1 Flashcards
Why were new sources of political and intellectual authority sought after by the middle of 17th century Europe
Europe was in a time period of political instability and people were looking for stability
What are the hallmarks of the political theory of absolute monarchy
Total sovereignty to the monarch who is most often chosen by god. Everyone else’s job is to obey, and all power is centralized in one person
Why is louis XIV exclamation i am the state a perfect articulation of the system of absolute monarchy
This is because the monarch is the state and holds all power over their subjects
What is the agreement between louis XIV and Frances nobles
The french lords gave up sovereignty to louis XIV in exchange for louis pledge to maintain them in hereditary status and privilege. This was secured primarily through tax exemption
What are differences between Versailles and gothic cathedrals? What do these changes tell us about transformations taking place in european society
Versailles is very different because it is entirely secular
What were the effects of absolute monarchy on the french lower class in contrast to the effects of absolute monarchy on the lower class in both Russia and Prussia
All the underclass is crushed with tax burden, but in Russia and Prussia serfdom is still prevalent in society, which makes taxation a greater burden on the people
What are the differences in England which led it to establish a constitutional monarchy
England had the House of Commons which was dominated by the middle class in Europe. The middle class was willing to pay taxes in exchange for shared sovereignty (constitutionalism)
What is the nature of Stuart rule in britian
The Stuart’s seized property, forced people to give them loans and the Stuart’s wanted an absolute monarchy and wanted to zero out the middle class in terms of political power
How did the bill of rights establish a constitutional monarchy in britian
The bill of rights gave more power to the parliament, taking power away from the sole monarch
What are the similarities between Locke and Hobbes political theories
They are both entirely secular, making them modern thinkers
What are the differences between Locke and Hobbes political theories
Hobbes believed that the people should serve the government, while Locke believed the government should serve the people
What are the traditional understandings of the earth, heavens, and functionings of the natural world
- Earth is at the center of physical existence
- Other than earth, every other object in existence is flawlessly formed
- God is the cause of all natural phenomena
How did the early scientific discoveries (of Copernicus, bruno, Galileo), challenge previous beliefs and understandings
The heliocentric theory challenged traditional beliefs, also the literal application of scripture. This was disruptive to the understanding of the place of humans, and raised questions of human significance
What is the revolution in thought that the scientific revolution represented, (and that bacon and Descartes promoted)?
The scientific revolution gave humans new faith and confidence regarding their relationship with nature. Bacon believed that through the use of science humans could enrich themselves Descartes had similar beliefs and said through scientific advancements could lead to human immortality
Why in the 17th century did many leading thinkers turn to scientific thought
Science created provable laws about the universe, and also provided confidence to the human capability of human ability. Thinkers were now able to prove their ideas and beliefs with evidence
