Age of Absolutism Study Notes Part 2

Peter I died without naming a successor to the Russian throne, which set off a series of power struggles among many Romanovs. Eventually Peter III gained some control over the Russian government and married a German princess named Catherine. Peter soon became unpopular and was assassinated in 1762, leaving the Russian throne to his wife Catherine II. It is believed that Catherine II may have been involved in the assassination plot because of her love affair with one of the assassin’s brothers, but nothing could be proved. Nonetheless, Catherine II gained the throne of Russia and became the 13th Romanov monarch. Catherine II ruled Russia with greatness for 34 years earning her the name “Catherine the Great”. Catherine’s Policies: She continued where Peter I left off by incorporating Western European thought into Russian life. Like Peter I, she reorganized the government under her absolute control, created a strong Russian military, and strengthened the Russian economy. Catherine II also created a government sponsored education program for Russian boys and girls. Although Catherine II did great things, she was very ruthless at the same time. Much of her policies and reforms only benefited the Boyars and upper class citizens of Russia. Russian peasants saw no benefits from Catherine II’s policies causing many peasant revolts, which Catherine II swiftly crushed. Catherine II’s Expansions: Like Peter the Great, Catherine the Great also wanted to expand the territory of Russia and gain a warm-water port. With a warm water port already on the Baltic Sea, Catherine II wanted another warm-water port on the Black Sea. Catherine II achieved this goal by doing something that Peter I could not. She defeated the Ottoman Empire, gained some land along the coast of the Black Sea, and built a second warm water port. This now gave Russia two warm-water ports for importing and exporting goods, which only made the Russian economy stronger. Another place Catherine II had interest in was the unstable country of Poland. Like Catherine II, Frederick William II of Prussia and Maria Theresa of Austria wanted the land of Poland as well. In 1772 the three monarchs met and peacefully partitioned, or divided, Poland three separate ways with each of them gaining significant amounts of land. This event is known as The 1st Partition of Poland, and two more partitions of Poland would eventually take place in 1793 and 1795. Together these three events are known as The Three Partitions of Poland. The Three Partitions of Poland: Catherine II’s Legacy: Today Catherine II is known for her numerous love affairs and her inability to speak the Russian language fluently, but one cannot overlook what she did for her country. When Catherine died in 1796, she had completed the vision of Peter the Great. She restored the Russian military and economy, and achieved Peter I’s most elusive goal of a warm-water port on the Black Sea. Catherine II’s only knock would be her persecution of the Russian peasants, which laid the groundwork for the Russian Revolution in 1917 and officially end the Romanov Monarchy. Section # 4 Questions: Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. What made Russia isolated from the rest of Europe, why was this good, and why was this bad? 2. Explain what a warm-water port is. 3. What religion did Russians follow? 4. What is the Russian name for king? 5. Who was one czar responsible for Russian isolation, how long did he rule Russia (include the dates), and what was his nickname? 6. What was the name given to Russian nobles? 7. What was the name of the 29-year period following the death of Ivan IV? 8. Who was the 1st Romanov monarch, and how long did he rule Russia (include the dates)? 9. What year would the Romanov monarchy come to an end, and who would rise to power in Russia? 10. Who was the 5th Romanov monarch, how long did he rule Russia (include the dates), and what was his nickname? 11. What values did Peter I try to incorporate into Russian life, and what did he name this reform of Russian life? 12. What people in Russia did Peter I assign to model his reforms of Russia? 13. What was holding Peter I back from building a consistent and strong economy? 14. Why did Peter I build up his military? 15. What land did Peter I gain in the war against Sweden, what was the name of the city he built on this land, and what did Peter I refer to the city as? 16. Why was St. Petersburg so important to the Russian economy? 17. What was the name of St. Petersburg during the Russian Revolution? 18. Who was the 13th Romanov monarch, how long did she rule Russia (include the dates), and what was her nickname? 