Modern World #3 Flashcards
James II
Succeeded to the throne in 1685 after Charles II died. He was a devout Catholic and believed in absolutism.
Catholicism
The fear of return to Catholicism led to the Glorious Revolution.
English Bill of Rights
Before William and Mary were crowned they had to accept the Bill of Rights. It stated that
Parliament chose the ruler
The ruler can’t impose taxes or laws without Parliament’s consent
Parliament must meet frequently
The monarch’s can’t influence members’ elections
Freedom of Expression for parliament
No catholic can rule
Trial by Jury
Habeas Corpus (protection against unfair imprisonment)
Glorious Revolution
The fear of the return to Catholicism led to this revolution. A group of English nobles invited William and Mary to invade England, and they did so with almost no bloodshed. They then accepted the Bill of Rights and William III and Mary II ruled jointly.
State of Nature
Locke believed humans’ state of nature was a state of freedom, not a state of war. No one was necessarily sovereign over anyone else, and everybody had natural rights. However, problems existed in this state of nature and people found it hard to protect their natural rights.
Social Contract
Hobbes claimed that a social contract was formed to stop people from destroying each other. The contract stated that people of the state were agreeing to be governed by an absolute ruler who would suppress all rebellions. To Hobbes, this absolute way of ruling was necessary for society to stay in order.
Leviathan
Thomas Hobbes’ famous work that was published in 1651, where he introduced his take on what society was like prior to order and told people about his social contract theory.
Two Treatises on Government
John Locke’s novel that he wanted to publish in 1680, but told it was too dangerous. He instead published it in 1690. In both of these treatises, he argued against absolute rule, said that people were born equal and free prior to an organized society, not reckless and animal-like, like Hobbes said. He talked about natural rights and explained that the contract between people and their government also included the government protecting the people’s natural rights as well as the people acting respectfully to the government. If the government didn’t hold up their end of the bargain, the people (landholders) could remove them and begin a new government.
Natural Rights
John Locke’s idea that everyone was born with natural rights - rights to things like life, liberty, and property.
Ivan IV the Terrible
The first ruler to take title of the Russian czar (happened in the sixteenth century). He expanded Russian territories eastward and crushed the Russian nobility’s (boyars) powers. When his dynasty ended in 1558 a period named the Time of Troubles followed.
Peter the Great
Became czar in 1689 and was an absolutist monarch who claimed he had the divine right to rule. He was determined to westernize Russia and knew borrowing European technology would turn the army and navy into a great power. By the time he died in 1725, Russia was a great European power.
Westernization
The adoption of practices and culture of Western Europe into other countries and other parts of the world.
