World History Vocab oct. 6

Absolutism

a political system in which a ruler holds total power

Divine right of kings

Belief that the power of monarchs comes from God and is absolute

Puritians

Protestants in England inspired by calvinist ideas

Cavaliers

Supporters of king charles l (the king) in the english civil war

Roundheads

Supporters of parliament in the english civil war

Natural rights

The rights with which people are born

Boyar

A member of the Russian nobility

Geocentric

Earth centered; a system of planetary motion which the sun, moon, and other planets revolve around earth

Heliocentric

Sun centered; the system of the universe in which the other planets, including earth, revolve around the sun

Universal law of gravitation

One of Newtons three rules in motion

Rationalism

A system of thought expounded by Rene Descartes based on the belief that reason is the chief source of knowledge

Scientific Method

A systematic procedure for collecting and analyzing evidence that was crucial to the evolution of science in the modern world

Empiricism

The theory that says knowledge is achieved through observation

Separation of powers

A form of government which the executive, legislative, and judicial branches limit and control each other through checks and balances

Deism

An eighteenth century religious philosophy based on reason AND natural law

Laissez (Lazy) - faire

The concept that the state should not impose government regulations but should leave economy alone

Authoritarian

Favoring or enforcing STIRCT obedience to authority. especially that of the government, at the expense of personal freedom

Social contract

The concept that on entire society agrees to be governed by its general will and all individuals forced to abide

Enlightened absolutism

A system in which rulers tired to govern by enlightenment principles while maintaining their full royal power