19. What ruler’s vision did Catherine II want to carry on? 20. Where did Catherine II establish a 2nd warm-water port for Russia, and how did this help the Russian Economy and whom did she defeat in a war to get this land? 21. What country did Catherine II, Frederick II, and Maria Theresa divide amongst themselves three different times? What were these events called? Section # 5 – England (1603 – 1714) The U.K. Parliament Today: U.K. Parliament started out as the English Parliament. Over the course of history England added neighbors Wales, Scotland, and the northern tip of Ireland (Northern Ireland) to its territory to become what the world knows today as the United Kingdom (U.K.). The U.K. Parliament is somewhat similar to the Congress of the U.S. Both are legislative (law) making government groups that are elected by the people in popular elections. The Congress of the U.S. consists of two groups, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Both groups are elected to serve for a set amount of time. The U.K. Parliament is a little different in comparison to the U.S. Congress. Like the U.S. Congress the U.K. Parliament consists of two groups, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. One group is completely elected while the other is partially elected and appointed. Members of the House of Commons are all elected by the U.K. people to serve in office for 4 years. Members of House of Lords are both appointed and elected in numerous ways. Members of the House of Lords have the option to serve for life if they choose to do so. The U.K. Prime Minister Today: The leader of the U.K. Parliament is the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority (biggest) party in Parliament. Once Parliament is determined based on appointments and the popular vote of the U.K. people, the majority party in Parliament elects a leader. He or she becomes the Prime Minister of the U.K. The Prime Minister is responsible for running the U.K. on a day to day basis. The U.K. still has a monarch (king or queen), but they are only in place for traditional purposes. The only real power the U.K. monarch has today is that he or she can order Parliament to meet. Section # 5 Questions (Part I): Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. What four areas presently make up the United Kingdom (U.K.)? 2. What two groups make up the U.K. Parliament? 3. Of the two houses that make up the U.K. Parliament, which house is completely elected by the U.K. people and which house is partially elected and appointed? 4. How long do members of House of Commons serve in office? 5. How long to members of the House of Lords serve in office? 6. Who is the leader of the U.K. Parliament and how does he or she come to be in that position? 7. Who runs the U.K. on a day to day basis? 8. If the U.K. monarch has virtually no power, why does the U.K. continue to even have a king or a queen? Tudor Legacy: The Tudor monarchy produced some of the greatest, most well known, and most controversial monarchs in world history. The most famous and well known is King Henry VIII simply because of his 6 wives. The most controversial of the Tudors is without a doubt Queen Mary I who is more popularly known as “Bloody” Mary. Her desire to make England an entirely Catholic country came at the expense of the lives of English Protestants (300) whom she saw as enemies of England. Henry VIII’s other daughter, who was also Mary I’s half sister, is a close second to her father Henry VIII as being the most famous Tudor. History knows her by two names. This first is Queen Elizabeth I and the second is the catchy nickname that she gave to herself, the “Virgin Queen”. She ruled England for 45 years, and is arguably the best monarch in world history for a number of reasons. She successfully defended England from invasion on numerous occasions and more importantly she eased the tensions between English Catholics and Protestants that was started by her father and continued by her siblings. Elizabeth I also mended some fences with Parliament that had been destroyed by her father and siblings. During her rule of England Elizabeth always included Parliament in decisions concerning England. She always informed Parliament of her intentions and always included Parliament in her decisions. Elizabeth I stayed true to her nickname and never married in her lifetime. As a result she never had any children thus producing no heirs to her throne when she died in 1603. Because she left no heirs to the throne, her crown was passed to her cousin James Stuart who at the time had been the king of neighboring Scotland for 36 years. James I: (1603 – 1625) James I was crowned King of Scotland at age 1. Advisors ran Scotland until 1574 when James decided he would run the country at a mature age of 8. For another 28 years he would hold the throne of Scotland until he was crowned King of England. He would rule England for 22 years. Combining his time on the throne in both Scotland and England, he would be king for 58 years. Although he was related to Elizabeth I, James had the complete opposite attitude of Elizabeth I when it came to working with Parliament. Elizabeth I had always included Parliament in the governing process in her 45 years as queen of England. Parliament was very accustomed to this leadership style, but James I would have nothing to do with it. James I was firm believer in