Great chain of being

The great chain of being is a way of thinking about how all things in the universe are connected. It was popular in the 1600's. The great chain of being starts with God (the most powerful being) at the top and goes down to plants, animals, and people - all with different levels of power. Everything is connected and has a place with each higher level controlling the lower level. For example, the king is more powerful and important than ordinary people, who have more freedom than animals and plants that are closest to the bottom of the chain. So, the idea is that all things have an important place and purpose, and that each is connected to another in an order of importance.