1. Absolutism and Enlightenment
Unit 2 Notes

2. Magna Carta - 1215 established idea of limited government
signed by King John of England
guaranteed certain rights (trial by jury) and limited the power of the king

3. Parliament representatives who spoke for the people
held the power to tax and controlled the amount of money going to the king
over time, divided into two houses
House of Lords – nobles, church officials
House of Commons – townspeople

4. William and Mary
Mary, Protestant daughter of James II, and her husband William of Orange are invited to rule England during the Glorious Revolution
established a constitutional monarchy (their power was limited by the English Bill of Rights)
William of Orange
Mary Stuart

5. English Bill of Rights
created a constitutional monarchy (king/queen rule alongside an elected assembly and are limited by law)
based on the Magna Carta
protected basic rights and freedoms

6. English Bill of Rights RWB pg. 64
freedom of Parliament to pass laws
freedom from taxation without consent of Parliament
right to speak freely in Parliament
freedom from a peacetime standing army
right to elect members of Parliament
right to appeal to the monarch
right to a trial by jury
freedom from cruel and unjust punishment
right of citizens to keep arms
freedom from fines or loss of property without a trial

7. Absolutism in France: Louis XIV
ruled from 1643 to 1715
banned the Estates-General (the French version of Parliament)
overruled the Edict of Nantes (a guarantee of religious freedom)
controlled taxes, the military, and business
plunged France into debt by fighting expensive wars in an effort to hurt England

8. Louis XIV’s Palace of Versailles
ca. 1722
ca. 1662

9. More Absolute Rulers Maria Theresa - Austria
Frederick the Great Prussia

10. Absolutism in Russia: Peter the Great
believed in divine right
made himself the head of the Russian Orthodox Church
decreased the power of the nobles
gained more control over the serfs (peasants)
tried to “Westernize” Russia
built up the military

11. Understanding Political Philosophy of the Enlightenment
the state of nature was the key
described the condition of human existence before a person was exposed to any social or political stimuli
it was basically a description of the condition in which a person was born
philosophers used this to explain how and why certain social and political organizations existed

12. Thomas Hobbes survivor of the English Civil War supporter of Charles I
said life was “nasty, brutish, and short”
felt humans were born selfish and violent and could not be trusted – this is his natural law
a strong leader (absolute monarch) should protect the people from themselves
wrote his ideas in his book Leviathan

13. John Locke
said people were not naturally violent but born with a tabula rasa (blank slate) and changed by experiences – his natural law
said humans had certain rights they were born with – life, liberty, & property
argued that people should form a social contract with their ruler
If govt. fails to protect citizens’ rights, or infringes upon those rights, the people can revolt and setup a new govt. (1776)
wrote Two Treatises of Government
Thomas Jefferson used many of Locke’s ideas when writing the Declaration of Independence

14. Baron De Montesquieu focused on government
favored limited government of England to the absolute monarchy of France
wrote The Spirit of Laws
recommended separation of powers within the government (three branches)
there would be a system of checks and balances where the different branches would limit and control each other

15. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
agreed with John Locke on many points (protection of private property, social contract)
wrote The Social Contract – said people agree to be governed by the “general will” instead of their own self-interests
felt people relied too much on reason and needed to focus on feelings
saw people as basically good (like Locke)
emphasized education – civic virtues

16. Voltaire Wrote novels, plays, and essays
Strongly disliked the Catholic Church
Thought they kept knowledge from the people to maintain power
Believed in religious freedom
Deist –God created the world, but allows it to run itself. Not a Christian.

17. Denis Diderot Published 28-volume Encyclopedia
Challenged tradition/religion with philosophe and scientist discoveries about science, religion, government, and the arts.

18. Mary Wollstonecraft Supporter of women’s rights in the 1700s
Founder of modern movement for women’s rights
Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
Stated all humans have reason, so women should have same rights a men

19. Constitutions and Government
our founders, led by James Madison, used several sources in writing our Constitution
political writings of ancient Greece and Rome
milestones in English democracy – English Bill of Rights, Magna Carta
Enlightenment ideas of scholars like Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau

20. Functions of a Constitution
states the ideals shared by those governed and promotes the common good
establishes a framework or structure of government
defines government powers and duties
provides the supreme law – the rules that shape the actions of people and the government

21. Types of constitutions
written
an actual document stating specific rights, freedoms, rules, and principles of a nation
example: United States (1787)
unwritten
a collection of laws, traditions, and court decisions that develop over time into the “law of the land”
example: Great Britain (Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights form part of their unwritten constitution)

22. Different Forms of Government
autocracy
power in the hands of a single ruler
examples: Louis XIV of France, Peter the Great of Russia
oligarchy
power is held by a small group of people
examples: communists in the Soviet Union and in China
democracy
power is held by the people, usually through voting
examples: United States (republic), Great Britain

23. How do we change the government?
voting or running for election
passing new laws
amending the constitution
appealing to the courts

24. Positive vs. Negative “positive” constitutions
focus on the roles and responsibilities of governments
they say what government CAN do
“negative” constitutions
focus on the limitations placed upon government
they say what government CAN’T do

25. Limits of Power
How does the U.S. Constitution limit the power of the government?
it states the powers that the people give to the government
it creates a system of checks and balances that limits the powers of government
it can be changed through the amendment process

26. Unit 2 Study Guide
What types of governments were considered unlimited governments?
Where do the roots of our government come from?
What were some of the rights guaranteed by the Magna Carta?
The Stuart kings, like most absolute monarchs, believed they got their right to rule from God. This is called ________.
What happened during the Restoration?
What rights were guaranteed by the English Bill of Rights?
Which rulers discussed in this unit had power limited by law?
How did Peter the Great use his absolute power in Russia?

27. Unit 2 Study Guide
During the Enlightenment, people began to put their faith in logic and scientific thought, also known as _______.
Which Enlightenment thinker thought that people needed an absolute ruler?
Which Enlightenment thinker proposed the separation of powers in government?
What is it called when one branch of government limits another branch?
What event inspired French philosophes?
What were the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau?
Which thinker thought that civic virtues should be taught to children?

28. Unit 2 Study Guide What are the purposes of a constitution?
Which nation has the oldest written constitution still in effect?
What is a preamble?
Where does a constitution draw its power from in a democracy?