The Absolute Monarchs in Europe
Chapter 21 Study Guide
Answer each of the following questions:
1. What is the concept of “divine right” and who does it support?
That the rulers are given the right to rule from God and it supports
the idea of an absolute ruler
2. What king became France’s most powerful ruler and called himself the
“Sun King”?
Louis XIV
3. What purpose did the palace at Versailles serve?
To show Louis XIV’s power and to make other rulers jealous of him
4. What war was sparked by religious conflict, and effected France,
Spain, Austria and Germany as a result?
Thirty Years’ War
5. Who inherited the Austrian throne after Charles VI had other
European powers sign an agreement?
Maria Theresa
6. What caused the Thirty Years’ War?
Religion, territory and power among European ruling families
7. Which group of people lost the most power under Ivan the Terrible?
Boyars or the nobles
8. Why was Ivan IV called Ivan the Terrible?
He organized a police force that murdered people that he considered
traitors
9. Who was one of Russia’s greatest reformers?
Peter the Great
10. What did Peter I believe Russia’s prosperity depended on?
Warm-water ports
11. How did Frederick the Great describe a ruler?
A father to his people
12. What did Peter the Great make an effort to do for Russia?
Westernize
13. How did Peter the Great westernize Russia?
Raised women’s status
Introduced the potato which became a staple of their diet
Started the 1st newspaper
Made nobles dress in western fashions
14. How did central Europe’s economy differ from western Europe?
Serfs in Central Europe did not move to the citiesand become the
middle class
15. What type of government did England have they end of the 1600s?
A constitutional monarchy
16. Who came to power in England after the Glorious Revolution?
William and Mary
17. What did the Restoration restore to power in England?
The monarchy
18. What is the chronological order of events for the English Civil War,
the Glorious Revolution and the Restoration?
English Civil War, Restoration and then the Glorious Revolution
19. What was the significance of the English Bill of Rights?
It made clear the limits of royal power
20. How did the Puritans finally win the English Civil War?
Cromwell’s army defeated the Royalists and the Puritans held the King
prisoner
Short Answers:
Explain how Russia was different from Western Europe, and explain four
changes that Peter the Great made to westernize Russia.
Differences were caused by: isolation and different forms of
government
Changes came about after Peter traveled to Western Europe to learn
about new technology and modernization
Changes include: raised women status, westernized fashions
Introduced potatoes, started the 1st paper, opened schools for
navigation, hired European military to train Russian soldiers, moved
the capital to St. Petersburg from Moscow