• 5/8 Focus:
– European thinkers developed new ideas about
government and society during the
enlightenment
• Do Now:
– What was the symbol of Louis XIV power?
The Enlightenment
The Scientific Revolution
• Period in the 1500’s
and 1600’s
• Scientific thinkers
began using
observation and
experimentation to
explain the natural
world
– Use of the Scientific
Method
• Sir Francis Bacon
•
The Scientific Revolution
Before the Scientific
Revolution
After the Scientific
Revolution
• Religious
teachings and
traditional beliefs
explained the
universe and how
the world worked
• Observation and
experimentation used to
explain natural world
and solve problems
• Scientific Method
• Examination of natural
laws governing the
universe
– Ex. The Laws of Gravity
Rene Descartes
• French thinker who
emphasized the use
of reason to discover
truth rather than
relying on tradition
and religion
– A process of thinking
carefully about
something in order to
make a judgment
The Enlightenment
• The use of reason to
guide people’s thoughts
about philosophy, society,
and government
– Known as the Age of
Reason
– Challenged traditional
authority
• Introduced new ways of
viewing:
–
–
–
–
Government
Authority
Power
Law
Natural Law
• Writers and
philosophers tried to
use reason to discover
laws that govern
human behavior
Philosophes
• Paris, France
became a meeting
place for
enlightenment
philosophers
• Met in salons
– Social gatherings
host by wealthy
French women
– Discussed politics
and ideas about
human nature
•
Philosophes
• Five core beliefs:
– Reason
– Nature/Natural laws
– Happiness
• Living by nature’s law
– Progress
• Trying to improve
society
– Liberty
• Reason could set
society free
Thomas Hobbes
• English philosopher;
author of the Leviathan
• People are naturally
greedy and selfish
• Absolute monarchs
were needed to create
a peaceful society
– People gave up freedom
to the monarch in return
for order in society
John Locke
• English philosopher; Two
Treatises on Government
• Believed all men were born
with certain natural rights
– Life, liberty, and property
• People form governments
to protect those rights
– Government can be
overthrown if those rights
are not protected
Closure
• What influence did the Scientific
Revolution have on the Enlightenment?
• What European city became the main
center for the enlightenment?
• 5/9 Focus:
– Enlightenment philosophers created new
assumptions about the proper use of power,
who had authority, and what made up a
good government
• Do Now:
– Identify the natural rights that Locke
believed all people were born with.
Rousseau
• French philosopher; wrote The
Social Contract
• Believed people were naturally
good but became corrupted by
evils of society
– Unequal distribution of
property
– Scarcity of resources
• Thought all people were equal
– Titles of nobility should be
abolished
Rousseau
• The social contract was
an agreement between
free individuals to
create a society, make
laws and a government
• People gave up
certain
freedoms/self
interests to this
government for the
common good
Rousseau
• Government should be
based on the will of the
people
– “The general will”
• democracy
– Citizens and rulers
must follow the will of
the people
– Majority should always
work for the common good
Baron de Montesquieu
• French philosopher; On the
Spirit of Laws
• wrote that powers of
government should be
separated between 3
branches
– Legislative
– Judicial
– Executive
• Checks and balances prevent
tyranny and abuse of power
Voltaire
• French philosopher
who wrote about the
importance of
freedom of speech,
religious freedom, and
tolerance
– Criticized the French
government and the
Catholic Church
Spread of Enlightenment
Ideas
• Enlightenment ideas spread
through salons in Paris, France
• Encyclopedia
– French philosopher Denis
Diderot compiled
enlightenment ideas in a book
– Was banned by French
government and the Catholic
Church
• Ideas spread through books,
newspapers, and pamphlets
Closure
• Identify the author of the book The
Social Contract.
• According to Rousseau, what were all
citizens obligated to follow?
• According to Montesquieu, what was the
best way to prevent tyranny and abuse
of power in government?
• 5/10 Focus:
– Many Europeans, including some
monarchs, were influenced by
enlightenment ideas and tried to change
the old order.
• Do Now:
– According to Montesquieu, what was the
best way to prevent tyranny and abuse
of power in government?
Enlightened Despots
• Some absolute
monarchs accepted
Enlightenment ideas
• Used their power to
reform society
– Wanted to strengthen
their countries
– Increase
effectiveness of their
rule
•
Maria Theresa
• ruler who introduced
reforms in the 1700’s
to Austria
– Forced nobles and clergy
to pay taxes
– Reduced taxes on the
peasants
– Made primary education
available to children
Joseph II
• Ruled Austria from 1778-1790
– Son of Maria Theresa
• Introduced legal and
government reforms
– reforms and freedom of the
press
– Supported religious
toleration
– Abolished serfdom
• Many of his reforms were
undone after his death
Catherine the Great
• Russian Czarina 17621796
• Influenced by Voltaire
and Montesquieu
– Read their works and
corresponded with
both philosophers
Catherine the Great
• Tried to reform and modernize
Russia
– Formed commission to reform
laws
• Allowed input from nobles and
peasants
– Allowed religious tolerance
– Abolished torture and capital
punishment
• A serf revolt in 1773 led Catherine
to end many of reforms she
started
– Nobles given absolute power
over serfs
Frederick the Great
• Prussian King 1740-1786
• Introduced reforms to
German state of Prussia
– Religious freedom
– Reduced government
censorship
– Improved education
• Referred to himself as “
the first servant of the
state”
Impact of the Enlightenment
• Governments and the Church
to try to suppress
Enlightenment ideas
– Censorship
• Removing politically
dangerous ideas and
info from books,
newspapers, etc.
– Books bans & book
burnings
– Arrest of some
enlightenment
philosophers
Impact of the Enlightenment
• Enlightenment
ideas helped fuel
the growth of
democracy
– Individualism
– Personal freedom
– Equality of all
people
Impact of the Enlightenment
• Growth of nationalism
as people in countries
came together to fight
for democratic
government
– Feeling of pride and
devotion to one’s
country
• Helped contribute to
outbreak revolutions in
Europe and America
Closure
• What does the term enlightened despot
refer to?
• Identify two impacts of the
Enlightenment?
• How did some governments and the
Church try to suppress Enlightenment
ideas?