Contextualization

Absolutism is a political regime that had its peak between the 16th and 18th centuries in Europe, and it is fundamental for the study of History. In this system, the monarch concentrated all powers in his hands, without the existence of a strong enough parliament to limit his actions. Thus, we can understand absolutism as a regime based on political centralization, with strong state intervention in economic and social aspects.

Introduction

Studying this period is essential for understanding the formation of modern Nation States, as well as the political structures that gave rise to the world as we know it today. Absolutism played a crucial role in enabling a strong central power that broke with medieval fragmentation, establishing the foundations for the Industrial Revolution and the political revolutions that followed.

Europe during absolutism was a stage of power conflicts, struggles for the consolidation of territories, and economic challenges, themes that are still relevant in contemporary political and economic debates. Analyzing and understanding this historical context helps us understand current challenges and conflicts, as well as the origin of many political and economic systems in force.

Based on different research sources, such as books, articles, and documentaries, this project will delve into the complexity of absolutist kingdoms, exploring the development, politics, economy, and culture of that period.

Practical Activity: Absolutism in Game

Project Objective

Develop a board game based on the Absolutism era, where groups will apply their knowledge on the subject to create the rules, challenges, and goals of the game.

Detailed Project Description

This project will integrate History with Art, as besides research and historical content, students will also be responsible for creating the design of the board, pieces, and challenge cards of the game.

The game should represent the political, social, and economic dynamics of Absolutism, involving key concepts and events, such as Mercantilism, the Consolidation of Nation States, the Glorious Revolution, Enlightened Despotism, among others. The game's objective and how to achieve victory should reflect some fundamental aspect of Absolutism.

Groups must create a clear and precise instruction manual, explaining the rules, objective, and operation of the game.

The group size should be from 3 to 5 students, and the project will last approximately four weeks.

Necessary Materials

• Materials for making the board and pieces (cardboard, colored paper, scissors, glue, etc.)
• Computer with internet access for research.
• Textbooks and other reference materials.

Detailed Step-by-Step

1. Research and Planning: The first week should be dedicated to research on Absolutism. The group must define which aspects of Absolutism will be the basis for the game and how they will be represented.

2. Game Design: In the second week, the group must draw the board, pieces, and any other visual elements of the game based on what was planned.

3. Construction: In the third week, the group must physically build the game, using the available materials.

4. Rule Creation: Throughout the process, groups must define the game rules; who will be each player's character, how they move on the board, what actions they can take, how they can win or lose.

5. Testing and Adjustments: In the last week, groups must test the game among themselves, making necessary adjustments to the rules or design so that the game is fun and, at the same time, educational.

6. Presentation: In the end, each group must present their game to the class, explaining the rules, the idea behind the game, and what they learned from the project.

7. Report Writing: In parallel with the project execution, the group must write the report, detailing the research, creation, and development processes of the game and the conclusions drawn.

Project Deliverables

Groups must deliver:

1. The created board game, including all pieces and the instruction manual.
2. The written report, which must contain:
   • Introduction: Contextualization of the Absolutism theme, project objectives, and theme importance.
   • Development: Detailed description of the research, planning, design, construction, and game testing process. This part of the report must also present a discussion on the Absolutism concepts portrayed in the game and how they were inserted into the game context.
   • Conclusion: Recap of the main points, explanation of the learnings obtained, and conclusions drawn about the project.
   • Bibliography: Indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project.

The report writing should be a collaborative activity, where all group members contribute to the document's elaboration. The report must be presented in document format and delivered along with the game.