constitution of the United States of America

Article 1 All legislative Powers herein grantedSection 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: MontesquieuThree Branches of Government

The 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 shall…be 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

• Declaration of Independence– The government has an obligation to protect the people’s

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)

Debate: Absolutism vs. DemocracyPurpose: 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 team’s 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 arguments2) While researching, use the attached table to list pros & cons3) 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 philosopherb) Details from the class notes and/or textbookc) 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

Coming up…Coming up…

1789: Influenced by the American Revolution,

the French Revolution toppled the monarchy in the name of liberty and equality