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Absolutism In The Neoclassical Era

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Throughout the Neoclassical period (1765-1830), traditional absolutism declined and caused other forms of government such as a republic and an enlightened monarchy to emerge and affect the main elements of Neoclassical art. Rather than a traditional absolute monarchy where the monarch had the power to freely rule their land without laws, an enlightened monarchy emerged. Enlightened monarchies emphasized edification, promoted religious tolerance, the liberation of speech, and the right to hold private property while a republic consisted of an elected executive and representatives that governed over a sovereign state. Under the absolute rule of Louis XVI between 1775 and 1793, France became the birthplace of the Enlightenment. Voltaire and Denis …show more content…

The revival of earlier ideas from these ancient civilizations began to take place as early as 1760 in European countries including Austria, Italy, and Belgium. These ideas originally developed between 8th century BCE and 600 ACE directly coincided with the expansion of the newly founded importance of philosophy and the philosophes in France that surfaced throughout the age of Enlightenment (Honour 17-25). Salons established throughout France offered the opportunity for individuals to gain influence and elevated the status of women since they owned the majority of the coffeehouses (Blanning 75). Similarly, the Scientific Revolution revealed advancement in better understanding of the physical world and its laws. Scientists like Copernicus and Galileo began to question dogmas instituted by the Church and undermined its influence. The Copernican theory, although true, contradicted the beliefs of the Church even while supported with evidence. Throughout this time period, the people steered away from the religion and the Church as a result of the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution. However, an egalitarian society did not form. While the Scientific Revolution furthered human understanding, it did not favor a society based on equality and it deemed women as “weaklings” (Blanning 75). The political and social elements of this era later created a familiar Neoclassical style similar to famous works produced in ancient Greece and Rome. During the Neoclassical era, Angelica Kauffman’s Ferdinand IV, King of Naples and His Family, Antonio Canova’s Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss, and Tilman-François Suys’ Royal Palace of Brussels reflected the revival of ancient Greek and Roman ideas, a new religious tolerance, and a newly developed enlightened monarchy.

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Ideas that were formed by the enlightenment philosophers were used in the new government. The French, however, did not make significant progress toward ending absolutism and instead were subject to another absolute ruler immediately after the revolution. After the French revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte became emperor. In this role, Bonaparte had absolute power over France. But some traces of progress were seen, as Bonaparte created a fairer tax system, new schools and a new set of laws (some still in place over 200 years

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The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that reached its peak in the mid-1700s when many philosophers began reevaluating their past ways of thinking. One of the most powerful countries at the time was France. Even though the rest of the world praised their robust trading system and culture, they still faced significant problems within the government such as high taxes towards only certain groups of the population. These effects led to the revolution where thousands of poorer French citizens fought for radical change in the feudal system. Modern Enlightenment ideas in Europe had a huge influence on the French Revolution, especially leading up to it.

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The Enlightenment was a European intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized the use of reason and individualism. It was mostly influenced by Descartes, Locke, and Newton. The idea of enlightened absolutism valued reason rather than faith. Enlightened monarchs had total control but embraced rationality. Being an enlightened ruler meant allowing religious tolerance, freedom of speech, and the right to hold private property.

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Scientific discoveries were made and contributed to the growth of the people in Europe and America. The Enlightenment was a growth period in Europe and America, as people were told to rely on their own intellect instead of always looking to God for answers. Unfortunately, because of their existing class structure, religious positions, and authoritative rule, these new ideas in Europe could only be debated.

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The Age of Enlightenment was a huge change for the people of Europe. It occurred between the late 1600s and 1700s, and changed the way people thought. Monarchs were encouraged to lead with progressive intentions and to enforce the basic human rights of all of their people. to become more equal with their people. These monarchs were called Enlightened Despots.

