A
Divine Right
the doctrine that monarchs get their authority from God, not from their subjects
Westernize
To adopt the political, economic, cultural systems of Western Europe
Serfs
an agricultural laborer bound under the feudal system to work on his lord's estate
Natural Rights
Certain freedoms or privileges that are held to part of the nature of being a human being and that cannot be denied by society.
Absolute Monarch
Rule by one person, not limited by law or any other authority
Secular
attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis
Protestant
Followers of any of the Western Christian churches that are separate from the Roman Catholic Church
Civil Rights
Rights given to you by the government. Rights that ensure that citizens are protect- ed from harm by other citizens of the state and from the government itself.
Constitutional Monarch
Rule by one person, but limited by the laws of the country.
Social Contract
an agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for the benefit of all
Heresy (Heretic is a person who
commits heresy)
belief or opinion contrary to religious (esp. Christian) doctrine or established belief.
Separation of Powers
The division of government into three separate coequal branches: Legislative branch, Executive Branch, Judicial Branch.
Puritans
A group of English Protestants who sought to simplify and regulate forms of worship.
Enlightenment
European intellectual movement emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition
Constitution
A written plan of government
Checks and Balances
The system by which each branch of government can limit, or check the power of the others.
Catholic
A member of the Roman Catholic Church who believes in the authority of the Pope
Habeas Corpus
a writ (legal action) that requires a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court
Coup d'état
a sudden, violent, and unlawful seizure of power from a government;
Federalism
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments