Absolutism and Enlightenment

1. Absolutism and Enlightenment Unit 2 Notes

2. State Standards (7-2.1) • The student will be able to… • Summarize the essential characteristics of the limited government in England following the Glorious Revolution and the unlimited governments in France and Russia, including some of the restraints placed upon a limited government’s power and how authoritarian and totalitarian systems are considered unlimited governments.

3. Magna Carta - 1215 • established idea of limited government • signed by King John of England • guaranteed certain rights (trial by jury) and limited the power of the king

4. Parliament • representatives who spoke for the people • held the power to tax and controlled the amount of money going to the king • over time, divided into two houses • House of Lords – nobles, church officials • House of Commons – townspeople

5. Moving Toward Limited Government • Magna Carta Limits King John’s power • 1275 Parliament formed after King Edward I calls first meeting • “Bloody” Mary Tudor dies. Half sister Elizabeth takes throne • 1603 Queen Elizabeth I dies. Leaves throne to James I (Cousin) • James I (Stuart) becomes king of England • Charles I (James’ son) becomes king of England • Parliament enacts the Petition of Rights-Bans king from: • 1) Passing taxes without Parliament approval • 2) Quartering troops in private homes • 3) Imprisoning a person without charges • Charles I ignores the Petition of Rights • Oliver Cromwell organizes a Parliamentary army • Civil War breaks out between Parliament and King • 1646 Parliament wins complete control of government

6. Moving Toward Limited Government • Charles I tried and executed • Oliver Cromwell imposes martial law (rule by military) • Cromwell dies. Leaves control to son, Richard • Monarchy restored by newly elected Parliament • Charles II takes throne (Period Known as the Restoration) • Charles II dies. Catholic brother, James II inherits throne • Parliament fears the return of a Catholic monarchy • after the birth of a son (heir to throne) • Parliament invites Mary (James’ daughter) and William of Orange • to take throne. • William and Mary take throne from James II in a bloodless • Glorious Revolution. • James II flees England with son • Parliament requires William and Mary to sign the • English Bill of Rights, which limits monarchy and states rights of Parliament and the people

7. William and Mary • Mary, Protestant daughter of James II, and her husband William of Orange are invited to rule England during the Glorious Revolution • established a constitutional monarchy (their power was limited by the English Bill of Rights) William of Orange Mary Stuart

8. English Bill of Rights • created a constitutional monarchy (king/queen rule alongside an elected assembly and are limited by law) • based on the Magna Carta • protected basic rights and freedoms

9. English Bill of Rights & the U.S. Bill of Rights (amendments 1-10) • With your partner, Read through the English Bill of Rights and the U.S. Bill of Rights on your handouts. • What rights are the same/similar? (find all of them) • What rights are different? • Draw a Venn Diagram to display the similarities and differences.

10. English Bill of Rights • freedom of Parliament to pass laws • freedom from taxation without consent of Parliament • right to speak freely in Parliament • freedom from a peacetime standing army • right to elect members of Parliament • right to appeal to the monarch • right to a trial by jury • freedom from cruel and unjust punishment • right of citizens to keep arms • freedom from fines or loss of property without a trial

11. U.S. Bill of Rights • Guarantees freedom of religion, speech, assembly, and press, and the right of people to petition the government • Protects the rights of states to maintain a militia and of citizens to bear arms • Restricts quartering of troops in private homes • Protects against “unreasonable searches and seizures” • Assures the right not to be deprived of “life, liberty, or property without due process of law”

12. U.S. Bill of Rights • Guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury • Assures the right to a jury trial in cases involving the common law (the law established by previous court decisions) • Protects against excessive bail, or cruel and unusual punishment • Provides that people’s rights are not restricted to those specified in the first eight amendments • Restates the Constitution’s principle of federalism by providing that powers not granted to the national government nor prohibited by the states are reserved to the states and to the people

13. Absolutism in France: Louis XIV • ruled from 1643 to 1715 • banned the Estates-General (the French version of Parliament) • overruled the Edict of Nantes (a guarantee of religious freedom) • controlled taxes, the military, and business • plunged France into debt by fighting expensive wars in an effort to hurt England

14. Absolutism in Russia: Peter the Great • believed in divine right • made himself the head of the Russian Orthodox Church • decreased the power of the nobles • gained more control over the serfs (peasants) • tried to “Westernize” Russia • built up the military

15. State Standards (7-2.2) • The student will be able to… • Summarize the ideas of the Enlightenment that influenced democratic thought and social institutions throughout the world, including the political philosophies of John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Baron de Montesquieu.

16. Philosophers of the Enlightenment

17. Understanding Political Philosophy of the Enlightenment • Natural Law – applies to everyone & can be understood through reason • described the condition of human existence before a person was exposed to any social or political stimuli • Are we born good or evil? • Philosophers used this to explain how and why certain social and political organizations existed

18. Thomas Hobbes • survivor of the English Civil War • supporter of Charles I • said life was “nasty, brutish, and short” • felt humans were born selfish and violent and could not be trusted – this is his natural law • a strong leader (absolute monarch) should protect the people from themselves • wrote his ideas in his book Leviathan

19. John Locke • said people were not naturally violent but born with a tabularasa (blank slate) and changed by experiences – his natural law • said humans had certain rights they were born with – life, liberty, & property • argued that people should form a social contract with their ruler • If govt. fails to protect citizens’ rights, or infringes upon those rights, the people can revolt and setup a new govt. (1776) • wrote Two Treatises of Government • Thomas Jefferson used many of Locke’s ideas when writing the Declaration of Independence

20. Baron De Montesquieu • focused on government • favored limited government of England to the absolute monarchy of France • wrote The Spirit of Laws • recommended separation of powers within the government (three branches) • there would be a system of checks and balances where the different branches would limit and control each other

21. Jean-Jacques Rousseau • agreed with John Locke on many points (protection of private property, social contract) • wrote The Social Contract – said people agree to be governed by the “general will” instead of their own self-interests • felt people relied too much on reason and needed to focus on feelings • saw people as basically good (like Locke) • emphasized education – civic virtues

22. Voltaire • Wrote novels, plays, and essays • Strongly disliked the Catholic Church • Thought they kept knowledge from the people to maintain power • Believed in religious freedom • Deist –God created the world, but allows it to run itself. Not a Christian.

23. Denis Diderot • Published 28-volume Encyclopedia • Challenged tradition/religion with philosophe and scientist discoveries about science, religion, government, and the arts.

24. Mary Wollstonecraft • Supporter of women’s rights in the 1700s • Founder of modern movement for women’s rights • Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. • Stated all humans have reason, so women should have same rights as men

25. American Declaration of Independence With your partner, underline in one color of your choosing all statements which can be tied directly to ideas of the ideas of the Enlightenment philosophers (Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu, etc) With your partner, underline in another color of your choosing the items from the list of grievances which seem to violate English law in the Magna Carta, English Petition of Rights, or English Bill of Rights. (refer to these documents on pgs. 62-64)

26. State Standards (7-2.3) • The student will be able to… • Outline the role and purposes of a constitution, including such functions as defining a relationship between a people and their government, describing the organization of government and the characteristics of shared powers, and protecting individual rights and promoting the common good.

27. Constitutions and Government • our founders, led by James Madison, used several sources in writing our Constitution • political writings of ancient Greece and Rome • milestones in English democracy – English Bill of Rights, Magna Carta • Enlightenment ideas of scholars like Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau

28. Functions of a Constitution • states the ideals shared by those governed and promotes the common good • establishes a framework or structure of government • defines government powers and duties • provides the supreme law – the rules that shape the actions of people and the government

29. Types of constitutions • written • an actual document stating specific rights, freedoms, rules, and principles of a nation • example: United States (1787) • unwritten • a collection of laws, traditions, and court decisions that develop over time into the “law of the land” • example: Great Britain (Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights form part of their unwritten constitution)

30. Different Forms of Government • autocracy • power in the hands of a single ruler • examples: Louis XIV of France, Peter the Great of Russia • oligarchy • power is held by a small group of people • examples: communists in the Soviet Union and in China • democracy • power is held by the people, usually through voting • examples: United States, Great Britain

31. How do we change the government? • voting or running for election • passing new laws • amending the constitution • appealing to the courts

32. Positive vs. Negative • “positive” constitutions • focus on the roles and responsibilities of governments • they say what government CAN do • “negative” constitutions • focus on the limitations placed upon government • they say what government CAN’T do

33. Limits of Power • How does the U.S. Constitution limit the power of the government? • it states the powers that the people give to the government • it creates a system of checks and balances that limits the powers of government • it can be changed through the amendment process