World before 1750

Question 1

William the Conqueror

Answer 1

Takes over in 1066

Question 2

Henry II (1115 - 1189)

Answer 2

-New Monarch;
-worked to centralize the monarch’s power
-Strengthened royal courts
-Took control of taxation
-Common Law replaced local law codes

Question 3

King John (1199-1216)

Answer 3

His heavy taxation and unfair practices caused the nobles to rebel against him.

Question 4

Edward I

Answer 4

established Model Parliament in 1295

Question 5

England’s Parliament

Answer 5

A representative body of advisers to a king or other chief executive or a group of people who are elected to make a country’s laws and discuss important national affairs.

Parliament became an institution in England; the law of England would be determined not by the king alone, but by the king and parliament together.

Question 6

King Henry VIII

Answer 6

forms Anglican Church with the blessing of Parliament - 1531

Question 7

the Tudors Share Power

Answer 7

Henry VIII, Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth
1509-1603

Question 8

Absolutism -

Answer 8

a government in which the ruler, usually a monarch, has unlimited power and uses it in an arbitrary manner

Question 9

Characteristics of an absolute monarch

Answer 9

Extreme form of monarchy
-The people invests all authority in its ruler
-Unquestioned power - no limits by law, sovereignty
-Right to rule legitimized by birthright

Question 10

Divine Right (Europe) or Mandate of Heaven (China)

Answer 10

Belief and/or claim that a monarch’s authority to rule came from God, not their subjects or representative institutions

Question 11

Tyranny

Answer 11

-Cruel or unfair control over other people
-Harsh control practices limits the people’s ability to exercise their -natural rights (life, liberty and property)

Question 12

Societies in 1750 were hierarchical

Answer 12

-People were unequal
-The system is designed to maintain the upper class’ wealth, -privileges and place in society
-The upper class had no desire to share power with other groups –for fear their privileges would be lost.

Question 13

Characteristics of the Elite in society

Answer 13

-Usually inherited their prestige and power (birthright)
-Possessed privilege and exclusive rights in society
-Represented a small portion of global society, 3-5%
-Lived a life of leisure and privilege

Question 14

Characteristics of the lower class in society

Answer 14

-No middle class
-Made up of merchants, soldiers, laborers, and poor rural farmers (subsistence)
-Represented nearly 95% of the world’s population
-Life revolved around securing everyday needs
-Little to no education
-No political power or influence
-The merchants had opportunity to gain wealth, but considered beneath elite - resentment develops

Question 15

The Stuarts and Divine Right

Answer 15

-Divine Right - Stuart Kings beginning with James I
-English Civil War (1642-1649) - Parliament (Led by Oliver Cromwell) vs King Charles I
-The Commonwealth - Oliver Cromwell (dictatorship as “Lord Protector”)
-The Restoration - Charles II (1660)
-The Glorious Revolution - James II vs William and Mary

Question 16

Stuarts toppled in Glorious Revolution
1688

Answer 16

-Bloodless Revolution
-James II flees
-Mary and William of Orange reign
-Ends Absolute Monarch in England
-Ends religious freedom for Catholics

Question 17

English Bill of Rights

Answer 17

In 1689, after years of conflict between English monarch and Parliament, a document, signed by William and Mary, permanently limited the power of the monarch in England.

A constitutional monarchy was established. English rulers still had much power, but they had to obey the law and govern in partnership with Parliament.

Question 18

Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679

Answer 18

-Experienced the English Civil War, execution of Charles I and the -rule of Oliver Cromwell
-Published the book, Leviathan (sea monster)
-Stated that humans were naturally guided by a ruthless struggle for self-preservation - not reason
-Introduced the idea of a social contract - People in the state agree to be governed by an absolute ruler with unlimited power in order to suppress rebellion and preserve order.

Question 19

John Locke 1632-1704

Answer 19

-Experienced the Glorious Revolution and the creation of the English Bill of Rights
-Published the Two Treatises of government in 1690
-Argued against the absolute rule of one person,
-The “people” according to Locke were landholding aristocracy (elite). Locke did not advocate democracy as we know it.

Question 20

What did John Locke believe in?

Answer 20

• Constitutional monarchy was the best style of government to provide order and security to society.
• Power of the government should be limited by law
• Supported Parliament in their struggle against the Stuart kings.

-Locke’s ideas can be found in the American Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution

• believed that humans naturally lived in a state of equality and freedom rather than a state of war

-Humans are born with certain natural rights; life, liberty and property

-Believed that people found it difficult to protect their natural rights so they established governments to ensure the protection of their natural rights and that people would act reasonably. (social contract)

-Locke also believed that IF the government broke the contract, the people have the right to reform or remove that government and create a new government.