Test 2 – Review, Part 3

World History

Christianity Spreads Throughout Roman Empire

• At first, Christianity is illegal in Roman Empire.

• In 312 A.D., Emperor Constantine legalizes Christianity. It eventually becomes official religion of the Empire.

• When the Western Roman Empire falls to German barbarians in the 400’s A.D., the Roman Catholic Church (led by the Pope) takes over and rules for the next 1100 years (through the Middle Ages)

How Religion Helped Spread of Democracy

• Jewish Religion– Was started about 1800 B.C. when God spoke to

Abraham– Monotheistic: Belief in ONE God (Yahweh)– All people are children of God – equal, with rights– Ten Commandments

• Contains both Religious Laws (no false gods; honor God on Sabbath; etc.) and Moral Laws (do not lie, steal, murder, etc.)

– Prophets: Taught that governments and leaders should not oppress others and should help the poor (justice)

– Holy Book: Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

How Religion Helped Spread of Democracy

• Christian Religion– Was started by Jesus Christ around 33 A.D.– Monotheistic: Belief in ONE God (who exists as a

Trinity – Father, Son (Jesus) & Holy Spirit)– Shares Jewish belief that all people are children of

God – equal, with rights– Shares Jewish belief that rulers must govern with

justice, caring for poor & not oppressing people– Jesus taught love of neighbor, even of enemies

(especially in Sermon on the Mount)– Holy Book: Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and

Christian Bible (New Testament, including Gospels)

How Religion Helped Spread of Democracy

• Muslim Religion (Islam)– Was started by Muhammad around 600 A.D.– Monotheistic: Belief in ONE God (Allah)– Shares Jewish & Christian beliefs that all people are

children of God – equal, with rights– Shares Jewish & Christian belief about justice and

taking care of the poor– Teaches tolerance of Jews and Christians– Holy Book: Qur’an (Koran)

In Middle Ages…(from 500 to 1300 A.D.)

• Western Roman Empire has fallen.

• Roman Catholic Church (led by Pope) rules and becomes powerful, authoritarian religious and political organization that insists on absolute obedience

Renaissance (1300-1500 A.D.) …• “Rebirth” of Greek and Roman

ideas. The Renaissance emphasized:

1. Humanism: Focus on the human, rather than God or religion

2. Individualism: Focus on equality and worth of all people

3. Secularism: Focus on this world, not the spiritual world

Important Renaissance Thinkers …

1. Erasmus: Catholic priest and humanist who supported religious toleration and reform to end corruption in Roman Catholic Church.

Important Renaissance Thinkers …2. Thomas More: Humanist

advisor to England’s King Henry VIII who wrote “Utopia,” about an ideal, peaceful world. Beheaded by Henry VIII for refusing to leave the Catholic Church and join Henry’s new Anglican Church (Church of England).

Important Renaissance Thinkers …3. Machiavelli: Wrote

that rulers could act immorally, if necessary, to maintain their power, and that ends sometimes justify means.

Reformation (1500’s A.D.) …• Martin Luther, a priest,

protests against the power and corruption in the Roman Catholic Church

• He and others break away from the Catholic Church and form new (Protestant) Churches

• The absolute power of the Roman Catholic Church is broken

• People become free to choose their own religion

Enlightenment (1600s & 1700s)

• An intellectual movement in Europe

• Applied methods of science and principles of reason to human society, especially government

• Influenced the American Revolution and the French Revolution, which both were attempts to replace monarchy with democracy

Important Enlightenment Thinkers …1. Thomas Hobbes: People are

basically selfish and ambitious, but want security and safety more than freedom, so they enter into a “social contract,” submitting to an authoritarian ruler to prevent disorder.

2. John Locke: People are basically good and want a limited government that will protect their basic rights to life, liberty and property. People may rebel against a government that fails to protect their rights.

More Enlightenment Thinkers …3. Jean Jacques Rousseau: Believed in democracy.

People enter into a “social contract,” an agreement among free individuals to create a government that responds to their will.

4. Voltaire: Argued for tolerance, freedom of religion and free speech.

5. Montesquieu: Supported liberty as a natural right and believed liberty could best be protected if there was a separation of powers in government – a check-and-balance between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

Democracy evolves in England, setting the stage for democracy in U.S.

Democracy evolves in England, setting the stage for democracy in U.S.

Baby steps in the Middle Ages in England:

1. In 1215, angry nobles force king to sign the Magna Carta, an agreement that limits the power of the king and protects individual rights & liberty

2. Common Law develops – laws that develop over time from customs and traditions of the people, not just the will of the King.

3. Juries develop – a person accused of a crime is judged by peers and a royal judge, instead of having to survive a duel or some other dangerous ordeal.

4. Due process of law develops – people are guaranteed that they will be judged according to a fair, orderly, known “process” or procedure, not just arbitrarily at the whim of a ruler

Democracy evolves in England, setting the stage for democracy in U.S.

Bigger steps in the 1600s in England:

1. Parliament, the representative body of the people, overthrows and beheads a king who refuses to share power. The king believed in “Divine Right” -- that his absolute power came from God (the “divine”), so he did not need to share power with Parliament or the people.

Democracy evolves in England, setting the stage for democracy in U.S.

Bigger steps in the 1600s in England:

2. England endures a brief dictatorship under Oliver Cromwell.

3. Parliament reestablished the monarchy, but again clashes with a “divine right” king.

4. Parliament peacefully deposes the king in what is called “the Glorious Revolution.”

Democracy evolves in England, setting the stage for democracy in U.S.

Bigger steps in the 1600s in England:

3. Parliament invites William and Mary from the Netherlands to become the new king and queen – but only if they agree to follow a Constitution and a Bill of Rights.

4. England becomes a “Constitutional Monarchy” with Parliament in control. The king and queen only have “limited power” and must follow the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

The End!