absolutism and saw Parliament as a bother to him. James I wanted to do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted and did not want Parliament placing limits on his power. After years of quarreling with Parliament James I finally had had enough with Parliament. In 1610 James dismissed Parliament after an argument based on raising the taxes of the English people. James I wanted to raise taxes and Parliament refused to approve the tax raise. For the remainder of his rule James I and Parliament would be in constant conflict. James I’s Problems: At the heart of the conflict between James I and Parliament was obviously money. Any English monarch needs money. The group that raises that money through taxes has always been Parliament. James I managed to raise the money himself without Parliament because he had some very economically gifted advisors. Another factor in James I’s clash with Parliament was religion. James I was a member of the Episcopalian religion, which is a Catholic sect. Just as Mary I wanted to turn England into a Catholic country, James I wanted England to be an Episcopalian country. This deepened his disagreement with Parliament which consisted of true Catholics, Protestants, and Puritans who were an emerging Protestant sect in England. The height of the debate was when James I issued the King James Bible in 1604, just one year after being crowned king of England. This new bible was James I’s interpretation of the bible with Episcopalian additions to it. This is the major contributing factor to the Gun Powder Plot of 1605, which was a failed assassination attempt on the life of James I. 36 barrels of gunpowder were found in the basement of the Parliament, which was intended to be detonated while James I was in session with Parliament. This religious debate also caused many people to leave England. The most famous occurrences that came out these religious debates are the founding of two successful English colonies in North America. The two colonies are Jamestown, which was founded in Virginia in 1607, and Plymouth, which was founded in Massachusetts in 1620. Both groups that founded these colonies left England because of religious persecution and conflict. These two colonies eventually grew to become 13 colonies, which in later years became the United States of America. James I died in 1625 at age 59. His son Charles succeeded him as King Charles I of England. Charles I: (1625 – 1649) Like his dad Charles I was a believer in absolutism. Unlike his dad, Charles I did not surround himself with popular advisors nor did he have advisors with a good economic background. Because of this he had to rely on Parliament to get things done especially raising money. Charles I repeatedly used Parliament for personal gains which ultimately lead to his death. For the first three years of his rule Charles I was able to function on the amount of money his father has created during his time as king. In 1628 Charles found the English treasury very low. In need of money Charles I called Parliament back into session in an effort to raise the taxes on the English people. This meeting with Parliament produced a law known as the Petition of Right, which stated that Parliament must approve all tax raises on the English people proposed by the monarch in the future. In order for an immediate raise in taxes Charles I agreed to sign the Petition of Right in agreement. Less than a year after signing the Petition of Right Charles dismissed Parliament in 1629 just as his father James I did. Parliament, feeling very used, was very angry with Charles I. Charles I ruled England for the next 11 years never allowing Parliament to meet. Charles I’s Problems: Charles I was a Catholic. Like many of his predecessors he changed the beliefs of the Anglican Church (Church of England) to fit his personal beliefs. Like many of his predecessors, this angered many powerful and ordinary people in England. Charles decided to change the Book of Common Prayer, which outlines the beliefs of the Anglican Church, to reflect his Catholic beliefs. Two Protestant sects, Calvinism and Puritan, were very angered by this new Book of Common Prayer because they saw this as an effort by Charles I to destroy their religions. They openly opposed and criticized Charles I, and for that reason Charles I raised and English army in attempt to capture, kill, and silence them. While Charles I was somewhat successful in eliminating these critics, it drained the English treasury (bank) and angered some members of Parliament who were Calvinists and Puritans themselves. In order to replenish the English treasury Charles I saw a need to raise the taxes of the English people. Based on the Petition of Right (1629), he needed the approval of Parliament to make his proposed tax raise a reality. For the first time in 11 years Charles I called Parliament back into session in an effort to raise taxes. His decision to bring Parliament back into session was a fateful one which ended up being a major contributing factor to his