Absolutism & Enligthenment

Absolute Monarchs

A king or queen that has all of the power. They have taken actions to centralize power under their control. Absolute monarchs often treat the people they control poorly.

Absolutism

The kind of political system or government where the king or queen has ALL the power. The people do not have any rights.

Monarch

King or Queen

Divine Right

The idea that monarchs (kings) get their power from God. The monarchs only answer to God. There is nobody on earth more powerful than the king.

Justify

To prove something is right, legal or reasonable. To show that it is OK.

Constitution

A written document that provides the laws of a country.

Parliament

The part of a government that makes laws. Members of Parliament are usually elected by the people who vote.

Despot

An absolute monarch that is cruel and unfair.

Czar

Name for a ruler in Russia

Limited Monarch

Opposite of an absolute monarchy. In a limited monarchy, the king does NOT have all of the power.

Louis the XIV

Absolute monarch in France from 1643- 1715. Known for treating the French people badly and spending money on himself while France went broke

Peter the Great

Absolute monarch in Russia from 1682-1725. He reduced the power of the nobles and the Church in order to give himself more power.

Known for the westernization of Russia. He made Russia more modern by copying things done in Europe.

Cathering the Great

Absolute monarch in Russia after Peter the Great. She continued the westernizations of Russia and gained access to warm-water ports.

Ivan the Terrible

Absolute monarch in Russia from 1530-1584. Known for a harsh ruling style and violence. He killed people suspected of disloyalty.

Nobles/Nobility

Social class of people who were born rich and powerful.

Resist

To fight against.

Rights

Freedoms and laws provided by the government in order to protect the people of a country.

Westernization

To make more like the West. The West is Europe and the United States

Theory

An idea that is a starting point for an argument or investigation. A proposed idea.

Philosopher

A great thinker

enlighten

To give knowledge or understanding to

Revolution

A big change

Natural Rights

Life, liberty and property.

John Locke said that all people have these rights when they are born. Locke believed that no government can take these rights away.

Despot

Ruler that does not allow the people to have rights

Enlightened Despot

An absolute monarch who believed in the Enlightenment ideas.

Tyranny

A harsh government.

Nationalism

Pride and loyalty in your country

Democracy

Type of government where the people have a say by voting.

Montesqieu

Philosopher who came up with the idea that government should be divided into three branches - legislative, executive, judicial.

This system would prevent the government from having too much power.

Voltaire

Philosopher who came up with the idea of freedom of speech

Locke

Philosopher that came up with the idea of natural rights. He believed that all people are born with the rights of life, liberty and property. He believed that the job of government was to protect natural rights.

Reason

to think logically

Liberty

freedom