Absolutism & The State
This political theory asserts that a monarch’s power is derived directly from God and is therefore unquestionable.
What is divine right?
This 1689 document formally established the supremacy of Parliament over the British monarch and protected basic civil liberties.
What was the English Bill of Rights?
This French term refers to the influential public intellectuals and writers of the 18th century who sought to reform society through reason.
Who are the philosophes?
This French representative body, composed of the clergy, nobility, and commoners, was called into action in 1789 for the first time in nearly 200 years.
What was the Estates-General?
This comprehensive body of law introduced in 1804 standardized French regulations while protecting property rights and religious toleration.
What was the Napoleonic Code (or Civil Code)?
Known as the "Sun King," he built the Palace of Versailles and remains the most prominent example of an absolute monarch.
Who is Louis XIV?
This 1688 event resulted in the deposition of James II and the ascension of William and Mary to the English throne.
What was the Glorious Revolution?
In The Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu argued that this administrative model, featuring executive, legislative, and judicial branches, was necessary to prevent tyranny.
What is the separation of powers?
This ten-month period during the radical phase of the revolution involved the mass execution of perceived "enemies" of the state.
What was the Reign of Terror?
This diplomatic goal sought to ensure that no single European state, such as France, could dominate the entire continent.
What is the balance of power?
This Russian ruler implemented a forced policy of Westernization and moved the national capital to St. Petersburg.
Who is Peter the Great?
According to John Locke, these are the three basic entitlements—life, liberty, and property—that governments are obligated to protect.
What are natural rights?
This economic policy, famously advocated by Adam Smith, calls for minimal government intervention in the economy.
What is laissez-faire?
This wealthy, educated, non-noble middle class provided the intellectual and financial leadership for the early stages of the revolution.
Who are the bourgeoisie?
This 1814-1815 meeting of European leaders aimed to restore traditional monarchies and re-establish international stability following Napoleon’s defeat.
What was the Congress of Vienna?
These royal representatives were sent into the French provinces by the monarchy to centralize tax collection and monitor the nobility.
What are intendants?
This Enlightenment concept describes a mutually beneficial agreement where individuals give up some freedom to a government in exchange for protection and rights.
What is a social contract?
This religious belief, common among philosophes, suggests that God created the universe like a "clockmaker" but does not interfere in its daily operations.
What is deism?
Issued by the National Assembly in 1789, this document affirmed Enlightenment ideals of popular sovereignty and individual equality.
What is the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?
This large-scale blockade was designed by Napoleon to destroy Great Britain's economy by banning the shipment of British goods to European ports.
What was the Continental System?
This series of violent civil uprisings against the French monarchy occurred between 1648 and 1653 in an attempt to check growing royal power.
What was the Fronde?
This system of government, created in England following 1689, limits a monarch's power through a bill of rights or an elected legislature.
What is a constitutional monarchy?
Often hosted by influential women in their homes, these regular social gatherings served as centers for spreading and debating Enlightenment ideas.
What were salons?
This 1790 law placed the French Catholic Church completely under the authority of the state and required clergy to pledge allegiance to France.
What was the Civil Constitution of the Clergy?
This term describes 18th-century absolute rulers, such as Joseph II or Catherine the Great, who attempted to apply Enlightenment principles to their governance.
What is enlightened absolutism (or enlightened despots)?