Absolute Monarchs
in Europe
Chapter 18
Quick Question…
What do you think of when you
hear the word “ABSOLUTE”
What are some synonyms for
this word?
Quick Introduction…
 What is an ABSOLUTE MONARCH?
 A king or queen who has total power, and seeks to
control all aspects of society
 What gives the king their power?

Divine Right – belief that God gave the king his
“right” to be king (God’s Representative)
Feudalism
Need for Central
Power
Renaissance
Evolution of
Absolutism
Growth of
Cities
Growth of
Nationalism
Absolutism in France:
th
The Reign of Louis 14
Chapter 18
Section 2
Pages 540-544
What you will learn
 Henry IV, Louis XIII, and Louis XIV
strengthened the French
monarchy, with Louis XIV setting
the example of an absolute
monarch for the rest of Europe
Setting the Stage for Louis 14
King Henry IV
 There were BIG problems in France with religious
connotations.
 The Catholics and the Huguenots (French
Protestants) were constantly fighting.



Huguenots were a threat to Catholics
1/10 French were Huguenots
Un roe, une loi, une foi
 “ One King, One law, One Religion”
 Monarchy
saw Huguenots as a challenge to this
St. Bartholomew's Day
Massacre
 Huguenots and Catholics had been fight for years

1572 Paris Streets run red
 Henry
of Navarre’s (protestant) and Marguerite de Valoi’s
(Catholic) Wedding day
 Brides mother (Queen) ordered all of the protestants in for
wedding to be killed
 10K-70K protestants killed, Henry would escape
 Henry would be next inline for throne

Converted to Catholicism and crowned King Henry IV
III. Setting the Stage for Louis 14
 There was a time of peace when Henry of Navarre (a
Huguenot prince) came to power


He converted to Catholicism in order to help the country
Signed the Edict of Nantes
meant religious toleration for the Huguenots in France.
 Gave them limited freedoms
 One King, one law, one religion is no longer
 Catholicism still official religion of France

King Henry IV
 Focused on repairing war torn France




Fixed financial situation
Eliminated debt and built a surplus
Created new industry
Built roads and canals
 He was assassinated by a fanatic who
did not like
What’s Happening?
 How did Henry IV end France’s wars of religion?
 By converting to Catholicism and granting certain rights to




the Huguenots
Why did the Catholics accept the Edicts of Nantes?
Because it ended the religious wars but still declared
Catholicism as France’s official religion
Why would the French royal family want to kill all the
Huguenots?
Killing them would put an end to the fighting
Setting the Stage for Louis 14:
Louis 13
 B. Louis 13th


WEAK king- young, mom ruled for several years
Richelieu was his main “advisor”
 He
pretty much ran the kingdom, not Louis
 He hated the Huguenots
 Strengthened his own power by weakening the nobles
influence (made them take down their fortified castles)
 La Rochelle, Huguenots side with English, Upon their defeated
all churches had to become catholic
 Repressed Huguenot Nobles with spies and harsh punishment
 More interested in Strengthening the Monarchy than
supporting Catholics
What’s Happening?
 How did Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu
strengthen the French monarchy?
 Reduced power of Huguenots;
 How did Richelieu plan to strengthen the
monarchy?
 By crushing his opponents
Louis 14
The Most Powerful Ruler of France
 “I am the state” – meaning that he was
France

Sun King
 Began his rule when he was 4 years old
 Because he was so young when he took
over, he had an advisor – Mazarin.
 Mazarin’s “rule” caused the nobles to
revolt. Louis hated this and made up his
mind that he would become so powerful
that the nobles would NEVER rise against
him.

Louis excluded them from councils and taxed
them
Absolutism at Versailles
 Demanded to be in charge of all military, political,
and economic initiatives.