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The Scientific Revolution “refers to historical changes in thought & belief, to changes in social & institutional organization, that unfolded in Europe between roughly 1550-1700” (Hatch). This revolution was a time to replace

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France began building toward absolutism when Henry VI created the Edict of Nantes in efforts to reduce the violence in the country and gained many supporters. When Richelieu temporarily took the throne he centralized the government and established the supremacy of the king's law. When Louis XIV finally became king, Franch was already well on its way to an absolute monarchy. He went even further by diminishing the power of the nobility and gave them only ceremonial tasks until they we no longer relevant in the political

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During the seventeenth century, many of Europe’s diverse and numerous countries were going through countless political, economic, and cultural transformations. The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment were two of the greatest, most important changes of the early modern era which greatly altered the course of history in most of Europe. People were starting to question and challenge widely accepted beliefs and applying approaches to knowledge rooted in human reason to the physical universe and human affairs. The study of history often focuses on these events and its effects on Europe, excluding or ignoring its effects on places outside of Europe. The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment both sparked interests in science in China and

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The Age of Absolutism is defined as a time period in Europe in which monarchs gained all of the power and wealth over the state for themselves, expanding the idea of single rule. The Enlightenment, on the other hand, is defined as a movement during the 18th century that rejected traditional social, religious, and political ideas, and introduced a desire to construct governments free of tyranny (or single rule). Document 3, a primary source written by King Louis XIV of France in 1660, is describing the idea of monarchy stating,“ The more you grant . . . [to the assembled people], the more it claims . . . The interest of the state must come first” (Document 3).

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In 1789, France was precariously balanced on the edge of chaos. King Louis XVI was ruling monarch of France. King Louis’ youth depicted him as reckless, thoughtless, and unwise. A series of bad financial and political decisions, lead to his unpopularity among the people of France. King Louis was young, distracted and misguided.

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There was political conflicts between the people and the rulers. France was an absolute monarch which the French Monarchs had unlimited power and had no motive to reform society. Instead of having a balanced system of multiple branches of authority the king of France believed he held the power to all of them. This carried a demand of change with the idea of Enlightenment. The idea of Enlightenment empathized

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The period between 1685 and 1815 is known as the Age of Enlightenment. This period brought new ideas and beliefs to Europe. The new ideas would help people at the time question what was going on in Europe for over one hundred years. The ideas that came from the enlightenment would still be changing people’s minds well into the 21st century. These ideas and beliefs would cause a revolution in France, causing the French Revolution (1789 to 1799).

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People of France were faced with much more adversity due to unfair taxation, slavery, debt, and being within the homeland. Enlightenment thinkers inspired the people of France to gain knowledge and realize that absolute monarchy is a terrible form of government, and to replace it with a government in which rights are granted, and the power of the government lies in the hands of the people. The French people succeed, and ideals of liberty and equality became a way of life for the

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“God, who has given the world to men in common, has also given them reason to make use of it to the best advantage of life and convenience” (Locke, 35). The Scientific Revolution concentrated on understanding the physical world through astronomical and mathematical calculations, or testable knowledge. The Enlightenment focused more on “Spreading of faith in reason and in universal rights and laws” (Worlds Together, Worlds Apart, 535). While the Scientific Revolution preceded the Enlightenment, both time periods sought to limit and challenge the power of the Church, through the spread of science, reason and intellect, and political philosophies. The Scientific Revolution began with Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1542) and Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) wanting to understand the movement of the planets beyond what they authorities had told them.

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The Enlightenment was a period during the 1600 and 1700s where authority, power, government and law was questioned by philosophers. The causes of the Enlightenment was the Thirty Years’ War, centuries of mistreatment at the hands of monarchies and the church, greater exploration of the world, and European thinkers’ interest in the world (scientific study). A large part of the Enlightenment was natural law, which was the belief that people should live their lives and organize their society on the basis of rules and precepts laid down by nature or God; the principles of the Enlightenment in the 1600s through the 1700s influenced the development of the USA by advocating religious and social freedom, freeing the people from oppression, and providing

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