Age Of Absolutism

On April 19, 1775, shots rang out just as the sun started to rise on a revolution that would forever change the course of history. Ralph Waldo Emerson eloquently described the moment as the “shot heard round the world” spreading to the farthest reaches of the world, inspiring the French and many others to rise up against tyranny in their nations. The Age of Absolutism ushered in an era of hereditary, despotic, and divine right ruling that created a domineering society ruled by the aristocracy and clergy. Those who lacked status were shoved to the bottom of the social hierarchy, forced to yield to the whims of the upper class and their problematic tendencies. With innate hunger for freedom from the old social structure due to the Enlightenment,

Mainly the upper class experienced the previous cultural movement, but the Enlightenment allowed for more widespread travel of ideas and was not reserved to only the rich. With inventions like the printing press, word started to travel fast and people began to question more of what they knew and the world around them. The society they lived in was not fair. The rich and religious controlled the strings from above, but during the Enlightenment, people started to look up. Philosophes such as John Locke popularized the idea of natural rights that were granted to all human beings. Voltaire fiercely advocated for freedom of speech while Adam Smith was a staunch advocate for laissez-faire. Other philosophes including Montesquieu and Jean Jacques Rousseau helped fan the flames of the French Revolution. These principles helped act as a catalyst for the revolutions to

Bread riots, food shortages, and unjust taxes further motivated the third estate to revolt against the second and first estate; which was mostly comprised of the clergy and nobles. Figures like Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the American Revolution, carried over ideals from America. Years later, the growing nationalism, spread by Napoleon, created an identity and pride amongst those such as the Greek and Serbs who were absorbed by others due to the Congress of Vienna. This pride and sense of individuality persuaded these people to seek independence and create their own countries. Although many countries would not receive their independence at the time of France and America, the Age of Revolution initiated the start of others rising up against corruption and the demand for