write a paragraph that relates the term czar to the term absolutism by giving two examples of czars and telling how they ruled a
bsolutely.
1 answer:
Absolutism is a form of government where one person or small group of people have unlimited power. The term "czar" means "caesar" ("king"), and therefore can be considered a type of absolute ruler. Ivan the Great of Russia (r.1462-1505) took the title of "czar" after marrying the niece of the last Byzantine empire. After the fall of Constantinople (and thus, the Byzantine Empire), Moscow became the most powerful city in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Thus, the "czar" of Russia would from then on claim to be the inheritor of the Byzantine emperor and protector of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Two rulers of Russia stand out as being "absolute rulers": Peter the Great (r.1682-1725) and Catherine the Great (r.1762-1796). Peter wanted to make Russia into a modern nation, and forced Russians to adopt European culture. To do this, Peter created a new class of nobles that were given land in exchange for their loyalty to the government. Nobles were given total control over their peasants, who saw their freedom decrease during Peter's rule. To reform the government, Peter created a centralized bureaucracy of non-elected advisers and local governments were placed under the direct control of the czar. Peter also brought the Orthodox Church under his authority and created a council of bishops appointed by him. While many of Peter's policies improved the Russian economy, he divided the Russian people. (See image: Courtesy of saint-petersburg.com)
Catherine the Great began her rule by seizing power from her own husband! Catherine greatly admired Peter I and continued to expand and modernize Russia. Many people consider Catherine's reign a golden age of Russia because she supported the arts, education, and culture. Despite being influenced by the European enlightenment, Catherine feared chaos and peasant uprisings were brutally crushed by her army. She allowed nobles to treat their serfs (peasants) however they wished. More peasants than ever were forced into serfdom than ever before, and their position worsened.
Two rulers of Russia stand out as being "absolute rulers": Peter the Great (r.1682-1725) and Catherine the Great (r.1762-1796). Peter wanted to make Russia into a modern nation, and forced Russians to adopt European culture. To do this, Peter created a new class of nobles that were given land in exchange for their loyalty to the government. Nobles were given total control over their peasants, who saw their freedom decrease during Peter's rule. To reform the government, Peter created a centralized bureaucracy of non-elected advisers and local governments were placed under the direct control of the czar. Peter also brought the Orthodox Church under his authority and created a council of bishops appointed by him. While many of Peter's policies improved the Russian economy, he divided the Russian people. (See image: Courtesy of saint-petersburg.com)
Catherine the Great began her rule by seizing power from her own husband! Catherine greatly admired Peter I and continued to expand and modernize Russia. Many people consider Catherine's reign a golden age of Russia because she supported the arts, education, and culture. Despite being influenced by the European enlightenment, Catherine feared chaos and peasant uprisings were brutally crushed by her army. She allowed nobles to treat their serfs (peasants) however they wished. More peasants than ever were forced into serfdom than ever before, and their position worsened.
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Answer: The German government economy was in a state of collapse, and its money was essentially worthless.
Explanation:
The Treaty of Versailles (1919), signed after the end of World War I, was very harsh in the terms imposed against Germany. Germany was forced to pay large reparation payments to the countries that it had fought against in the war. Along with accepting full responsibility for causing the war, Germany was ordered make monetary payments for the damage caused "as a consequence of the aggression of Germany and her allies." Occupation of territories in the Rhine and Ruhr valleys was threatened if Germany did not make good on reparations payments.
The Germany economy was crippled by the payments it was supposed to make, and its government (as the Weimar Republic) was unable to keep up with the payments. In 1923, French troops occupied the Ruhr region. Germans living in the region responded with civil disobedience and a workers strike. The Weimar Republic government sided with the workers and printed bank notes to pay the workers while they were on strike. Printing additional money with no real economic foundation to support the increased money supply led to extreme inflation. The German economy got worse and worse.
Then came the Great Depression, beginning in 1929. The Great Depression was worse in Germany than in America. The hyperinflation in Germany got so bad so that their currency became essentially worthless. I don't see the photo you mentioned of a man using German money as wallpaper. But I've attached another photo from the time period, which shows children playing with stacks of money as if they were building block toys -- another illustration that German currency wasn't really worth anything as money.
The bad situation in Germany made it possible for a radical leader like Hitler, making all sorts of bold promises, to win over enough people to rise to power.
