Eq 3 Flashcards
Natural Rights
basic rights that include the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
Rationalism
the idea that reason is the best way to gain knowledge and make decisions, rather than relying on emotions or religion
Absolutism
a political system where a single ruler has complete power and authority, without any limits or checks from other institutions
Divine Right
the idea that a king or queen’s right to rule comes directly from God
Westernization
the process of adopting cultural practices from Europe or North America
Scientific Method
making an observation, forming a hypothesis, making a prediction, conducting an experiment and finally analyzing the results
Montesquieu’s Separation of Powers
the division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another
The Social Contract (JJR)
Government has the power to protect natural rights, but people can change their government if it fails to do so
Constitutional Republic
the people select some of their members to temporarily serve in political office
National Assembly
It represented the common people of France (the Third Estate) and demanded that the king make economic reforms
Estates
possessions, property
Reign of Terror
all enemies of the state were executed
