1. Bellringer Have out your homework and your project!
On a page that will become page 36 in your notebook, copy down and answer the following questions:
What is an absolute monarch? What is divine right?
What country was Louis XIV the absolute monarch of?
What country was Frederick the Great the absolute monarch of?
What country was Peter the Great the absolute monarch of?
What palace did Louis live in?
BJOTD: What do termites eat for breakfast?

2. The 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries in Europe
Absolutism
The 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries in Europe

3. The Theory of Absolutism
European monarchs tried to claim the authority to rule without limits.
Goal: to control all aspects of society

4. Divine right: the idea that God created the monarchy and the monarchy acted as God’s representative on earth
The king answered only to God and not the people

5. PRocessing
What did the absolute monarchs believe gave them the right to rule over all aspects of their country?

6. Europe Right Now A rise of cites
A rise in the Middle Class (merchants)……who usually backed monarchies
Monarchs use their wealthy colonies to pay for their ambitions- Mercantilism
Church authority broke down, the Reformation and 30 Years War occurred
Religious and territorial disputes between states led to almost constant warfare
Some people wanted a strong leader to guide them through all the problems and changes taking place

8. France and Louis XIV (1643- 1715)
Louis XIV is considered to be the ultimate example of an absolute monarch.
L’etat c’est moi. (I am the state)
“Call me the ‘sun king’ because all that is good radiates from me.”

9. How he gained absolute power
Weakened the power of the nobles
Increased the power of government workers

10. Jean Baptiste Colbert, Minister of Finance, tried to make France self-sufficient through mercantilism
Wanted France to make all its own goods
Placed high tariffs (taxes) on goods from other countries
Encouraged people to move to France’s colonies to help export more raw materials to France
Fur trade from America added money to the treasury

11. What was the effect of this?
Bad side of Louis:
After Baptiste died, Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes.
Many skilled Protestant artisans and businessmen fled to other countries
What was the effect of this?

12. Louis’ Grand Style Louis surrounded himself with only the best
Each meal was a feast with over 500 cooks
Louis was awake every day at 7:30 and outside stood 100 nobles all waiting to help him dress, however, only 4 were given the honor of getting him his slippers

13. He built a huge palace, the Palace at Versailles, 11 miles outside of Paris

14. 15,000 acres of gardens
1,400 fountains
36,000 laborers
2,000 rooms
Cost: 2 billion dollars

16. Louis’ Downfall
Under Louis, France was the most powerful country in Europe
In a series of wars, France tried to increase its boundaries, and won a few territories.
However, France was weakened due to bad harvests and high taxes put in place to pay for the wars
France was forced to give Great Britain its North American territories after losing the Seven Year’s War

17. Processing How did Louis XIV increase his control over his country?
How did Louis XIV bring disaster to France?

18. Prussia’s Background
Before Fredrick the Great, Frederick William, after seeing the destruction the 30 Year War left built a strong Army
They army was the strongest in Europe and had over 80,000 men.
Frederick William created a strong military society, but feared his son would not be strong enough to rule so he raised his son very tough.

19. Prussia and Frederick the Great (1740-1786)
Prussia was a new state north of Austria
It later became part of Germany
Prussia rose to power in the late 1600s
Ruling family: Hohenzollerns
Frederick the Great created a strong military society

20. Russia’s Background
Ivan IV, called Ivan the Terrible was Russia’s first Czar
GOOD: gained territory, and developed a code of laws
BAD: His wife was murdered and to avenge her death he hunted down anyone he thought was a traitor and killed them, usually the boyars (landowners)
“Secret Police” killed thousands
After Ivan, Russia fell into a period of turmoil
Russia needed a strong leader

21. Russia and Peter the Great(1696-1725)
Peter took throne in 1696
Russia still underdeveloped: made up of serfs and boyars (landowners)
Russia was cut off from Western Europe
Mongols kept them isolated during Renaissance and Age of Exploration
Geographic barriers: ice
Religion: Eastern Orthodox (instead of Catholic/Protestant)

22. Peter visited Western Europe and saw:
New inventions and tools
Ships and exploration
Peter wanted a warm weather port (dock) to help modernize the country

23. Main goal: to westernize Russia
Peter believed he needed ABSOLUTE control to accomplish this

24. How Peter Westernized Russia
Took over Eastern Orthodox church
Took power from landowners
Modernized the army: western tactics and weapons
New army=more taxes
Increased women’s rights
Ordered nobles to wear western fashions

25. New Land
Peter went to war with Sweden to gain control of the Baltic Coast.
After 21 years, he won and built St. Petersburg
It became his new capital city

26. Processing What was Prussia’s society based on?
Who did Louis XIV and Peter the Great both have to take power from, and why?

27. Absolutism Activity (page 38)

28. Page 51-53- create a caricature for each of the absolute monarchs
Louis XIV-51
Frederick the Great-52
Peter the Great - 53

29. Neat- straight lines, neat writing….
Title for each drawling
A background with important pieces labeled-
Incorporate major parts from the notes- at least 5
THIS WILL BE GRADED