Semester Exam Flashcards
Frederick the Great (r.1740-1786)
- first “servant of the state”
- religious toleration, promotion through merit, academic freedom, freed serfs, invited Voltaire to his court
Enlightened Monarchs
Had direct correspondence with philosophes, used their power to promote intellectual ideas and the welfare of their people, toleration of religion, more education, and elimination of torture/death penalty
-BUT..all of these reforms were moderate, many of these reforms helped increase power, and most reforms/ideas will be undone by 19th century
(Frederick the Great of Prussia, Joseph II of HRE, Catherine the Great of Russia)
Joseph II
-religious toleration, solidified Hapsburg, abolished serfdom, taxed everyone, abolished torture/death penalty
Catherine the Great (r. 1762-1796)
Rise to power…goal was to modernize and westernize; corresponded with Voltaire and Diderot, liked enlightened ideas but difficult to make these changes
-“you write on paper, I write on skin” to Voltaire
Edict of Nantes
Issued by Henry IV (Henry kept France at peace, loved by people) in 1589 as a compromise between Catholics and Huguenots
-allowed Protestants the right to worship in certain towns throughout France
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)
Heliocentric
-believed sun was at the center of the universe, not earth; knew his writings would be controversial, did not publish them until year of death
Theorized the stars/planets revolved around sun, not earth
-teachings brought sharp attacks from religious leaders, especially Protestants
Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
Brahe’s brilliant young assistant
- demonstrated that the orbits of planets around the Sun are elliptical, rather than circular
- proved mathematically the precise relations of sun-centered solar system
John Locke (1632-1704)
philosophe; people born not good, not evil, but blank
“Tabula Rosa” = Blank slate
The Social Contract
The Social Contract
- Promise to respect other’s life, liberty, and property
- Government will protect the citizens’ natural rights
- We have the right to revolt of the government doesn’t protect your rights
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
- born GOOD, cooperated with one another, society has corrupted us
- “Man is born free, but is everywhere in chains”
- progress in science doesn’t mean progress in society
- man is a “noble savage” in the state of nature
- The General Will: rely on popular sovereignty (voting)
Adam Smith (1723-1790)
Scotsman looking for natural laws of economics:
- Supply and demand
- Competition
- the government’s responsibility should be “laissez faire” = hands off
- let the invisible hand of 1 & 2 determine what products/price should be
- anti-Mercantilism= hated by monarchs/kings
Invisible Hand
Government should be “laissez faire” (hands off) in economics
-invisible hand of supply & demand and competition will determine what products/price should be
(Adam Smith)
Voltaire (1694-1778)
-toleration
-critical of organized religion (most vocal against the lack of toleration)
-“crush the infamous thing”
-believe in deism
“I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
philosophes
-trying to find natural laws of human behavior
Versailles
- Began as a modest hunting lodge
- under Louis XIV’s orders, his architects turned it into a magnificent palace
- mirror of French greatness to the world
- Louis gained power
Intendants
Royal commissioners
- performed specific tasks, often financial, but also judicial and political
- collected info from local communities and delivered orders
Fronde
(“Slingshot/catapult”)
- uprisings of 1648-1652
- term applied to the many individuals/ groups who opposed the policies of the government
- revolt started by Nobles of the Sword (old) fighting power of the King
- does not succeed
Mercantilism
- Colonies established
- Colonies provide raw materials
- Mother country makes finished products
- Mother country sells the finished products back to colonies
(favorable balance of trade)
westernization
Catherine the Great’s goal was to modernize and westernize Russia
Jesuits
Founded by Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
- Jesuits were modern and attracted many recruits
- brought southern Germany and much of Eastern Europe back to Catholicism
- guardians of faith
Divine right
Monarchs believed they were appointed by God
Ex: Louis XIV
Peter the Great
- modernization and westernization
- built St. Petersburg, made it the capital, made nobles live there with him
Charles I
Goes around Parliament (power of purse) for taxes to gain power
Congress of Vienna
Metternich’s principles: legitimacy (restoration of rightful rulers), compensation; balance of power
-reactionary
Medici
In Italy, supporter of arts (patron of the arts)
Religious figures, important people
Martin Luther
Against indulgences; Christian humanists; salvation by faith alone; debates with John Eck; Diet of Worms, then excommunicated from Church; protected by Duke of Saxony
Peasants War
“mad dogs”
- used religious controversy to revolt against feudal lords; resolved by Peace of Augsburg
- each prince was able to vote to be Lutheran or Catholic
Continental System
Napoleon’s attempt to stop trade with Britain
-begins Napoleon’s end
Pragmatic Sanction
Charles XI was scared his daughter wouldn’t be strong enough to fight off other countries
- made countries agree not to take his land when he died
- Countries broke promise and attacked anyway
- Austria still prospered under her
Orderly universe
Everything happens because everything is attached to a natural law
- things don’t happen randomly
- reliable, never-changing
- before it was based on God alone
Nationalism
Growing movement that starts under Napoleon
- people begin to feel proud of country
- ethnic groups coming together and becoming stronger
Bourbon
Ruling family in France