Best Example of an Absolute Monarch
 Religion of his subject were also under his direct
control
 Built a enormous palace, Versailles
 Greatest ambition was to build up military and
expand French Territory
Louis’ Palace:
The Palace at Versailles
 The Palace at Versailles was 14 miles
outside of Paris.
 5,000 acres of forests, gardens, and
lawns
 1,400 Fountains, so many that they
could not even run them all at the
same time. (The workers would just turn them on when
Louis walked by, and turn them off when he walked away.)
 The cost to build them palace was
approximately $2.5 billion.
 It took 36,000 people to build the
Palace at Versailles.
People who wanted to speak to the
king could not knock on his door.
Instead, using the left pinkie finger,
they had to gently scratch on the
door, until they were granted
permission to enter. As a result,
many courtiers grew that fingernail
longer than the others
Why do you think that Louis built this palace?
Palace at Versailles
Palace at Versailles
The Actions of Louis 14
 Expanded the economy
 Jean Baptist Colbert – Minister of Finance used
Mercantilism to build France’s bank accounts
 Focused on making money in the New World (fur
trade)
 Limited imports and increased exports
 Over-turned the Edict of Nantes
 Persecuted the Huguenots, so they 200 K left,
and took jobs and money with them.
 Pampered himself
 Lived in TOTAL luxury, had 500 servants, cooks,
etc. who looked after his every desire.
Louis 14 Extends France’s Borders
 Under Louis’ leadership, France
became the most powerful nation in
Europe.


Largest Population
French Army: Best trained, best
weapons, most soldiers
Louis 14 Extends France’s Borders
 With this large army, Louis began to expand the
French borders.



Early in his campaigns he had success
Eventually his luck ran out
Hurt the people, b/c the high cost war was paid with
taxes- went to war 4 times
 Would
melt down royal silver to pay for supplies
One Last War for the French
 The French people wanted peace.
 What they got was another war





The War of Spanish Succession
France and Spain were on the verge of unification
Wanted Spanish throne for his son
Other countries of Europe were scared that this would be
too much power for the Bourbon Kings.
Result: Spain and France were beaten by England,
Netherlands and Holy Roman Empire, and the thrones
were not permitted to be unified.
 Treaty
of Utrecht
French Expansion
Louis 14: Legacy & Death
Positives that Louis Brought
 Strengthened France in Art &
Literature
 Strengthened French Military
and influence in Europe
 Strengthened the French
Colonies in the New World
Negatives that Louis Brought
 Constant Warfare
 Lost of debts (palace and
fighting)
 High Taxes for the people
 Set the stage for the French
Revolution
 Louis died in his bed in 1715. The French people celebrated when
they heard the news.
What’s Happening?
 What were the causes and effects of the Spanish
Succession?
 Caused when other European powers did not
want to see Louis XIV’s son become king of Spain
 Resulted in giving Louis’s grandson the throne,
but keeping France and Spain from being ruled by
the same monarch
Using your notes, fill in the interactive graphic organizer by
describing how the power of the French monarchy increased
under Henry IV, Louis XIII, and Louis XIV.
Monarchy in England
Chapter 18
Section 3
Pages 545-550
Bell ringer 18.3
 Write a brief description of either
the St. Bartholomew’s Day
Massacre or the palace that Louis
XIV built at Versailles. Use details
that will help your reader visualize
the scene.
 5 Points
 7 Sentence Min
What you will learn today
 In contrast to the absolute
monarchy France, the English
monarchy was limited by
Parliament; following a civil
war, Parliament became even
more powerful
Monarchs Defy Parliament
 First, you need to understand that a
MONARCHY is a form of ABSOLUTISM.
 The Monarchs (Kings and Queens) felt
that they were above the law (i.e. –
Parliament)

Parliament – English version of Congress
Monarchs vs. Parliament
Queen Elizabeth – she
had problems with the
parliament regarding
money
James I – he had problems
with the parliament
regarding religion
Charles I – fired the
Parliament – just got rid
of it!
Recap
 Henry VII creates Protestant church to divorce
wife- not able to have male child
 Daughter, Mary take thrown, switch back to
Catholicism and kills protestants
 Daughter, Elizabeth takes thrown, switches back
to Catholic Church
 All of this is done with the help of parliament
passing laws.
Elizabeth
 Parliament wants her to marry so there will be a
male heir to the thrown, but she refuses to do so
 She doesn’t want to share the power with anybody
 She does have a good relationship with Parliament
as they are able to speak their mind w/o fear of
punishment.
What’s Happening
 How did the Tudors work with Parliament?

