World History II Test- Absolutism, Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment

absolute monarchy

a system of government where one person has absolute control

absolute monarch

a person who rules an absolute monarchy (king, prince, etc)

absolutism

belief in the system of one ruler having absolute control

How does an absolute ruler gain power?

divine right, military, support of the people, support of the church

How does an absolute ruler keep power?

controlling the military, limiting others' power, punishment/fear, taxing and controlling the economy, divine right

What is the" divine right of kings?"

The belief that a monarch's authority comes directly from God and cannot be questioned

What is an Enlightened Despot?

an absolute ruler who uses ideas from the enlightenment (education, science, reason, etc) to strengthen their rule and improve their country, but still keeping total power

Examples of enlightened despots

Catherine the great

examples of absolute rulers

Charles I, Louis XIV, Peter I

what is a revolution?

a fundamental and often sudden change in political power and/or social structure, sometimes achieved through violence

Was there science before the Scientific Revolution?

yes, but it was more focused on tradition/philosophy/religion rather than evidence and facts. (Ex. Mohenjo daro septic system, persian wind towers, chinese compass, roman aqueduct)

Was the Scientific Revolution a revolution?

yes. it was a revolution in thinking- a major shift from relying on the church and tradition to using experiments, observation, and the scientific method.

What innovations came with the Scientific Revolution?

scientific method (systematic observations + experimentations), new instruments (telescope, thermometer, etc), advances in astronomy (heliocentric theory, planetary motion), better knowledge of anatomy + physiology (through dissections), new laws of physics (motion, gravity)

What challenges came with the Scientific Revolution?

Conflicts with the church over ideas that challenged traditional beliefs, resistance from governments that feared losing authority, limited technology that made research difficult, slow spread of knowledge

Why was the Great Lisbon Earthquake notable?

it was one of the deadliest earthquakes in history, it destroyed most of Lisbon and caused fires and a massive tsunami, it sparked debates about science, religion, and God's role, and it sparked the study of earthquakes (seismology)

What is the Enlightenment?

an 18th century movement where thinkers used reason, logic, and science to understand the world better and improve society.

It challenged tradition and promoted ideas like natural rights, freedom, equality, and better government

What is natural law?

Rules which govern our world and can be discovered through reasoning (Gravity, magnetism, etc)

What are natural rights?

rights we have from birth which cannot be taken way (life, liberty, property)

What is the social contract theory?

The idea that people give up some of their freedom to a government in exchange for protection and power.

(if gov. abuses power, people have the right to overthrow it)

What new ideas for structures of government came from the Enlightenment?

Separation of powers (divide gov. into branches so no one has all the power), checks and balances (each branch can limit the others), popular sovereignty (gov gets power from the people), religious tolerance (separation of church and state), limited government (rulers' powers are restricted)

What was the glorious revolution?

when parliament removed king James II and invited William and Mary (James II's daughter) to rule England

considered "glorious" because it was bloodless and created a constitutional monarchy, limiting the king's power and strengthening parliament

Before William and Mary starting ruling, Parliament made them agree to the English Bill of Rights

What is a constitutional monarchy?

A system where the king or queen's power is limited by a constitution and laws.

The real governing power is held by parliament or elected officials, not the monarch

What was the English Bill of Rights?

a document that limited the monarch's power and strengthened parliament's authority.

The king and queen were not allowed to collect taxes without authority from parliament, limit freedom of speech, or state that parliament's rules shouldn't be obeyed

Charles I

King of England, believed in divine right, had many conflicts with parliament that eventually led to a civil war, angered merchant class, all these conflicts led to his conviction and execution

King Louis XIV

King of france, believed in divine right to rule, very much an absolute monarch, limited power of ministers, no religious tolerance, forced nobles to live with him so he could watch them, his actions led to a long series of wars

Peter the Great

King of Russia, expanded Russia and strengthened it through absolutism, punished everyone who opposed him by torture chambers, flogging, burning, etc

Catherine the Great

Queen of Russia, increased territory, expanded education systems + made laws to protect the citizens while still having absolute power, thought that only one person should rule- many rulers is not efficient, often considered enlightened or an enlightened despot

Galileo

Italian scientist, made many astronomical discoveries including agreeing with copernicus about the heliocentric theory which challenged the church's beliefs. He also significantly improved the telescope. He was convicted by the Church for heresy (disagreeing w/ the church) and sentenced to house arrest for life

Copernicus

Polish mathematician and astronomer, used the scientific method to develop the heliocentric model (which was controversial because it challenged the church's teachings), this changed how people understood the universe

Hobbes

English philosopher, believed that people are naturally evil/selfish and need a strong ruler, believed in absolutism, developed the idea of social contract

Locke

English philosopher/political theorist, believed people are naturally good, supports a government with 3 branches, believed in natural rights and natural law, advocated for religious freedom

Voltaire

French writer and philosopher, believed that everyone was born equal, distrusted democracy, promoted freedom of speech, religion of thought, he was a major voice of the enlightenment

Diderot

French philosopher, cofounder of the encyclopedia which helped spread enlightenment ideas

Wollstonecraft

English writer and philosopher, believed that everyone is equal, advocated for women's rights and argued that women are not naturally inferior to men

Machiavelli

Italian diplomat, author, and philosopher, thought people are naturally evil, argued that rulers should use any means necessary to keep power

Montesquieu

French political philosopher, introduced ideas of separation of power and checks and balances, did not like absolutism, did not think that all people are equal (thought that women are weak and supported slavery)