1. Absolutism to Englightenment

2. Democracy Stops
After the Roman Empire falls for over 1000 yrs Europe forgets about democracy.
Monarchy is the common type of govt.
The king and Church rule the countries

3. Absolute vs Limited Monarchy
Absolute Monarchy
Monarchs had absolute power- all the power was in his hands.
Monarchs believed in divine right- God gave them the right to rule as God’s representative
Problems w/ Absolute Power
People tired of taxes.
Kings controlled almost of their lives.
People have little or no voice in the gov’t.
No voting and almost no rights
Limited Monarchy
Limits the power of the King or Queen
Monarchs share power with a Parliament (legislative)
Parliament helps to create new laws for country
Documents that limited the power of the monarch:
Magna Carta
English Bill of Rights

4. The Scientific Revolution
DARK AGES VIEW
The Earth was flat and at the center of the universe “geocentric”
God had deliberately placed the Earth at the center
Aristotle also supported this view from the 4th century BC
VIEW IN THE 1500’s
Nicolaus Copernicus comes up with the “Heliocentric” theory, Earth revolves around the Sun.
Galileo supported his idea and published a book and then was sent to jail

5. Geocentric
Heliocentric

6. The Scientific Method
Logical procedure for gathering and testing ideas
Francis Bacon – English politician and writer thought that logic improved lives
Rene’ Descartes – French mathematician thought: “everything should be doubted until proven”
Isaac Newton - The universe worked liked a “giant clock” that could be explained by math

7. Social / Political Enlightenment
The Scientific Revolution set the stage for the ENLIGHTENMENT or “Age of Reason”.
People hoped to apply logic and reason:
science
government
Religion
economics
Education
Movement came from ideas of
John Locke and Thomas Hobbes

8. The philosophes Philosophes: social critics in France
Believed that reason could be applied to all aspects of life.
5 important concepts
Reason, Nature, Happiness, Progress, & Liberty.
By believing in all 5 a society can be set free.

9. Summary Review your lecture notes.
Write at least a paragraph summarizing what you learned.