Henry VIII teamed with Parliament to pass a series
of laws to convert England to Protestantism and
name him head of the Church of England, Elizabeth I
needed the help of Parliament to re-establish herself
as the head of the Church of England
 What do you think would have happened if
Elizabeth I had married?

Might have lost power because her husband would
have wanted to play a part in a growing England
James I Problems with
Parliament
 Elizabeth's Successor
 Relative from Scotland
 Believed in the Devine Rights of Kings
 Bad relations with Parliament



Absolute Power
From Scotland
Low funds from predecessors
 James rarely got what he wanted from Parliament

Who really has the power?
James I Problems with
Religion
 Parliament is increasing power
 Puritans are on the rise


Religious group who wants to purify the church
Thought church was too catholic
 Robes/kneeling
 Puritans wanted to take power away from church
officials
 Church leadership supported James I


James refuses to pass most reform
does have Bible written in English. King James
Charles I
 James dies and son Charles I is crowned.
 Married a catholic woman and went to war (English are Happy). He is
very popular.
 War = $$
 In order to continue conquests he must ask parliament to raise taxes.
 The only way that Parliament would give him money is if
he signed the Petition of Right.




No false imprisonment
No taxes w/o Parliament’s consent
No housing of soldiers in homes
No martial (absolute) law in peace time
Charles I vs. Parliament
 The Petition of Right was a direct challenge to
Absolute Monarchy
 Charles signed it – then he IGNORED it.
 He needs more $ and goes back to Parliament but is
denied.
 Charles fired Parliament for 11 years
 Then he needed them back to get him some money –
for more wars
 He “re-hired” them.
 But after 11 years, who is in the power seat?
Charles I vs. Parliament
 Parliament took this opportunity to further limit
kings power and further empower Parliament
 Charles is not done yet!
 A radical Puritan group within parliament has
moved to abolish the appointment of Bishops within
Catholic Church
 The kings power is directly connected to church
officials
 Charles again fires Parliament
What’s Happening?
 What led the first two Stuart kings to clash with
Parliament?

Went to Parliament to raise money, rarely able to get
what he wanted
 What did Charles I do when Parliament refused to
give him money after he signed the Petition of
Rights?

He taxed the English people and dismissed
Parliament
English Civil War
 Why? – because the people were mad at
Charles for firing the Parliament (and
Parliament was mad too)
 When? – 1642 – 1649
Loyalists
•Supported Charles
•Called “Cavilers”
Also called “Royalists”
VS
Puritans
•Supported Parliament
•Called Roundheads
•Leader was Oliver Cromwell
Results of the English Civil
War
 Oliver Cromwell’s
Roundheads
defeated the Cavilers
and imprisoned
Charles
 They put Charles I
on trial, sentenced
him to death –
chopped his head
off.
Changes in Power
 Oliver Cromwell took over following the
civil war
 Dismissed Parliament
 Formed a Commonwealth


Republican based government
Formed a military state
 Lord
Protector of England
 Fought with Dutch of trade

Very strict
 Closed
theatres
 Limited popular entertainment

THE PEOPLE ARE UNHAPPY
What's Happening?
 What were the causes and results of the
English Civil War?
 CAUSE: Parliament limited Charles I
power and refused to give him money
 RESULT: Charles I executed, Monarchy
and house of Lords abolished, England
becomes a common wealth
Defender of Absolutism
 Thomas Hobbs- Leviathan
 Describes human as being naturally selfish and
fearful
 Life in nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and
short
 People need an all powerful monarch to tell them
how to live.
The Restoration (Charles II)
 After Cromwell died, the people wanted to have a
king – Charles II (Charles I son) took over. (weak)
 He got along better with the Parliament,
restoration took place in England.
 Was weak to Parliament



Was quick to given in
Supported public construction
Reopened theatres
What’s Happening?
 Do you think that England was better off under
the commonwealth or under the monarchy?
 Why did Parliament vote to bring back the
monarchy?

