1. Absolutism and the Enlightenment
The Age of Revolutions
Mr. Mark Gonzalez
Grace Christian Academy of MD

3. The Intellectual Revolution (The Enlightenment)began in the
The Intellectual Revolution (also called the Enlightenment) stressed that reason, intellectual thought and the power of individuals to solve problems without the need for the help of God
People are all born to be free, so they should live under a government that allows them to be free
Ideas of the enlightened thinkers led many people to question the absolute authority of the Divine Right of Kings and Queens.

4. Absolutism and the Divine Right Theory of Kings
Absolutism (autocratic rule)- when one person holds complete, absolute power;
the common people have no say in government
Napoleon, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Trujillo, Castro and Kim Jong Il are more modern examples of dictators with absolute power

5. The Divine Right of Kings and Queens
Divine Right Theory- the kings and queens of Europe for over 1,000 years believed they were given absolute authority to rule by God and that God rules through them
Therefore the people they rule over should not question them and must obey
If you disobey the king, you disobey God- “off with your head!!!!”

6. The Great and Famous Absolute Monarchs of the Age of Absolutism

7. King Louis XIV of France
Bourbon Family
Became king at age 4
strongest king of his time
“L’etat c’est moi” (I am the state)
The “Sun King”
Built the Palace at Versailles (12 miles from Paris)
Controlled the rich nobles by keeping them at his palace
Taxed the poor heavily and spent a lot of money on Wars
Persecuted Protestant Huguenots

8. Central Europe
2 German-speaking families tried to fill the vacuum as absolute rulers: The Hohenzollerns and Hapsburgs

9. Maria Theresa of Austria (1717-80)
From the Hapsburg family
Holy Roman Empire
Her father Charles tried to unite many different people (Czechs, Polish, Hungarians, Germans, etc.)
all those people became ruled by his daughter Maria Theresa
Made peasants lives more easier-less work
Built schools and made gave vaccines to the people

10. Czar Peter the Great of Russia (1672-1725)

11. 3 Views on Government in the 1600s and 1700s
The Tommy Hobbes (School)
Wrote Leviathan
Horrors of a civil war in England convinced him that all humans are selfish and evil
Without strong governments with a powerful, strict leader than people would go crazy
A ruler needs total power to keep citizens under control like the leviathan sea monster (absolute monarchy)

12. 3 Views on Government in the 1600s and 1700s
2. The John Locke/Rousseau School
John Locke (England): believed that the regular people should govern - supported democracy; did not believe in the divine right of the kings and queens
John Locke- humans are good, must rebel against any government if fails to protect right to life, liberty and property
Jean Jacques Rousseau(French)- all people are equal; get rid of nobility and kings and have a direct democracy

13. 3. The Voltaire (Francois Marie Arouet) School
Voltaire (French)- believed that the best form of government was when you have enlightened despots (monarchs) use power to benefit the people and respect their rights
“I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to the death your right to say it”
Sent to prison twice for his beliefs

14. Voltaire Quotes

15. Locke, Rousseau and Montesqueu

16. Women in the Enlightenment

17. Mary Wollstonecraft Wrote Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792)
Women as well as men need education to become virtuous and useful
Women should enter medicine and politics

18. Debate: 2 Questions to consider
Should the people be trusted to govern (democracy) or one ruler with Absolute power????
What is the best form of government and why????

19. The Players of the Debate

20. Queen Elizabeth I of England
Absolute Ruler
Most powerful woman monarch in world history

21. King Louis XIV The “Sun King”
The most powerful French King of all history
Absolute Power

22. John Locke
English
His ideas influenced the Declaration of Independence of the USA and modern Dominican government

23. Maria Theresa Empress of the HRE Hapsburg
A absolute ruler should rule to benefit the people-an Enlightened Despot

24. Jean Jacques Rousseau French All men are born free and naturally good
Ideas influenced the French Revolution

25. Mary Wollstonecraft British
Women need education to make informed decisions in government

26. Baron de Montesquieu French
We Need 3 Branches of government- no need for 1 ruler

27. Thomas Hobbes
English
Believed a ruler should be like a sea monster-the leviathan