European Absolutism and The Enlightenment Flashcards
(16 cards)
absolutism
a type of kindgom where a ruler has absolute, or total power
monarch
a king or queen
absolute monarchy
a king or queen who rule with complete power
divine right
an idea that a ruler receives the right to rule from God
King Louis XIV
French King who was an absolute ruler who believe in divine right
Peter the Great
Important leader in Russia who started westernization
westernization
use of western Europe as a model of change
Enlightenment
An intellectual movment where Enlightenment thinkers tried to apply reaon and the scientific method to laws that shaped human actions.
social contract
according to Thomas Hobbes, an agreement people make with a government
John Locke
a philosopher who wrote about government
He believed people have three natural rights which were life, liberty, and property.
The purpose of government is to protect these three rights. When government fails to do so, he said, people have a right to overthrow the government.
Voltaire
An Enlightenment writer who fought for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech
Montesquieu
A French Enlightenment writer concerned with government and political parties.
He wrote about separationo f powers - dividing power among the separate branches of government - legislative, judicial, and executive.
Rousseau
An Enlightenment thinker who championed of human freedom. He wanted a society in which all people were equal.
enlightenment despot
A ruler who supported Enlightenment ideas, but did not give up power power
Catherine the Great
A Russian ruler who took steps to reform and modernize Russia although not always successful