People were unhappy with new Puritan laws,
and Cromwell’s son was an uninspiring leader
Glorious Revolution


1685 Charles II died with NO heir
His brother James II took over (but he was
catholic!)
 Believed
in Absolute Monoarchy
 He soon offended Parliament and voted
some Catholic friends into high office (against
the law)
 Parliament protested, so he fired them
 His wife then had a son and the people were
scared that a long line of Catholics would
rule.
Glorious Revolution
HOWEVER, James had an older Protestant daughter (Mary)
who married William of Orange.
 Parliament invited William to overthrow James II. He brought
and army, James II was scared and fled the country
 Thus, the Glorious Revolution began and ended with no
fighting
 William and Mary begin their reign and develop a
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY :
There is a monarch in place,
however they are limited in
their power

What’s Happening?
 Why are the events of 1688 known as the
glorious revolution?

A new king and king took power without blood shed
Pop Quiz
 True/False
 Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
 ____
 ____
 ____
1.Queen Elizabeth I had a good relationship with
Parliament and called it into session ten
times during her 45-year reign.
2.Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector of England
clamped down on social life by closing
theaters and limiting other forms of popular
entertainment.
3.William and Mary were crowned king and
queen of England in order to prevent a
Puritan monarch from occupying the
throne.
Pop Quiz
Answers
 True/False
 Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
 1.Queen Elizabeth I had a good relationship with





Parliament and called it into session ten
times during her 45-year reign.
TRUE
2.Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector of England
clamped down on social life by closing
theaters and limiting other forms of popular
entertainment.
TRUE
3.William and Mary were crowned king and
queen of England in order to prevent a
Puritan monarch from occupying the
throne.
FALSE
Using your notes, fill in the graphic
organizer by identifying the
causes of the decreasing power of
the monarchy. 5 Points
Rulers of
Russia and
Central
Europe
Chapter 18
Section 4
P. 552-557
Russia Before Ivan
 Far behind Western Development


Run by church officials
Boyars (landowners)
 1546 young prince named Ivan


Took title of Czar
Intended to rule w/o limits
Crash Course
 Russia, the Kievan Rus, and the Mongols:
Crash Course World History #20 - YouTube
Russia’s Absolute Ruler: Ivan IV
 Ivan IV a.k.a “Ivan the Terrible”
 Came to the throne when he was
only 3 years old.
 At the age of 16 he crowned
himself czar (Caesar) and took
control

Why would he want to be
recognized as “czar?”
Two Stages of Ivan’s Life
 “Good Stage” – 1547-1560
 Married
Anastasia
 Expanded Russia’s lands
Expanded to the East Volga River Territory
 Increased trade

 Cleaned-up
the Russian legal system
 General
council included low class and merchants
 Promoted military by merit not social status
WIFE (ANASTASIA) DIED / He thought she was poisoned.
Two Stages of Ivan’s Life
 “Bad Stage” – 1560-1584
 Ivan put together a “secret police” who went around
hunting those suspected of being traitors (killed
1000s)
 Punished anyone who spoke
out against czar
 Killed an entire city (Novgorod)

Wanted to separate form Russia
 Killed his own son (oldest)
Details about killing his son
 In 1581, Ivan beat his pregnant
daughter-in-law for wearing
immodest clothing, causing a
miscarriage. His son, also
named Ivan, upon learning of
this, engaged in a heated
argument with his father, which
resulted in Ivan striking his son in
the head with his pointed staff,
causing his son's (accidental)
death. This event is depicted in
the famous painting by Ilya
Repin, Ivan the Terrible and his
son Ivan on Friday, November
16, 1581 better known as Ivan
the Terrible killing his son
Russia’s Struggles
 After Ivan killed his oldest son there was only his
weak, youngest son to rule.
 He was too weak to lead effectively.
 He died without an heir.
 The Time of Trouble began