death. The Long Parliament: (1640 – 1653) After not meeting for 11 years the English Parliament came back with an agenda and very angry. This Parliament was known as the “Long” Parliament because they refused to come out session or be dismissed from session for next 13 years. When Charles I asked Parliament to approve his tax raise they voted it down. On top of shooting down Charles I’s tax raise plan, they threw his top advisor in prison, and publically labeled Charles I a tyrant. These three actions by Parliament infuriated Charles I causing him to send his personal army to Parliament to arrest certain members of Parliament that he saw as the ring leaders of this opposition. When Charles I’s army entered Parliament the ring leaders escaped out the back door. This event was birth of the English Civil War between King Charles I of England and the English Parliament. The members of Parliament that evaded capture organized an army that would fight Charles I’s army for the next 7 years. English Civil War: (1642 – 1649) During the English Civil War the supporters of the English Parliament were known as the Roundheads, while the supporters of King Charles I’s were known as the Cavaliers. The Roundhead army was named the New Model Army, it was lead by Oliver Cromwell, and many of the soldiers in the New Model Army were Puritans. After 7 years of fighting the war came to an end with the Roundheads being victorious. Charles I was eventually captured and placed on trial for crimes against England. He was found guilty and executed on January 30, 1649, and his family was exiled to Scotland. Never before in the history of the world had a king been executed by the people he once ruled. This event would be an example for other countries to follow who were unhappy with their government. Section # 5 Questions (Part I): Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. Thinking along the lines of heredity (family), why was James I crowned King of England? 2. Prior to being crowned King of England, what country was James I king of? 3. Explain the relationship between the last Tudor Monarch (Elizabeth I) and the English Parliament. How do you think this contributed to James I’s problems with the English Parliament? 4. Was James I a believer in absolutism? How did the beliefs contribute to his relationship with Parliament? 5. Why did James I dismiss Parliament? 6. How did James I rule England without Parliament for so long? 7. What were the two issues on which James I and Parliament clashed? 17. What did Charles I do with Parliament after the passage of the Petition of Right? 8. What religion is James I and what religion is this a sect of? 18. What religion is Charles I? 9. What book did James I release in 1604 which angered members of other religious groups in England? 19. What book did Charles I change and what two religious groups were angered by this change? 20. Why did Charles I call Parliament back into session in 1640? 10. What was the newly emerging Protestant sect In England during James I’s time on the throne? 21. Why is the “Long” Parliament given its name? 11. What two successful English colonies were established in North America during James I’s time on the throne? 22. What are the three things done by the Long Parliament that angered Charles I? 12. Why were the people who established these colonies leaving England? 23. Who supported Parliament and who supported King Charles I in the English Civil War? 24. What was the name of Parliament’s army, who was its leader, what is the religion of many of the army members? 13. Who became the King of England after James I? 14. Was Charles I a believer in absolutism?” 15. Why did Charles I call Parliament back into session in 1628? 16. Explain what the Petition of Right is. 25. Who won the English Civil War? 26. What was done with King Charles I at the end of the English Civil War? Why is this so historic? Section # 6 – England (1603 – 1714) The Commonwealth: (1649 – 1660) With English Civil War over and Charles I gone, England needed a new leader. With the new leader came an entirely new government and lifestyle that English people were not very used to. The new government would be called the Commonwealth and the new leader would be the leader of victorious New Model Army, Oliver Cromwell, who was given the title Lord Protector. Under the Commonwealth there would be no monarchy whatsoever. England would become a republic, which is a government that is ran by the people not just one person, and the king and queen would be abolished. The House of Commons, which consisted of mainly Puritans, remained in place as the only group that would make up the English Parliament. Just as the monarchy was abolished, so was the House of Lords. The Anglican Church was also abolished. While it was not specifically written in any government documents, the Commonwealth was a government that operated on the principles of the Puritan religion. Puritans derive their name from the idea of being “pure” and lived by a very strict moral code. Cromwell, who was