Drill
Using the information gathered in
yesterdays lesson, complete the
following questions:
Quick Write
You are a peasant living under the power of one
of the absolute monarchs we learned about
today. Select which monarch you feel is the best
and include the following:



Describe the policies and how they affect you
What characteristics do you like? Dislike?
Would you change anything? How would you change
it?
Europe Developed Into Absolute
Monarchies
 Feudalism had collapsed.
 National monarchies replaced.
 Intense competition for land and trade lead to
many wars.
 Religious differences sparked civil wars.
 Absolute monarchy emerged to protect the
nation and preserve order.
Yesterday
What would be your palace’s main function:
A fortress
The place for the seat of
authority
Used to house the court
(nobles)
A place to entertain visitors
 What qualities do you want people to
associate with your rule:
Military strength
Wealth
Political power
Cultural Brilliance
Peter of Russia
Louis the 14th of France
Frederick of Prussia
Phillip of Spain
Ivan of Russia
Gallery Walk Directions
 At each corner there is a poster of an
absolute monarch.
 Complete a worksheet for each monarch,
using the readings at each table. Summarize
each section of the reading on the worksheet.
PHILIP II of SPAIN:
Lifespan: Born 1527, Died 1598
Reign: 1556-1598
Domestic Policy
Philip II ruled with an iron fist. His main focus in his country was politics. To ensure his absolute power, Philip centralized
all royal power. Philip II micromanaged every aspect of the political system, meaning he told each person, even down to the
lowest peasant what to do. He didn’t delegate at all to ensure he was in total control.
Philip II called himself the most Catholic king and with good reason. Philip II claimed to rule through Divine Right. Divine
Right means that god himself has chosen that particular person to rule and his actions were those of god’s working through man.
His main focus for the people was to “culturize” Spain. He allowed for books and art pieces to be written and painted
freely allowing his nation to culturally flourish.
Foreign Policy
Philip II basically stood on a mountain of gold and silver when it came to the economy. During his reign, towns were being
set up in the Americas and all the wealth of the land was being sent back to Spain. Two continents worth of gold were being
shipped to Spain for over 100 years making the country extremely rich.
Philip II puts together the largest armada of ships up to that point. There were over 130 ships in his fleet and he
used that armada to unsuccessfully attack England.
Positive
One of the best examples of an absolute monarch’s rule was Philip II of Spain. He made Spain the most powerful
nation in Europe in the 1500’s. Under Philip II’s rule, enormous amounts of wealth came to Spain causing a boom in the
economy. Philip II also redirected all power to himself including politics and religion.
Negative
Philip’s downfall came from two major failings. With the increased wealth and splendor that came to Spain,
bankruptcies and inflation plagued Philip’s country. The second was the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English, destroying
Spain’s naval dominance.
Personality
As an administrator Philip II had all the vices of his type, that of the laborious, self-righteous man, who thinks he
can supervise everything, is capable of endless toil, and jealous of his authority, and who will let none of his servants act without
his instructions.
How was Frederick II
different from the other
absolute monarchs?
Quick Write
You are a peasant living under the power of one
of the absolute monarchs we learned about
today. Select which monarch you feel is the best
and include the following:



Describe the policies and how they affect you
What characteristics do you like? Dislike?
Would you change anything? How would you change
it?
Example: Frederick II



Frederick II seems to be the best choice for my monarch. Frederick II has several policies
that are really good that will positively affect me. First, his policy on the freedom of the
press will allow me and my neighbors to express our views and feelings on issues. Second,
Frederick allows all religions to practice their beliefs free of persecutions. This is perfect for
me and my family because we are Jewish and don’t have to worry about discrimination.
The last policy that is good for our country is Frederick’s policy on having a strong military.
This allows us to feel safe and prideful in our country.
A major thing that I like about Frederick II is that he has allowed the people to have
some individual rights. Many other rulers do not allow their subjects rights and it has a
terrible effect on their morale and wellbeing. I don’t like that Frederick II’s wars and strong
military have increased the taxes in order to pay for them. I only have so much money.
It is tough to say whether I would change anything or not because the conditions
here in Prussia are pretty good under Frederick II. He has allowed the people to have
certain rights and has abolished things like religious intolerance and torture. So, if I had to
change anything, it might be that Frederick II is an absolute ruler. I think some other people
should have some say in our country. A possible solution could be to create an assembly or
parliament to create some checks and balances.
Homework:
Create a caricature of your favorite King
You must include in your portrait :
• Exaggerated features we listed during class
• At least 1 personality trait
• At least 1 policy
• At least 1 positive & 1 negative
• You must make him say something he would say
or
Write a match.com biography reciting the
following:
• Looking for person who….
•Describe yourself physically
• What are some of your best characteristics
• Be honest what is the worst thing about you