The Modern EraThe age of explorers, religious

reform, and revolution.

Hernan Cortez• Conquered

Mexico and the Aztecs

Christopher Columbus

• “Founder” of the New World

• Sponsered by Spain – Isabel and Ferdinand

Ferdinand Magellan

• The first captain to circumnavigate the globe.

• He never did, but his crew did

Louis XIV• Absolute Ruler of

France• Ruled for 72 years• Declared “I am

the State.”

Frederick the Great• Fredrick II• Ruled Prussia • Free publishing

and speaking

Maria Theresa• Ruler of Austrian

Empire• Bore sixteen

children between two marriages.

Joseph II• Son of Maria

Theresa• Ruled Austria• Freed serfs• Forced out of

power

Peter I• Ruled Russia • Divided Russia

into provinces• Book of Etiquette

Catherine II• Ruled Russia after

Peter I• “Catherine the

Great”• Tried to help the

serfs, but they revolted and she gave up.

• Expanded Russian territory.

Thomas Hobbes• Wrote Leviathan • Believed that

humans are naturally selfish and violent.

John Locke• Believed in the

Social Contract where you give up certain rights for certain protections

• Natural Laws of Life, Liberty, and Property.

Baron Montesquieu• French Noble• Separation of

powers/ Checks and Balances

Voltaire• French Witer• Wanted Freedom

of Religion• Inspired French

thinkers.

Denis Diderot• French

Philosopher• Co founder of the

Encyclopedia

Mary Wollstonecraft• Writer and

philosopher• Advocate of

women’s rights, because they weren’t inferior, they just lacked education.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Mayor and governor in Gemany

• Educated people about citizenship

Aztecs• Inhabited Mexico• Performed

Sacrifices and had gold

• Conquered by Cortez

Themes• Exploration• Expansion• Founding of the

New World• Religious Reform• Revolution

Timeline of the Modern Era

1491-1547 Henry VIII changes England’s religion from Catholic to protestant

1492 Christopher Columbus sails across the ocean, and discovers the “New World”

1520 Magellan circumnavigates the globe.

1483-1546 Martin Luther is a church

reform leader.

1520’s Hernan Cortez conquers

Aztecs

Louis XIV takes absolute rule of France 1661

1690 John Locke publishes Two Tretises of Government

1776 Thomas Jefferson writes Declaration of Independance

The End