a Puritan, worked with a predominantly Puritan Parliament to close all theaters, close all taverns (bars), outlaw gambling, and outlaw dancing. Many English people saw these activities as leisurely enjoyment and were angered by it. Although angry, no one challenged Oliver Cromwell because he had the loyalty of the very powerful and ever growing New Model Army. While the Puritans were tolerant of other Protestant sects and Judaism (Jewish), they were very harsh towards Catholics whom were seen as still loyal to Charles I. Although the Commonwealth was in place for 11 years, it was not very popular amongst the English people. Oliver Cromwell died in 1658, less than two years after his death the Commonwealth crumbled due to lack of support by the English people. Charles II: (1660 – 1685) After his father’s death and his exile from England, Charles II became King of Scotland for two years. After a failed attempt to overthrow Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth, he fled to mainland Europe for fear of being assassinated by supporters of the Commonwealth. He remained in hiding until 1660 when Parliament invited him back to England to become the king after Oliver Cromwell’s death and the collapse of the Commonwealth. Learning from the mistakes of his grandfather (James I), father (Charles I), and his predecessor (Oliver Cromwell) Charles II made major changes in an effort to return England to a state of normalcy. Under Charles II England re-established a monarchy government, brought back the House of Lords as the second house of Parliament, and brought back the Anglican Church (Church of England). Charles II was not believer in absolutism therefore he worked very closely with Parliament to bring back all of the things the Puritan based Commonwealth eliminated. Theaters and taverns were re-opened and gambling and dancing were no longer outlawed. While Charles was Catholic, he did not force his religious beliefs on the people of England. All religions were tolerated while Charles II was king. The only thing that Charles II forbid were laws based on Puritan values, which were widespread when he took over following the Commonwealth. He also signed the Petition of Right in agreement stating that he would only raise taxes with the approval of Parliament. While his time on the throne was not without conflicts or issues, England became a much happier place during Charles II’s time as king. For the most part the people of England liked him. After sitting on the English throne for 25 years Charles II died in 1685. While Charles II fathered 11 illegitimate children he had no legitimate children with his wife to take his place as king when he died. Having no heir to the throne, the English throne passed to Charles II’s brother James James II: (1685 – 1688) When James II was crowned king he returned to the old Stuart ways of grandfather (James I) and father (Charles I). Unlike his brother (Charles II), James II was believer in absolutism just as his grandfather and father were. He openly too clashed with Parliament over his absolutist leadership style and religious beliefs. As a Catholic he began appointing many of Catholic friends to positions in the House of Lords. Other members of House of Commons and House of Lords, who were members of various Protestant sects, were angered by this and fearful of a return to the days of “Bloody” Mary and his father Charles I. This began another bitter quarrel between the king and Parliament which became known as the Glorious Revolution. The Glorious Revolution: (1688) Fearful of James II as king Parliament invited James II’s nephew William to become king of England. At the time William was living in the Netherlands and was married to James II’s oldest daughter Mary. They were supported by Parliament because they were both Protestants despite their parents being Catholic. When William and Mary arrived in England, James II fled to France because he had no support from the English army or Parliament. In France James II was taken in by his cousin King Louis XIV (The “Sun” King). Since James II had left England, it was declared that he had abdicated (stepped down). With a vacant throne William and Mary were crowned king and queen of England. Because a change (revolution) of leadership in England had taken place without any fighting or bloodshed, this event was labeled the Glorious Revolution. There were some attempts by James II to re-take the English throne. The most notable is when he went to Ireland and tried to raise an army in an effort to invade England and recapture the throne, but it was a massive failure as he was easily defeated by an English army personally lead by King William III. English Bill of Rights: (1689) Before being officially named king and queen of England, William and Mary had to sign the newly written English Bill of Rights in agreement. While it said many important things, the most important thing is that it placed severe limits on the power future English monarchs. England had always been a pure monarchy, but