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The Road to Revolution

Absolute Monarchs in Europe, 1400s-1900s

The history of the 1700s and 1800s is filled with many stories of revolutions throughout the western world: political revolutions in England, America, and France, and an industrial revolution in most of Western Europe.  But what led so many people to cry out for revolution?  What was it that people wanted to change?  

Absolutism, a form of government in which a single leader develops policies without consulting the people or representatives, is one of the main reasons why many Europeans rallied for revolution in the 1700s.  In most cases, this absolute rule was passed down through royal families.

Through the completion of this assignment, you will be introduced to several of the more influential ruling families in Europe that followed an absolutist philosophy.  The class will be separated into groups representing seven different European nations.  Listed below are the specific requirements that each group must complete.  At the bottom of this page you will find links for all seven countries.

Task #1:  List of Rulers (40 points)

Task #2:  Significant Events (60 points)

                *role in exploration

                *geography

                *military conflicts

                *religion

                *thoughts of revolution

Grading:

The entire project is worth 120 points: 40 for rulers, 60 for events, and 20 ponts for individual effort.  That means: stay on task with your assigned responsibility, but also work well with the other members of your group to ensure the project is completed well. (A rubric will be posted in class!)

Links

France

England

Russia

Austria