Age of Absolutism, Scientific Revolution, and Enlightenment Study Guide

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the political shifts during the Age of Absolutism, the development of Constitutional Monarchy in England, key figures and discoveries of the Scientific Revolution, and the major political philosophies of the Enlightenment.

Absolutism

A political system in which a single monarch holds supreme, unchecked authority over the government and its people.

Divine Right Theory

The political and religious doctrine that a monarch's right to rule comes directly from God, and rebellion against him is a sin.

Louis XIV

The Sun King of France who centralized power, built the Palace of Versailles, and famously stated, "L'état, c'est moi" ("I am the state").

Jean-Baptiste Colbert

The finance minister for Louis XIV who utilized mercantilism to enrich the French treasury.

Edict of Nantes (Revocation)

An action by Louis XIV that ended religious tolerance for French Protestants, known as Huguenots.

Peter the Great

The Russian monarch who modernized and westernized Russia, forcing Western dress and technology upon the nobility (boyars).

St. Petersburg

A new capital city built by Peter the Great on the Baltic Sea, described as his "Window to the West."

Philip II

A devout Catholic monarch of Spain who used the Spanish Inquisition to eliminate heresy and considered himself the defender of the Catholic faith.

The Spanish Armada (1588)

A massive naval fleet launched by Philip II to invade Protestant England; its defeat marked the decline of Spanish global dominance.

Parliament

The legislative body in England representing the nobility and gentry, which shared power with the monarch.

Elizabeth I

A Tudor monarch who established a moderate Protestant Church of England and maintained a strong working relationship with Parliament.

James I

A Stuart king who openly championed the Divine Right Theory and clashed with Parliament over money and religious policies regarding Puritans.

English Civil War (1642–1651)

A conflict between the Royalists (Cavaliers) and Parliamentarians (Roundheads) triggered by King Charles I's refusal to work with Parliament.

Oliver Cromwell

The leader who abolished the monarchy and ruled England as a military dictator under the title "Lord Protector."

The Glorious Revolution (1688)

A virtually bloodless coup in which Parliament invited Mary and William of Orange to replace James II as monarchs of England.

The English Bill of Rights (1689)

A document signed by William and Mary that guaranteed free speech in Parliament and prohibited taxing or raising an army without parliamentary consent.

Constitutional Monarchy

A form of government where a monarch's power is limited by a constitution and laws, effectively ending the Divine Right Theory in England.

Nicolaus Copernicus

The scientist who challenged geocentric theory by introducing the math-based Heliocentric Theory, stating that planets revolve around the Sun.

Johannes Kepler

A mathematician who proved the heliocentric model and discovered that planets move in elliptical (oval) orbits rather than perfect circles.

Galileo Galilei

An astronomer who used an improved telescope to observe moons orbiting Jupiter and craters on the moon; he was forced by the Inquisition to recant his findings.

Isaac Newton

The scientist who formulated the Laws of Motion and the Universal Law of Gravitation, creating a unified framework for earth and the heavens.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to analyzing the physical world defined by the process: $\text{Observation} \longrightarrow \text{Hypothesis} \longrightarrow \text{Experimentation} \longrightarrow \text{Data Analysis/Conclusion}$.

Empiricism

The component of the Scientific Method developed primarily by Francis Bacon, emphasizing observation.

Rationalism

The component of the Scientific Method developed by René Descartes, emphasizing logical reasoning.

The Enlightenment

An intellectual movement that applied logical thinking and rationalism from the Scientific Revolution to human society, government, and rights.

Thomas Hobbes

Author of Leviathan (1651) who believed humans are naturally selfish and cruel, argued for an Absolute Monarchy to maintain order.

John Locke

Author of Two Treatises of Government (1689) who believed in self-government and that citizens have the right to overthrow a government that fails to protect their natural rights.

Natural Rights

The belief that everyone is born with the rights to Life, Liberty, and Property, as proposed by John Locke.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Author of The Social Contract (1762) who argued that government should be a direct democracy guided by the "General Will."

General Will

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's concept of making government decisions based on what is best for the community as a whole.