Paragraph 4.3 - Absolutism and Enlightenment - 2021

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Paragraph 4.3 - Absolutism and Englightenment 

classcode: omdeb

What is absolutism?

Absolutism + Enlightenment = ? 

How could a king’s power be absolute if people had basic rights that even the king had to respect? And what if people were free to say and write what they wanted? 

Give three characteristics of
the Enlightenment

First estate

Second estate

Third estate

Nobility

Clergy 

The rest of the population

You easily move from estate to estate

1. True
2. False

Who paid taxes in 18th century France?

1. The nobility and the clergy, because they earned the most
2. The rest of the population, because they owned the most land
3. The nobility and the rest of the population, because the Church doesn't pay taxes
4. The rest of the population, because no paying was the privilige of the nobility and the clergy

In France, the population was         clergy and                      nobility, but together they owned more        than of the country's land.

1%

2%

50% 

What were the advantages
of the Enlightenment for rulers?
Name one

Enlightened...

• The ideas of rationality 
• Certain basic rights for the population 
• Knowledge, in itself, was important to have and to spread among the people
•  Consequence of wanting to spread knowlegde: education and upbringing were issues now to invest in

BUT...still absolute power

• Frederik  the Great
• First servant of the state 
• He ruled without any accountability to anyone. The people had no say in the government; there was no form of representation.
• Example: Das Kartoffelbefehl