Monarchs and the enlightenment
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Absolute monarchs during the 1500s-1700s believed in the divine right to rule and governed strictly, causing conflicts and unrest among the people. An example was Louis XIV of France, who spent lavishly on Versailles while the people struggled. During the Enlightenment period from the 1600s-1700s, thinkers developed new ideas about government and individual rights that challenged absolute rule, including John Locke's ideas about natural rights, Montesquieu's separation of powers, and Rousseau's concept of consent of the governed. The spread of these Enlightenment ideas led the people to increasingly question monarchal rule and fight for more freedoms, setting the stage for revolution.
Monarchs and the enlightenment
- 1. ABSOLUTE MONARCHS AND THE PERIOD OF ENLIGHTENMENT
- 2. 1500s-1700s What were ABSOLUTE MONARCHS? •Monarchs were kings. •Absolute monarchs were the kings who believed in the idea of DIVINE RIGHT. •Divine right is the idea that GOD put them on the earth to rule •They ruled strictly and typically got into conflicts with one another •Because of the way these monarchs treated the people they ruled, many started to get the idea for REVOLUTION
- 3. A great example of an Absolute Monarchs would Louis XIV from France. He spent enormous amounts of money
- 4. Lavish spending on Palace of Versailles
- 5. Interior of the Palace was done in crystal and gold
- 6. Versailles Fountains made of copper
- 7. The Kings lived extravagantly while many of their people scraped for food
- 8. Eventually, people began to develop new ideas….…. This time of new ideas was known as the ENLIGHTENMENT or Age of Reason. 1600s-1700s New ideas on how government should be run.
- 9. THE ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS AND THEIR NEW IDEAS Most people had ideas like THOMAS HOBBES. He believed in the DIVINE RIGHT of Kings. However…different men had new ideas!
- 10. JOHN LOCKE Believed that all people had 3 natural rights to LIFE, LIBERTY, PROPERTY He said it was the duty of the government to protect these rights
- 11. VOLTAIRE Believed in freedom of speech so people could express their opinions about the government He also believed in freedom of religion, so people could worship God in the way they choose
- 12. MONTESQUIEU Believed that government should be separated into 3 branches The 3 branches of government, Montesquieu said, would help keep the government from becoming too powerful Checks and balances—each branch would check the others to make sure one does not abuse its power.
- 13. MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT Advocated rights for women
- 14. JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU Believed in the concept of “Consent of the Governed”, meaning that people should agree to the rules that they follow by voting He believed the having an absolute monarchy prevented people from having true freedom.
- 15. Effects of Enlightenment ideas on the Monarchy Ideas spread through England and France Kings were criticized more and more People began questioning the way of life under Kings New Ideas + Absolute Monarchs = REVOLUTION The people began to fight for their freedoms and wanted a CHANGE in their government