Contextualization

Absolutism was a form of government that developed mainly in Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries, characterized by the concentration of power in a single figure: the monarch. He ruled absolutely, strongly restricting the powers of parliament and other institutions.

In this phase of history, kings were considered sovereign by divine right - it was believed that their power and their right to rule came directly from God. Absolutism was the way kings consolidated their power, controlling all functions of the State, including the army, finances, justice, and administration.

The main examples of absolutist monarchies include Louis XIV's France, Peter the Great's Russia, and Frederick the Great's Prussia. In addition, absolutism was also present in the Habsburgs' Spain and, to a lesser extent, in England.

Importance of Absolutism

Absolutism was a crucial stage in world history, as it helped establish the foundations of modern nation-states. The centralization of power in the hands of the king allowed for the consolidation of territory and the strengthening of armies, essential points in the formation of modern States.

Furthermore, absolutism played a fundamental role in the development of capitalism. The concentration of power allowed kings to create mercantilist policies, which favored the growth of national economies at the expense of colonies and rival nations.

Absolutism is also important for its role in promoting culture and the arts. Absolutist courts were centers of culture, where arts and sciences flourished. However, the centralization of power also had its costs, such as repression of freedom of thought and limitation of civil rights.

Activity

Activity Title: "Recreating an Absolutist State"

Project Objective:

The project aims to stimulate the understanding of absolutism and its characteristics through the creation of a model representing an Absolutist State, as well as the writing of a manifesto expressing the ideas and principles of absolutism. The work seeks to engage students in a creative and playful way in learning historical, philosophical, and political concepts of absolutism, as well as research, writing, teamwork, planning, project execution, and the use of different forms of expression.

Detailed Project Description:

Students, organized in groups of 3 to 5, will create a model representing an Absolutist State (with a palace, army, population, etc.) and a manifesto expressing the ideas and principles of absolutism in that state.

Required Materials:

• Materials for building the model (cardboard, paint, glue, scissors, miniatures, etc.)
• Paper and pen for the manifesto
• Computers with internet access for research

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution:

1. Research and Planning: Groups must research absolutism and its main concepts, such as divine right, centralization of power, and mercantilism. They must then plan their model and manifesto based on their findings.

2. Model Construction: Using the available materials, groups must build their model representing an Absolutist State.

3. Writing the Manifesto: Each group must write a manifesto of 2 to 3 pages expressing the ideas and principles of absolutism from the point of view of the monarch of their State. The manifesto should contain the main concepts and arguments of absolutism and how they apply in the State represented in the model.

4. Presentation and Discussion: Each group makes a 10 to 15-minute presentation of their models and manifestos, explaining their choices and concepts represented. After all presentations, promote an open discussion among the class about the similarities and differences between the projects, and how the concepts of absolutism were interpreted by the different groups.

5. Report Writing: Each group must write a report explaining the process of creating their project, including the development of ideas, model construction, manifesto writing, and presentation. They should discuss the results of their project, the difficulties encountered, and how the activity helped understand absolutism.

Project Deliverables:

The project deliverables are:

1. The model representing an Absolutist State.
2. The manifesto expressing the ideas and principles of absolutism in the represented State.
3. The report explaining the project creation process.

Final Report:

The report should be formatted as follows:

1. Introduction: Provide context on absolutism and its relevance in world history. Explain the project's objective and the theme's relevance to the real world.
2. Development: Explain the theory behind absolutism and the main concepts represented in the model and manifesto. Describe the methodology used in the project creation, how the model was built, how the manifesto was written, and how the team organized. Discuss the project results and the difficulties encountered.
3. Conclusion: Summarize the main points of the report, discuss what was learned, and draw conclusions.
4. Bibliography: List the sources used for research and project development.

Upon completion, this project will provide students with a deep understanding of absolutism, as well as valuable technical and socio-emotional skills.