Absolutism

Historians frequently portray Louis XIV’s construction of the palace of Versailles and Peter the Great’s building of the city of Saint Petersburg as

• 1 shrines to religious beliefs

• 2 monuments to personal rule

• examples of colonial architectural influences

• efforts to isolate and protect the ruler

A dictator is similar to an absolute monarchy, in that in both forms of government, the leaders

• obtain their authority through elections

• are limited by a written constitution

• first establish their rule through the use of force

• exercise supreme power over others

Which characteristic is common to both dictatorships and absolute monarchies?

• a lack of concern for territorial expansion

• support of artistic and literary freedom

• encouragement of free enterprise

• persecution of political opposition

A government in which power is passed to a ruler's children is called

• a limited government

• a dictatorship

• an absolute monarchy

• a democracy

Speaker A: Although I spread serfdom in my country, I tried to modernize our society by incorporating western technology. Speaker B: I promoted culture with my support of the arts. Unfortunately, I drained my country’s treasury by building my palace at Versailles and involving my country in costly wars. Speaker C: I gained much wealth from my overseas empire in the Americas. I waged war against the Protestants and lost. Speaker D: I inherited the throne and imprisoned my foes without a trial. I dissolved Parliament because I did not want to consult with them when I increased taxes.

Which type of government is most closely associated with all these speakers?

• limited monarchy

• absolute monarchy

• direct democracy

• constitutional democracy

King Louis XIV of France, Peter the Great of Russia, and Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire were all considered absolute rulers because they

• broke from the Roman Catholic Church

• helped feudal lords build secure castles

• instituted programs that provided more power to their parliaments

• determined government policies without the consent of their people

The cartoon is commenting on the efforts of Peter the Great to force the Russian nobility to

• conform to Asian social values

• adopt Western culture

• prepare for military battle

• bow to pressures from the Ottoman Empire

Which quotation was most likely made by an absolute monarch

• "The government that governs best, governs least."

• I am the state

• The government must be based on a sound constitution

• It is the parliament that must make the laws

Westernization of Russia came about largely through the

• efforts of Peter the Great and his successors

• invasion of Russia by Sweden

• desire of the United States to seek new markets

• acceptance of the policies of the Eastern Orthodox Church

One way in which Suleiman the Magnificent and Peter the Great are similar is that they both

• modernized their military

• promoted free speech

• isolated their people from outside influences

• reduced taxes levied on their people