Unit 1: Absolutism and Constitutional Monarchy Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards created from the Unit 1 Study Guide covering Absolutism, Centralization of Power, Constitutional Monarchy, key historical figures, and European geography.

Louis XIV

The absolute monarch of France who centralized power, weakened the nobility, controlled religion, built Versailles, and expanded French authority.

Decline of Feudalism

The historical shift that enabled monarchs to gain central authority as trade and the growth of cities weakened noble control.

Balance of Power

An alliance system and policy used by European nations to counter Louis XIV's expansion and prevent any single power from dominating Europe.

Charles I

The English monarch whose power struggles with Parliament led to the Petition of Right and the outbreak of the English Civil War.

Centralization of Power

The consolidation of political authority into royal hands, weakening the influence of regional nobles and the Church.

Petition of Right

A key parliamentary document produced during the reign of Charles I that sought to limit the authority of the English king.

Oliver Cromwell

The ruler who assumed authority over England following the English Civil War after the challenge to the monarchy.

Absolute Monarchy

A political system where monarchs hold supreme central power and rule without checks and balances.

English Civil War

A armed conflict caused by clashes between the English monarchy and Parliament, pitting Puritans against Royalists.

Charles II

The English king crowned during the Restoration, which brought back the monarchy after Cromwell's rule.

Divine Right

The principle asserting that a monarch's authority to rule derives directly from God, used to justify absolutism.

Glorious Revolution

The 1688 political event that ousted James II, increased Parliament's authority, and established a constitutional monarchy.

James II

The English king whose actions generated widespread political tension and fear, precipitating the Glorious Revolution.

Mercantilism

An economic policy designed to strengthen royal governments through government-regulated trade, wealth accumulation, and taxation.

Constitutional Monarchy

A political system in which royal power is limited by law and shared between the monarch and Parliament.

William and Mary

The joint rulers who took the English throne after the Glorious Revolution of 1688, ushering in constitutional rule.

Palace of Versailles

The massive royal residence utilized by Louis XIV as a political center to monitor, influence, and weaken the nobility.

English Bill of Rights

A landmark act that placed legal restrictions on royal power and shifted ultimate political authority to Parliament.

Three Pillars of an Absolute State

The foundational structures used by absolute monarchs to maintain control: a standing army, bureaucracy, and the Church.

Map Section

The required European territories and powers to locate on a blank map: Austrian Empire, England, France, Holy Roman Empire, Italy, Russia, Spain, and United Netherlands.