Economic, problems, Foreign invasion, uncertainty
 This began the rule of the Romanov Dynasty in Russia
(lasts 300 years)
 Enter Czar Peter the Great
Czar Peter I
 Known as Peter the Great
 6’8” tall
 Took over in 1696

Removed his sister from power
 1st act was to attack Azov (city held by Turks)


Failure, but learned from mistakes
Along side carpenters, he built a navy and Azov
Surrendered
Czar Peter I
 Strengthened the power of the czar (that is added to
his ABSOLUTE POWER)
 When Peter took over Russia was very backwards,
in that they still based their society on Vassals,
serfs, etc., Peter was determined to change this.
Peter’s Reforms
 In 1697, Peter made a grand tour of Western Europe.
 Peter wanted to learn about their customs and manufacturing
techniques.
 In order to make “Westernize” Russia, Peter had to strengthen
is ABSOLUTE POWER. Here’s what he did:




Controlled the Russian Church
Reduced the power of the Upper Class, and created a Middle
Class
Disbanded the Streltsy (politically based Army)
Enlarged the Russian Army (raised taxes to pay them)
Peter’s Westernization of Russia
 The Westernization Process





Introduced Potatoes as a part of their diet
Started a newspaper
Allowed women to attend social gatherings
Had the Nobles start wearing Western Fashions
Education Focus:
 Sponsored

Schools: Navigation, Arts, and Sciences
St. Petersburg: Russia’s warm water port (named after
Peter’s Patron Saint)
Results of Peter’s Actions: Russia became modernized,
and better off as a result of his efforts.
Catherine the Great
 Grew angry with husband Czar Peter III
 Seized power after the Czar was murdered
Catherine the Great Reforms
 Worked on Westernization efforts of Peter the
Great
 Believed that a wise stronger ruler could improve
the lives of their subjects




Reformed legal and education systems
Removed trade restrictions
Promoted Science and arts
Defeated and took over Poland, valuable outlet for
sea trade
Russia take over Poland
 Why is this important?
Catherine the Great
 While fighting a man saying he was Peter III (not murdered)
stepped forward saying the throne was his
 He put together a ragtag army of peasants and rebelled

This was put down
 Catherine decided she needed to strengthen the Monarchy in
rural areas
 She reorganized local government in the hands of nobles and
landowners

In return for their services, she lowered their taxes and gave them
absolute control over their lands and peasants
Monarchy and conflict in
Central Europe
 Unlike Monarchs of Western
Europe and Russia,
Central Europe had no
Absolute Monarchs
The Holy Roman Empire
Has an emperor, but the
Empire has several
smaller states each with its
Own ruler
The Hapsburgs
 In 1450 all of the small states had a ruler that
came from the same family- The Hapsburgs
 One rule would try to exert his authority on all the
States

IV.
The
30
Years
War
When: 1618 – 1648
 Where: Bohemia (Czech Republic)
 Who: Protestants (with Lutheran help) and Catholics
 Details: Conflict over religion, territory, and for power among
European ruling families
 Results:




Hurt Germany most (lost 4 million people)
Treaty: Peace of Westphalia
This was the last religious war in Europe
Europe became a group independent countries, rather than a
Catholic Empire
The 7 Years War
 When: 1756 - 1763
 Where: Europe, India, North America
 Who: England vs. France (and their allies)
 Results: England gained the most


They took all of France’s holding in the New World
England gained trading domination in India
The Scientific Revolution
& Enlightenment
New Models and Methods
Chapter 19 Sec 1-2
Pages 567-579
Bellringer 19.1
Imagine that you are a German engineer
who has moved to Russia to help Peter
the Great build St. Petersburg. Write a
letter in which you try to persuade
another professional back home to come
work with you in Russia.
 5 points

By the 17th Century, many changes
had begun to occur:
Scientists all over Europe kept in touch
 Science became a big business
 Newton’s theory of the Universe

