Unit 3: Absolutism

Unit 3: Absolutism Lesson 5: Revolution documents What I need to knowHow Europeans justified dominating people around the world using an argument of cultural superiority.

The importance of European monarchs and religion when it came to enforcing new social hierarchies on indigenous people.

ObjectivesPhilosophical writings demonstrate a variety of opinions in their message about the most effective structure for government and society.

Absolutism was challenged by new political thought in Europe during the Enlightenment.

Enlightenment thought presented a variety of perspectives on the source of government power shifting from the absolute authority from god to the power of the common man.

Guiding questions How did the French aristocracy view and react to Enlightenment ideals that questioned the "Divine Right of God?

Why is it so difficult to determine and maintain the most effective systems of government?

How did the overthrow of Absolute Monarchs led to so many wars?

How was the overthrow of Monarchs influenced by Enlightenment thinkers?

Magna Carta Magna Carta- make peace between the unpopular King and a group of rebelbarons, it promised the protection of church rights, protection for the barons from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice, and limitations onfeudal payments tothe Crown, to be implemented through a council of 25 barons. Neither side stood behind their commitments, and the charter was annulled byPope Innocent III, leading to theFirst Barons' War.The king was over taxing the barons in order to fund his own wars.The charter became part of English political life and was typically renewed by each monarch in turn, although as time went by and the fledglingEnglish Parliamentpassed new laws, it lost some of its practical significance. Making the charter an essential foundation for the contemporary powers of Parliament and legal principles such as habeas corpus.Magna Carta extensively in the early 17th century, arguing against thedivine right of kingspropounded by theStuart monarchs. BothJames Iand his sonCharles Iattempted to suppress the discussion of Magna Carta, until the issue was curtailed by theEnglish Civil Warof the 1640s and the execution of Charles.

Magna Carta: BackgroundAlthough it is important to remember that King John was a French King ruling an English people, the conflict that resulted in the kings forced seal of the Magna Carta was not a struggle between the Saxon peasants and their foreign Norman rulers; it was between the king and his barons. The Magna Carta was created to protect the rights of the free man and limit the kings ability to abuse his power. King Johns seal of the Magna Carta was his acknowledgment that the barons had ancient liberties and that his power was limited by established English law. Its protections applied only to the Norman elite. Over time, as the definition of a free man has expanded, its principles have been used to protect all citizens. Most of the Magna Carta or Great Charter was a long list of grievances and not actual written law. Only 3 of the original 63 chapters or clauses are valid today: the freedom and rights of the church, the rights to elect city officials in London and other towns, and, most famously, the protection of individuals against arbitrary punishment to be tried by his or her peers. Its significance also lies with the kings seal and acknowledgment that of his limited power, not just the clauses. The Magna Carta has served as the basis of written constitutions and the inspiration for declarations of human rights. As Franklin Roosevelt said in his 3rd inaugural, "The democratic aspiration is no mere recent phase in human history . . . It was written in Magna Carta."

Rights of man Statement of democratic principles: rights of equal peoples, freedom of speech, popular sovereignty, and representative govt. Foundation of the constitution It was passed by France'sNational Constituent Assemblyin August 1789, is a fundamental document of theFrench Revolutionand in the history ofhuman andcivil rights.The Declaration was directly influenced byThomas Jefferson, working withGeneral Lafayette, who introduced it. Influenced also by the doctrine of "natural right", the rights of man are held to beuniversal: valid at all times and in every place, pertaining to human nature itself. It became the basis for a nation of free individuals protected equally by law. It is included in the preamble of the constitutions of both the Fourth French Republic (1946) and Fifth Republic (1958) and is still current. Inspired in part by theAmerican Revolution, and also by the Enlightenment philosophers, the Declaration was a core statement of the values of the French revolution and had a major impact on the development oflibertyanddemocracyin Europe and worldwide (Wikipedia)

Concepts behind itThe concepts in the Declaration come from the philosophical and political duties of theEnlightenment, such asindividualism, thegeneral will, thesocial contractas theorized by the French philosopherRousseau, and theseparation of powersespoused by theBaron de Montesquieu

Ideals came from American declaration since both were working closely together at the time

Defined a single set of individual and collective rights for all men. Influenced by the doctrine of natural rights, these rights are held to beuniversaland valid in all times and places. For example, "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good."They have certain natural rights toproperty, to liberty, and to life. According to this theory, the role of government is to recognize and secure these rights. Government should be carried on by elected representatives.

Activity: Magna Carta Analysis: How does Clause 12 establish the precedent that a council (later Parliament or a representative) to approve of a new tax?Clause 13 protects the rights of citizens to elect their own city officials such as a mayor. Why would that be important?Clause 39, which protects the right of free men to a fair trial and against arbitrary punishment has often been considered the most important. Why? What evidence does the Magna Carta give to the abuses of King John?Many of the complaints in the charter outline the misuse of power by the king. Why were such abuses common in feudal England by the king? How might the lords abuse their power over their serfs?

Review: Guiding QuestionsHow did the French aristocracy view and react to Enlightenment ideals that questioned the "Divine Right of God?

Why is it so difficult to determine and maintain the most effective systems of government?

How did the overthrow of Absolute Monarchs led to so many wars?

How was the overthrow of Monarchs influenced by Enlightenment thinkers?