Absolutism and Enlightenment

a form of government in which a king or queen possess absolute power to rule over an entire nation

• Absolutism

• Divine Rights

• Absolute Monarchy

• Salon

late 1600s-1700s...the use of “reason” shaped people’s ideas about society and politics. It was an intellectual and cultural movement, known as the “Age of Reason”. The focus was on taking natural laws and applying them to humans and society...reason + logic = PROGRESS.

• Divine Rights

• Enlightenment

• Absolutism

• Natural Rights

a political system in which the government holds complete and unrestricted power over the people; often a single ruler holds total power

• Absolutism

• Absolute Monarchy

• Divine Rights

• Salon

belief that monarchs were given the right by God to rule however they choose without permission from anyone. Those who restricted their rule would be committing a sin, and therefore punished

• Parliament

• Natural Rights

• Divine Rights

• Salon

In the 16th Century, Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII, created a strong absolute monarchy in England. Although Elizabeth’s reign was mostly successful, she had difficulties with which government institution?

• President

• Prime Minister

• Parliament

• Senate

"Man was born free,and everywhere he is in chains."

- Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1762

What is this Enlightenment thinker suggesting in this statement?

• Absolute Rulers are unfairly taking away people's freedom

• There are too many enslaved Africans in the world at the time

• Many Europeans ended up in prisons during this time

• Louis XIV was running out of money after building Versailles

Enlightenment thinker who viewed humanity in a negative way and believed people were naturally wicked.

• John Locke

• Mary Wollstonecraft

• Thomas Hobbes

Enlightenment thinker who believed in the natural rights of "Life, Liberty, and the right to Property".

• Montesquieu

• John Locke

• Rousseau

fought for freedom of speech and opposed religious intolerance and corruption in government

• John Locke

• Thomas Hobbes

• Montesquieu

• Rousseau

• Voltaire

Social Contract. People are born good but corrupted by society. Limited and freely elected government

• John Locke

• Thomas Hobbes

• Montesquieu

• Rousseau

• Voltaire