WorksheetsAge of Absolutism
Total questions: 11
Worksheet time: 8mins
The painting shows Charles I of England with a divine hand moving his crown.
Which of the following statements best describes the concept of the divine right of kings?
A. Monarchs had the right to establish their own branch of Christianity for their subjects to follow.
B. Monarchs’ authority to rule came from God which justified their absolute rule over their subjects.
C. Monarchs were the representatives of God and would lead church sermons for all subjects to attend.
D. Monarchs had limited power over their subjects since representative governments best protected people from abuses of power.
The shaded areas of the map show the areas claimed by the Spanish Empire under the rule of King Philip II, circa 1580.
What is not one of the techniques King Philip II used to increase the size and power of the Spanish Empire?
A. wealth obtained from silver mines in the Americas
B. enforcing Catholic religious unity in the Spanish Empire
C. using absolute rule to consolidate his power over the empire
D. successful invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in 1588
This illustration shows King John of England signing the Magna Carta in 1215.
What was the purpose of the Magna Carta?
A. to weaken the power of nobles
B. to limit the power of the monarch
C. to increase tax collection in England
D. to increase the power of the monarch
This painting shows King Henry III meeting with his Parliament circa 1235.
What was the effect of Parliament obtaining the “power of the purse” to control the approval of new taxes in England?
A. Parliament was able to limit the power of the monarch.
B. Parliament was able to decide where tax money should be spent.
C. Parliament was able to reduce the amount of taxes paid by peasants.
D. Parliament was able to reduce the amount of taxes paid by churches.
Which term describes the legal principle that no person can be held in prison without first being charged with a specific crime?
A. cannon law
B. common law
C. habeas corpus
D. due process of law
What was an effect of King Louis XIV’s refusal to call a meeting of the Estates General during his reign?
A. The Estates General was unable to increase the tax rates.
B. The Estates General was unable to check the king’s power.
C. The Estates General was able to institute a limited monarchy.
D. The Estates General was able to represent the will of the people.
The map shows the religious majority areas in France in the 16th century, coded by color.
How did the Edict of Nantes help to unite France under the rule of King Henry IV?
A. It declared King Henry’s plans for royal absolutism.
B. It provided religious freedom for French Protestants.
C. It guaranteed a “chicken in every pot” for every peasant.
D. It stimulated the government's building of roads and bridges.
The photo shows the Palace of Versailles, France.
What is one way that King Louis XIV weakened noble power?
A. He declined to believe that he had the divine right to rule.
B. He called frequent meetings of the Estates-General, who represented all social classes in France.
C. He decreased the power of middle-class royal officials who conducted government business.
D. He required nobles to live with him in luxury and to wait on him so that he could direct their power away from challenging him.
This painting shows King Louis XIV as Apollo, the Sun King, in his ballet performance in 1653.
How did Louis XIV view as the purpose of arts during his reign as king?
A. The purpose of art was to glorify the king and promote his absolute rule.
B. The purpose of art was to challenge the balance of power that the Dutch and English wanted in Europe.
C. The purpose of art was to record the rebellions against royal power by the merchants, peasants, and urban poor.
D. The purpose of art was to beautify the kingdom to inspire peasants to work harder in order to increase the taxes collected to benefit the king.
The photo shows the palace built by Peter the Great in St. Petersburg, Russia.
What is an example of how Peter the Great centralized power in Russia during his reign?
A. learning about Western technology and culture
B. forcing the boyars to wear traditional Russian clothes
C. bringing the Russian Orthodox Church under his control and expanding their influence into North and South America
D. improving waterways, developing manufacturing, and setting up academies for the studies of math, science, and engineering
The quote below is from French bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossue. Use the quote to answer the question that follows.
It is God who establishes kings. . . . Princes thus act as ministers of God and His lieutenants on earth. It is through them that He rules. . . . the royal throne is not the throne of a man, but the throne of God himself. . . . It appears from this that the person of kings is sacred, and to move against them is sacrilege.
What idea was Bossuet expressing that could be applied to absolutist rulers of England, France,
Spain, and Russia?
A. the divine right of kings to rule
B. the divine right of the Church to rule
C. the divine right of the Pope to rule
D. the divine right of Parliament over the king
