Absolute Monarchy begin to fail

The Scientific Revolution

THE ENLIGHTENMENT

REVOLUTIONS BEGIN!

Why does it matter now?

ENLIGHTENMENT: a new intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and power of the individual to solve problems…aka AGE OF REASON

QUESTIONED GOVERNMENT RELIGION ECONOMICS EDUCATION

OLD IDEAS .VS. NEW IDEAS A MONARCHS RULE IS JUSTIFIED BY DIVINE RIGHT(THE LORD)

A GOVERNMENTS POWER COMES FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED

1. thoughts about government2. France and Great Britain3. Spread through Europe4. Reason things through5. Salons = French social gatherings6. Spread into art and musica. baroqueb. neoclassical7. enlightened despotsa. monarchs who thought they were making reformsb. not always true reformers

TWO VIEWS OF GOVERNMENT

HOBBES SOCIAL CONTRACT

“all humans are naturally selfish and wicked”

Total government power to keep people under control---ABSOLUTE MONARCHY

LOCKES NATURAL RIGHTS

People can learn from experience, reason and improve

Born with 3 Natural Rights

Life, liberty and the property Governments role is to

protect the citizens

Thomas Hobbes

A Leviathan: The absolute government

John Locke

A. What did Locke argue was the best form of Government?

B. Why?

A. Democracy

B. Locke believed in democracy because he argued the people were SOVEREIGN--the people have ultimate power

What three “NATURAL” rights did

Locke say the Government MUST

protect?

Life, liberty, and property

So What do I need to know?1.You should recognize that the Enlightenment was an historic period of 18th century Europewhen philosophies (or ideas) about the world began to change.

2.The people who began thinking outside the box were known as Philosophers and because of their labors, major advances were made in science, math and government.

1. Reason – Truth can be discovered through logic People who were prejudice, or had intolerance, can not reason.

2. Nature – They believed that there were natural laws of economics and politics just as there were natural laws of motion.

3. Happiness – A person who lived by nature’s law would find happiness.

4. Progress – Progress for society, perfection for mankind.

5. Liberty – Envious of the liberties granted to the English by the English Bill of Rights, the French

PHILOSOPHES ADVOCATE REASON

Voltaire

Fought for FREEDOM, tolerance, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and reason

Using pen name published 70 books, political essays and dramas

Targeted aristocracy, clergy and government

“I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to

say it”

ANALYZE

B.MONTESQUIE

Studied political liberty 3 branches of government based on his

ideas

Separation of powers

“POWER SHOULD BE A CHECK TO POWER”

Why did Montesquieu advocate “separation of

powers”?

In order to avoid one person gaining all the

power

(NO ABSOLUTISM!)

“separation of powers”

--3 branches of government

C. ROUSSAEU

“MAN IS BORN FREE AND EVERYWHERE HE IS IN CHAINS”

BELIEVED IN DIRECT DEMOCRACY ALL MEN SHOULD BE FREE TO THINK

AND LEARN PEOPLE WERE EQUAL WIH NOBLES INSPIRED FRENCH REVOLUTION

D. Denis Diderot (dee-dare-oh)

French philosopher and Encyclopedists

"All things must be examined,debated, investigated withoutexception and without regard

for anyone's feelings."Explaining the goal of the

Encyclopedia

E. Beccaria

Criminal Justice Abolishment of capital

punishment Degree of punishment = degree

of crime

WOMEN AND THE ENLIGHTENMENTF. MARY WOLLENSCRAFTWrote – Vindication of Rights of Woman

Disagreed with Rousseau –believed woman should have an education Urged woman to enter male dominated

fields i.e. medicineOther woman spread enlightenment ideas

through discussions in salons

HOW DID THE ENLIGHTENMENT IMPACT THE WORLD

Belief in Progress – Human reason could solve social problems.

A More Secular Outlook – Rise of a more worldly view. Question church and religious beliefs.

Importance of The Individual – People turned away from the church and looked to themselves instead.

Paris Salons – Wealthy women held social gatherings which included philosophers, writers, artists, scientist, and others came together to discuss art.

Diderot invents the Encyclopedia in 1751.

These things help spread the enlightenment and people who thought like this became part of an intellectual community.

New Monarchs = Enlightened Despots

Many philosophers believe the best form of government is when the monarch respects the peoples rights. These type of rulers became known as the Enlightened Despots.

Catherine the Great ruled Russia.

She formed a commission to review Russia’s laws. She allowed religious freedom, religious toleration, and abolished torture. She did not give the Serfs freedoms. Catherine expands the Russian Empire. In 2 wars with the Ottomans she gained control of the North Shore of the Black Sea. She expanded the Empire into Poland. Russia became an international power. During this time Britain had to deal with colonial leaders in America who wanted to cast off British rule and govern themselves independently.

Joseph the II of Austria. Introduced legal reforms and freedom of the press. He also allowed freedom of worship. He abolished serfdom and ordered peasants get paid for work with cash. The nobles resisted his changes. After he died things went back to the way they were before he ruled.

Frederick the Great, the king of Prussia, believed in this type of rule. He granted religious freedom, reduced censorship, and improved education. He called himself “the first servant of the state”.