The Age of The Age of AbsolutismAbsolutism(1650 – 1800)(1650 – 1800)

Lecture OneLecture One

OverviewOverview

What is History?What is History? SourcesSources Absolute MonarchiesAbsolute Monarchies Spain, France, England, Russia, Austria, Prussia and Spain, France, England, Russia, Austria, Prussia and

the Americasthe Americas Habsburg, Bourbon, Stuart, Romanov and Habsburg, Bourbon, Stuart, Romanov and

HohenzollernHohenzollern ColonialismColonialism ParliamentParliament EnlightenmentEnlightenment RevolutionRevolution

What is History?What is History?

““History is but a fable agreed upon…”History is but a fable agreed upon…”

- Napoleon Bonaparte- Napoleon Bonaparte

OROR

““History happens…”History happens…”

““Only the victors write history.”Only the victors write history.”

““History is what we remember.”History is what we remember.”

““History…who cares?”History…who cares?”

History is…History is…

An eventAn event A person, place or thingA person, place or thing Needs proofNeeds proof Is an interpretationIs an interpretation Is constantly evolving...stay Is constantly evolving...stay

tuned!tuned!

Sources…prove it!Sources…prove it!

Primary Sources – made Primary Sources – made duringduring the time the time being studied:being studied:

1.1. Written – Annals, eg. “Annals Cambriae”; Polemics (from the Written – Annals, eg. “Annals Cambriae”; Polemics (from the time), eg. The Venerable Bede; Histories, eg. Geoffrey of time), eg. The Venerable Bede; Histories, eg. Geoffrey of Monmouth; letters, diaries, etc.Monmouth; letters, diaries, etc.

2.2. Non Written – Archaeology; later-recordings, photos etc.Non Written – Archaeology; later-recordings, photos etc. Secondary Sources – made Secondary Sources – made afterafter the time the time

being studied:being studied:1.1. Written – Text Books, Histories, biographies etc.Written – Text Books, Histories, biographies etc.2.2. Non Written – everything else!!!Non Written – everything else!!!

Secondary sources are a great place to Secondary sources are a great place to start, then support with Primary sources!start, then support with Primary sources!

Absolute MonarchiesAbsolute Monarchies

The 17The 17thth and 18 and 18thth centuries were the centuries were the age of the age of the absolute absolute monarchies. monarchies.

Absolutism had its Absolutism had its beginning in the beginning in the great national great national monarchies of the monarchies of the 1616thth century. century.

www2.wwnorton.com/.../resource/absolute.htm

Spain, France, England, Russia, Spain, France, England, Russia, Austria, Prussia and the AmericasAustria, Prussia and the Americas

These countries These countries consolidated their consolidated their empires in a period empires in a period known as the known as the “Golden Age”, made “Golden Age”, made possible by their possible by their rich possessions in rich possessions in the New World and the New World and their dynastic lands their dynastic lands in Europe.in Europe. http://www.nps.gov/safr/forteachers/upload/galleon.jpg

Habsburg, Bourbon, Habsburg, Bourbon, Stuart, Romanov and Stuart, Romanov and HohenzollernHohenzollern The Habsburgs extended The Habsburgs extended

their reign from Spain to their reign from Spain to Austria, giving rise to the Austria, giving rise to the Holy Roman EmpireHoly Roman Empire

The Bourbon kings would The Bourbon kings would be one of the most be one of the most successful of the French successful of the French rulersrulers

From Elizabeth (a From Elizabeth (a Tudor), the Stuart line Tudor), the Stuart line would dominate Britainwould dominate Britain

The Russian Romanov The Russian Romanov and the Prussian and the Prussian Hohenzollern rulers Hohenzollern rulers would govern their would govern their countries with iron fistscountries with iron fists

ColonialismColonialism

The power and The power and prestige of the prestige of the emerging emerging powerhouses of powerhouses of Europe was Europe was founded on their founded on their ability to exploit ability to exploit their colonial their colonial ambitionsambitions http://www.flotte2.com/1800AD_files/image005.jpg

ParliamentParliament

However, as the However, as the strength of the strength of the Kings increased, so Kings increased, so to did an awareness to did an awareness of an individual’s of an individual’s rightsrights

Concepts of Concepts of representation, representation, democracy and democracy and freedom were freedom were cautiously courted cautiously courted

English parliament in front of the kinghttp://www.search.com/reference/Parliament_of_England

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

Throughout Europe, Throughout Europe, an emerging an emerging philosophy which philosophy which taught that man was taught that man was essentially good and essentially good and reasonable and reasonable and therefore able to rule therefore able to rule himself, challenged himself, challenged ideas of absolute ideas of absolute monarchies. Such monarchies. Such thinkers were called thinkers were called ‘enlightened’‘enlightened’

archives.gallaudet.edu/EnlightenmentEra.htm

RevolutionRevolution

With the With the enlightenment, came enlightenment, came a real sense of justice a real sense of justice and democracy, and democracy, absolute monarchies absolute monarchies were challenged, were challenged, sometimes violently. sometimes violently.

Perhaps the most Perhaps the most famous of these famous of these challenges was the challenges was the French Revolution of French Revolution of the late 18th Centurythe late 18th Century

http://endtimepilgrim.org/guillotine3.jpg

Beginnings of Modern Beginnings of Modern World HistoryWorld History Strong National Strong National

IdentityIdentity DemocracyDemocracy Violent RevolutionViolent Revolution Science and ReasonScience and Reason PhilosophyPhilosophy Christianity Re-Christianity Re-

defineddefined World EconomiesWorld Economies The Modern World The Modern World

was just around the was just around the corner…corner…

www.britannica.com/eb/art-86997

Enlightenment: meeting to discuss

"L'Encyclopedie"