– Huge influence on both scientific &
political/social thinking
Application of Science to Industry
 Popularized Science

Themes of the Scientific Revolution
Science = a philosophy
 Science is practical
 Science creates repercussions in theology
& philosophy

– Deism: “Clockwork Universe”
– Traditional churches of all kinds were
threatened by new ideas about man and God.
More Themes

Science created repercussions in
political thought, as well.
– Scientific Revolution led to a belief in
democracy & freedom
Rational order in the universe – it was
possible scientifically, politically, and
socially
 All of worlds problems could be solved
with reason

What you will Learn
 New
ways of thinking led to
remarkable discoveries during the
Scientific Revolution.
Old Views
Scholars relied on church and traditional
authorities for their beliefs on the structure of
the earth

These old ideas were upheld by the church

– Geocentric Theory
– Taught god put earth at the center of the universe

Scholars would begin to challenge these
traditional way and begin a new way of thinking
– Questioning the natural world
Claudius
Ptolemy
The Universe
Ptolemy’s model of the universe was
generally accepted by ancient & medieval
scientists (geo-centric with concentric
crystalline spheres)
Aristotle was 1st to
Produce this theory

Why new way of thinking

Exploration- lead to study of natural world
– Ancient scholars could give no info about
these new lands
– New people and animals never seen before

Maybe there are other things out there
that have yet to be discovered
– The more the examined natural world, the
more they realized ancient beliefs did not
match
New Views
Challenged old views
 Based on Europeans learning advances
made by Arab world
 Posed theories about natural world and
then tested them

– Called Scientific Method
Scientific Method

The Scientific Method is a set of techniques for
acquiring new knowledge about the natural world
based on observable, measurable evidence.
– Step 1 Identify a problem or a research question to be
answered.
– Step 2 Form a hypothesis that can be tested. A hypothesis
is a proposed answer to the research question and is based
on previous knowledge.
– Step 3 Perform experiments to test the hypothesis.
– Step 4 Record the results of the experiments.
– Step 5 Analyze the results of the experiments to form a
conclusion that either proves or disproves the hypothesis.
What’s Happening?

What changes led to the dawn of modern
science?
– Traditional authorities challenged: new
theories proposed and tested; exploration led
to closer study of natural world; development
of scientific methods

How was the scientific method different
than pervious methods of thinking
– Reliance on testing ideas by experimentation;
rather than accepting the views of traditional
authorities
Two scholars who help
develop the Scientific method
Rene
Descartes
Rene Descartes: Rationalist

Tried to use reason to explain the world—
didn’t trust the senses.
– Doubted everything until it could be proved
by reason

1637: Discourse on Method: emphasis on
deduction & math
– Relied heavily on math and logic to prove
truths
Sir
Francis Bacon
Only way to gain
scientific knowledge is
by experimentation
Observing measuring,
explaining, verifying
Induction vs. Deduction
Medieval scientists believed in the ideas
of Aristotle: Deductive Method: look at
the “whole” and make hypotheses about it
 Bacon rejected the deductive method &
advocated the Inductive method: look at
the parts and make hypotheses about the
whole.

Copernicus- Astronomer
Heliocentric universe in which
stars and planets are points of
light with circular orbits.
 1st scientist to complete a model
of the solar system using science,
physics, and mathematics
 Published “On the Revolutions of
the Heavenly Orbs” in 1473

– did so on his death bed as he fear
church opposition
Tycho BraheAstronomer/Mathematician

Observed the heavens and decided that all
of the heavenly bodies orbited around the
sun, except for the earth and its moon,
and that the sun and its planetary system
revolved around the earth.
Brahe’s
Model
Kepler
Accepted & revised the
Copernican model
 Elliptical (oval) orbits
 Proved mathematically that the
sun is the center of the
universe.

