monarchs and the enlightenment
DESCRIPTION
Absolute Monarchy and the EnlightenmentTRANSCRIPT
ABSOLUTE MONARCHS AND THE PERIOD OF
ENLIGHTENMENT
1500s-1700s
What were ABSOLUTE MONARCHS?
•Monarchs were kings.
•Absolute monarchs were the kings who believed in the idea of DIVINE RIGHT.
•Divine right is the idea that GOD put them on the earth to rule
•They ruled strictly and typically got into conflicts with one another
•Because of the way these monarchs treated the people they ruled, many started to get the idea for REVOLUTION
A great example of an Absolute Monarchs would Louis XIV from France. He spent enormous amounts of money
Lavish spending on Palace of Versailles
Interior of the Palace was done in crystal and gold
Versailles Fountains made of copper
The Kings lived extravagantly while many of their people scraped for food
Eventually, people began to develop new ideas….….
This time of new ideas was known as the ENLIGHTENMENT or Age of Reason.
1600s-1700sNew ideas on how government should be run.
THE ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS AND THEIR NEW IDEAS
Most people had ideas like THOMAS HOBBES.
He believed in the DIVINE RIGHT of Kings.
However…different men had new ideas!
JOHN LOCKEBelieved that all people had 3 natural rights
to LIFE, LIBERTY, PROPERTYHe said it was the duty of the government
to protect these rights
VOLTAIREBelieved in freedom of speech so people
could express their opinions about the government
He also believed in freedom of religion, so people could worship God in the way they choose
MONTESQUIEUBelieved that government should be
separated into 3 branchesThe 3 branches of government,
Montesquieu said, would help keep the government from becoming too powerful
Checks and balances—each branch would check the others to make sure one does not abuse its power.
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT
Advocated rights for women
JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU
Believed in the concept of “Consent of the Governed”, meaning that people should agree to the rules that they follow by voting
He believed the having an absolute monarchy prevented people from having true freedom.
Effects of Enlightenment ideas on the Monarchy
Ideas spread through England and FranceKings were criticized more and morePeople began questioning the way of life
under KingsNew Ideas + Absolute Monarchs =
REVOLUTIONThe people began to fight for their
freedoms and wanted a CHANGE in their government