Advanced Placement (AP) World History Practice Exam 2025 - Free AP World History Practice Questions and Study Guide

The belief that justified the authority of monarchs and was considered a sin to oppose is the concept of Divine Right. This doctrine held that monarchs derived their authority directly from God, making their rule sacred and unquestionable. According to this belief, opposing the king was not merely a political act; it was seen as an affront to divine order. Monarchs claimed that their right to rule was granted by God, legitimizing their power and often intertwining their governance with religious endorsement.

Throughout history, this notion was particularly prevalent in absolute monarchies during the Middle Ages and the early modern period in Europe, where rulers like Louis XIV of France embodied the idea of Divine Right. Such a framework enabled monarchs to maintain power without the need for formal consent from subjects or representatives, as discontent or rebellion could be portrayed as rebellion against God himself.

Other concepts, like Social Contract Theory, Enlightenment Principles, and Republicanism, arose later in history as reactions against absolute monarchy and Divine Right, advocating for government accountability, individual rights, and the idea that governance should derive from the consent of the governed.