Age of Revolutions (PASS: 13.1-13.5)

I. The Age of Absolutism

1. Underlying philosophy of absolutism; concept of the "enlightened despot"
    
2. Louis XIV
   1. Preparation by Louis XIII: regents, strengthening of royal authority
   2. Accomplishments, e.g., Versailles, military expansion, subjugation of aristocracy, creation of civil service
    
3. Frederick the Great: creation of Prussia as a major military power, simultaneous emphasis on the arts
    
4. Peter the Great: evolution of the tsarist state, modernization of Russia, creation of St. Petersburg, links to the west
    
5. Other monarchs: Queen Elizabeth, Catherine the Great, Joseph II, Maria Theresa

 
II. Political Revolutions

1. Stuart England
   1. Contest between Stuart kings (James I, Charles I) and Parliament leads to English Civil War, 1642-1645
   2. Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans rule under the Commonwealth
   3. Restoration of Stuart rule, 1660-1689
   4. The Glorious Revolution of 1689: Parliament displaces the last Stuart in favor of Queen Mary and William of Orange; establishment of Parliamentary supremacy
    
2. The American Revolution
   1. Causes: French and Indian War
   2. new political ideas (Thomas Paine's Common Sense); responses to British restrictions (Navigation Act, Intolerable Acts)
   3. Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary War
   4. Articles of Confederation, drafting of Constitution
   5. Influence of Revolution
    
3. The French Revolution
   1. France's economic crisis leads Louis XVI to call Estates-General
   2. National Assembly attempts legislative reforms and rule
   3. Intervention of foreign powers: Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain and Britain
   4. Reign of Terror: Revolution enters radical phase
   5. Civilian government falls to Napoleon
   6. The Napoleonic Wars

 
III. Principles of the Enlightenment (natural laws)

1. Philosophy
   1. Adam Smith; John Locke and Thomas Hobbes
   2. Descartes, Rousseau, Montesquieu and Voltaire
   3. Hegel and Kant
   4. Women of the Enlightenment, e.g. Madame de Sevigny's salon movement, Aphra Behn, Mary Wollstonecraft
    
2. Science
   1. Importance of the scientific method (Francis Bacon)
   2. Astronomy and physics: Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton
   3. Medicine: Vesalius and Harvey; Van Leeuwenhoek
    
3. consequences of the Enlightenment
   1. influence on political revolutions
   2. beginning of sustained drive to increase of knowledge, for masses as well as elites

 
IV. Developments in the Arts and Literature

1. Literature: Jonathan Swift, Goethe, Diderot
   1. Evolution of the novel as a form of literature
   2. Use of political satire
   3. Encyclopedia movement
    
2. Music: Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Handel
   1. The symphony form
   2. Use of music to express political themes, evoke natural forms, religious devotion
    
3. Art: Rembrandt, Gainsborough
   1. Portrait art; use of new techniques of light and shadow
   2. Grand themes of nature and natural color in landscapes
   3. The Baroque movement