Answer:
The answers to the two blanks in this sentence are: 1. Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and 2. Russia, Austria and Prussia. Thus: While the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth allowed some freedom of religion in the 1700s, Russia, Austria and Prussia attacked and took land away from Poland.
Explanation:
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, also known as the Commonwealth of Poland, was established for the first time in 1569, through the Union of Lublin, a marriage between the queen of Poland, Hedwig, and Lithuania´s Grand Duke, Jogaila. During the 16 and 17 centuries, the Commonwealth was one of the most populous and powerful in Eastern Europe, going so far as to attempt to invade Russia. For a pretty long while, this union ensured not just a powerful kingdom where for the first time constitutional monarchy was used as a system, but one of its biggest characteristics was the freedom of religion that the state ensured to its citizens, at least to a certain extent, through the Warsaw Confederation Act of 1573. However, the Commonwealth came to an end gradually as it was attacked and weakened by first the Russians, then the Austrians and finally the Prussians. In the end, in the 18th century, the Commonwealth suffered four partitions, known as the First, Second, Third and Fourth partitions, carried out between Russia, Austria and Prussia.