Kepler’s
Model
Galileo
Galileo
Improved the telescope and used it to
observe the moon, stars, and other
heavenly bodies
 1610: Published “Starry Messenger” in
which he claimed there were mountains
on the moon and moons around Jupiter.
 1613: Sunspots discovered

Controversy with the Church

Between 1613 and 1616, Galileo wrote a
series of letters concerning the truth of the
Copernican model.
– The 1616 letter came to the attention of an
influential Cardinal who had it put on the Index
of Prohibited Books.
– He was ordered NOT to hold Copernican views.
More Controversy

1624-30: Galileo wrote “Dialogue
Concerning the Two Chief Systems of the
World: Ptolemaic & Copernican”
– Banned immediately
– Put on Trial in 1633 and found guilty of
breaking the 1616 sentence.
– Put under house arrest where he was
supervised by officers of the Inquisition.
What’s Happening?

What discoveries occurred in astronomy,
physics, and math during the Scientific
Revolution?
– Heliocentric theory; plants orbited the sun;
predictable laws of movement; calculus

Why were Galileo’s books so contraversial?
– They contradicted the official Church
viewpoints that the sun orbited the earth
Sir Isaac
Newton
Sir Isaac Newton
1668: built the first reflecting telescope
 Laws of motion
 Law of universal gravitation
 1687: Published “Principial Mathematican”
 1704: Published “Optics” in which he
included his explanation of differential
calculus as an appendix.

– Developed calculus independent of Leibniz
Scientists
Antony van Leeuwenhoek was 1st to
invent microsope
 Robert Boyle, the father of modern
Chemistry, was 1st to define an element
and described matter as a cluster of tiny
particles

What Happening?

How did scientific ideas move beyond the
realm of science and affect society?
– Science and religion combined to produce
artistic achievement of the Renaissance;
Scientist challenged some of the traditional
ideas of the church
Using your notes, fill in the graphic
organizer by listing the causes and the
effects of new discoveries made during the
Scientific Revolution
5 Points
The Enlightenment
Chapter 19 Sec 2
Pages 574-579
Bell Ringer 9.2

Suppose that you are an astronomer
during the mid-1500s. Write a short
speech explaining why the scientific
method would reveal truth more
accurately than reliance upon traditional
authorities.
What you will learn
European
thinkers
developed new ideas about
government and society
during the Enlightenment.
The Age of Reason

Scientific Revolution convinced many people
in the power of reason
– Could it be used to study human nature too
– Reason can be used to solve human problems
Philosophies'

Philosophies had differing beliefs about
issues, such as the perfect form of
government, etc., but they all shared a
basic unity of thought.
Similarities
All applied reason to their analysis of
society
 All believed in progress and looked
optimistically toward the future
 All sought reform to establish and protect
human liberties
 All attacked the abuses of the Old Regime

Thomas Hobbs- political thinker
Wrote Leviathan
 Based upon his horrific experiences in English
Civil War
 People are self fish and greedy

– People need government

Social contract
– People should give up some freedoms in exchange for
peace, saftey, and order that government will provide

Monarchy was best form of government
– Strong central power could be used to impose law
and order
Locke: Empiricist
People are
naturally happy,
tolerant and
reasonable
 Everyone is born
free with natural
rights of life,
liberty and
property.

Locke: Empiricist
Purpose of the government was to protect
the people
 Monarchs were not chosen by God

– Instead the people consented to the
government, who power was limited by law

“Two Treatises of Civil Government” 1690
– If government failed to protect it citizens’
natural rights, they people had the right to over
throw
 Revolution
Important Ideas
of Locke

“Tabula Rosa” All knowledge comes
from sense impressions made on the mind
from birth.
– At birth the mind is like a “blank slate”
– Our picture of the world is built up of the
impressions which are imprinted on our mind
through numerous observations during our
lifetime.
More Important Ideas
Man is a “rational” being that can be
improved by education and proper
upbringing.
 Provided a “scientific” reason for reform
 Toleration, respect for reason, optimism
about human perfectibility, and political
freedom were all hallmarks of the
Enlightenment that stemmed from Locke.