under the English Bill of Right a constitutional monarchy was established in England. A constitutional monarchy is when a monarch powers are limited by a constitution. The constitution specifically states what the king or queen can and cannot do. In short, the English Bill of Right put the king under the control of Parliament. It is important to note that the constitutional monarchy is also known as a limited monarchy. A constitutional monarchy or limited monarchy is the exact opposite of an absolute monarchy. William III and Mary II: (1684 – 1702) If you are following the Stuart family tree, William is the son of James II brother Charles II. Since Mary is James II’s daughter, that would make William and Mary cousins. While this sounds gross it was quite common amongst royalty to marry within the family. As king and queen, their time on the throne is the only time in English history where the king and queen had equal power. They are more popularly known for the college that was founded in their honor in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1693 just one year before Mary II died of smallpox. William III and Mary II never had any children, and William III never married after Mary II’s death. William III never had any children when he died in 1702 after being seriously injured when thrown from his horse combined with an awful case of pneumonia. With no heirs from either William III or Mary II, the English throne was passed to Mary II’s sister Anne. Anne I: (1702 – 1714) Anne I’s time on the throne was relatively uneventful except for one important historical occurrence. In 1707 the Act of Union officially combined England, Wales, and Scotland to become one country which known today as the United Kingdom (U.K.). The northern tip of Ireland would be added to the U.K. in 1800. It is pretty safe to say that Anne I’s life was pretty tragic. Her husband died in 1708 and during her lifetime she was pregnant 18 different times only successfully giving birth to a living baby once, William. In 1700 William died of smallpox at the age of 11. At the time of her death in 1714 there were no heirs to the English throne produced by Anne I. Anne I would be the last Stuart monarch. In a very controversial and complicated process the English throne passed to her cousin George I, who would be the first king of the Hanover monarchy. Section # 6 Questions (Part I): Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. What is the name of English government that was established at the end of the English Civil War, and who was the leader of it? 2. What type of government would England become under the Commonwealth? 3. What three things would be abolished by the Commonwealth? 4. What religion was unofficially forced on the English people under the Commonwealth? 5. Why was the Commonwealth so unpopular amongst the English people? 6. Why did no one ever attempt to overthrow the Commonwealth? 7. What two things contributed to the collapse of the Commonwealth? 8. Who was invited to England to be the new king after the collapse of the Commonwealth? How was this new king related to the Stuart monarchy? 9. What are 7 things that Charles II either brought back or re-established that were outlawed or abolished by the Commonwealth? 10. Was Charles II a believer in absolutism? How did this affect his relationship with Parliament? 11. What were the only types of laws outlawed during Charles II’s time on the throne? 12. Did the people of England like Charles II for the most part? 13. What was James II’s relation to Charles II? 14. Was James II a believer in absolutism? How did this affect his relationship with Parliament? 15. What was James II’s religion and how did this affect his relationship with Parliament? Explain your answer. 16. Who was invited to be King and Queen of England by Parliament when James II was king? Why did Parliament invite these two people? 17. How were the king and queen who replaced James II related to James II? 18. Why did James II leave England without a fight even though he was the King? 19. Why was the Glorious Revolution given its name? 20. Where did James II eventually try to raise an army in an attempt to take back the throne of England? 21. What document did monarchs William III and Mary II have to sign in agreement before they could be crowned King and Queen of England? 22. What type of monarchy was established in England as result of the English Bill of Rights? Explain how this type of monarchy is different from an absolute monarchy? 23. What is another name for a constitutional monarchy? 24. How were King William III and Mary II related? 25. What is unique about the power William III and Mary II had as King and Queen of England. 26. Who became the next monarch after the death of King William III and Mary II? What was the relation of this monarch to King William III and Mary II? 27. What was Anne I’s biggest accomplishment during her time as Queen of England? 28. Who is the last Stuart Monarch? 29. Who did the throne pass to after the last Stuart Monarchy?