World Domination:

How Absolutism led to

Exploration
 So, how did absolutism lead to exploration?
• During the Renaissance,
European kings taxed the
wealthy to create strong
armies
• Monarchs used the strong
armies to control their nations
• Advances in scientific ideas
(thanks Galileo, Copernicus,
Descartes!) helped people
effectively explore and
“discover” the New World
• Monarchs used the new
colonies to create more wealth
Louis XIV (France)
• When Louis XIV came into power, the
kingdom was already an absolute
monarchy
• He dubbed himself the “Sun King”
because of the light and power he
brought to France
• He had both a positive and negative
impact on France
• Positive: France became the most
powerful nation in the world
• Negative: France was powerful
because of expensive wars the
French fought in—this led to
massive debts
• Built the palace Versailles (as seen in
The Man in the Iron Mask)
• Reigned for 72 years!
Philip II (Spain)
• “Guardian” of the
Catholic Church
• Turned Inquisition
against Protestants
and heretics

• Was very militaristic!

• Started war against
Dutch because they
had declared
independence from
Spain
• He sent his armada to
England because the
English supported the
Dutch
•
Elizabeth I (England)
Henry VIII’s daughter with Anne Boleyn (his second
wife who was beheaded)
• She worked with Parliament to decide the official
religion of England
• The ruler before Elizabeth I, was her half-
sister, Mary (Catherine of Aragon’s daughter).
• Queen Mary was Catholic and murdered
Protestants who would not obey her—creating
the nickname “Bloody Mary”
• Ultimately, the Parliament decided to make the
Anglican (the Church of England) the official
religion, but allowed Catholics to practice their
traditions
• Pushed people to explore, conquer new land, and
create Joint-Stock Companies
• Never married, so was called the “The Virgin Queen”
• Ruled for 45 years!
Collage Time!
• Create a image to
represent your reign as an
absolute monarch

• Use magazine pictures and

your own drawings to
create the visual

• Include:
• “Staging”
• Props (3+)
• Specific colors (2+)