Rousseau
“Force does not
constitute right...
obedience is due
only to legitimate
powers”
Rousseau (1712 – 1778)
A romantic, he differed from the rest by
questioning the generally accepted faith in
reason and science as a means to a good life
 People were born basically good

– Society corrupted man

Civilization was a disease that had corrupted
man and led him into slavery
– “Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains . . .
(Social Contract)
Social Contract

All men begin in a state of nature, where they
are “benevolent natives.”
– Human nature is innately good—man is corrupted by
society.
The first person to fence off his property ruined
this idyllic state of affairs and created a need for
government—thus a social contract was made
between citizens.
 A social contract was a deal made among the
people themselves in which the supreme
authority was to be the general will.

Government
Direct democracy, an agent of the people
 Revolution is advisable, if the government
no longer serves the needs of the people,
and it can be changed whenever the
people wish.

Montesquieu
“The love of
democracy is
that of
equality”
Montesquieu (1689 – 1755)
Most famous book: The Spirit of the Laws
 Relativist: no one best form of government
exists.

– Good government should vary with the
circumstances of the nation—education, climate,
soil, size, religion, customs, etc.
Necessary Factors

No matter which type of government was
chosen, two characteristics needed to be
present for there to be “good government”
– Checks and Balances
– Separation of Powers
Voltaire
“Liberty of
Thought is the
Life of the
Soul”
Voltaire (1694-1778)
Longest-lived, most prolific philosopher
 Believed the universe is governed by
natural laws which can’t be changed by
man.
 Rejected the idea of innate ideas and held
that knowledge is acquired through
experience which is interpreted by reason.
 Man and human nature are basically good

Diderot (1713 – 1784)

Editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedie (vol. 1
published in 1751)
– 27 years to write
– Propagandistic—designed to show up the
faults of society and to promote rationalism,
science, a respect for natural law, and the
need for reform to create social progress
– Helped spread Enlightenment ideas
– Censored by the Catholic church
Economic Reformers

Physiocrats: a group of economic thinkers
who believed in the existence of natural
economic laws.
– Economic harmony would result when these
natural laws were left alone to operate freely
– Called for a laissez-faire economy
Mary Wollstonecraft

Demanded equal rights for women
– Especially in education

A Vindication of the Rights of Women
– If men and women were equal in education
then they would be equal in society
Adam
Smith
Adam Smith (1727 – 1790)

Father of Modern Capitalism/Laissez-Faire
– Business activities hsoul take place in the free market
– argued against the protection of home industries by
imposing tariffs
– Argued that in the long run it would be to the nation’s
advantage not to restrict imports by tariffs.
Government interference justified only for the
purpose of defense or to extend or protect the
rights and liberties of citizens
 Wanted funding of public education.

Most Famous Quote

Every individual...generally, indeed,
neither intends to promote the public
interest, nor knows how much he is
promoting it. By preferring the support of
domestic to that of foreign industry he
intends only his own security; and by
directing that industry in such a manner
as its produce may be of the greatest
value, he intends only his own gain, and
he is in this, as in many other cases, led
by an invisible hand to promote an end
which was no part of his intention.
Enlightened Absolutism
Ideas of enlightenment thinkers became
popular with some absolute monarchs
 Monarchs tried to justify their despotic
rule by claiming that they were governing
in the interests of the people.
 Some enlightened despots really did care
about the condition of the people are were
willing to offer limited reforms as long as
the reforms did not jeopardize their
power.

Enlightened Monarchs

Enlightened Monarchs included:
– Frederick II (the Great) of Prussia
– Catherine II (the Great) of Russia
– Joseph II of Austria

All of these monarchs sought to provide
educational opportunities, hospitals, and
cultural opportunities to at least some
portion of their population.
Frederick II
Catherine II
Joseph II
Using your notes, fill in the interactive
graphic organizer by describing how
Enlightenment ideas affected government

1. How was the Enlightenment influenced
by reason?
 2. What new views did philosophers have
about government?
 3. What new views did philosophers have
about society?
 4. How did Enlightenment ideas spread?

