Internal and External Challenges to State Power

A s empires developed and changed, many social, political, and economic

groups resisted state expansion through a variety of challenges to state power. Some of these revolts occurred in the home of the empire. For example, the Fronde civil disturbances in France between 1648 and 1653 attempted to curb growing royal power.

Other disturbances took place within colonies. For instance, Metacom’s War (1675–1678), also called King Philip’s War, was in part a result of English colonists using underhanded tactics (such as that described in the quote above) in their continuing pressure to control Native American lands. Several powers sought to create empires in the 16th and 17th centuries. They fought with one another and with indigenous peoples.