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SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION The Scientific Revolution had the greatest influence on the
Enlightenment ideas of natural law and reason Scientists questioned traditional beliefs about the universe Observation and experimentation were central ideas
COPERNICUS AND GALILEO Galileo Galilei’s observations supported the theories of
Nicholas CopernicusThey were both astronomers who supported the
heliocentric theory (planets revolve around the sun)Their ideas developed into the scientific method (logical
procedure for gathering and testing ideas)
HELIOCENTRIC THEORY
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS Central belief = the use of reason would lead to human
progressPhilosophers of this period believed society could be best
improved by applying reason and the laws of nature Similar to the Scientific Revolution because this movement
encouraged the spread of new ideas Similar to the Renaissance because a new questioning spirit
and attitude emerged
ENLIGHTENMENT POLITICAL VIEWSEuropean political thinkers who supported this movement
believed governments should protect the rights of people They also supported representative democracy Writers during this period wanted to change the relationship
between people and their government
JOHN LOCKE Important Enlightenment philosopher from England Believed the purpose of government was to protect the natural rights of
people (life, liberty, property)Governments should be based on the consent of the people He directly influenced the following phrase located in the Declaration of
Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUEnlightenment philosopher who wrote The Spirit of LawsHe believed in separating the government into three
branches: legislative, executive, and judicialThree branches of government would prevent tyrants from
rising to power
ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHERSJohn Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, Jean Jacques Rousseau,
and Voltaire all believed in establishing a democratic republic (people elect their leaders)
Their ideas influenced movements for political reform and revolutions in Europe and the Americas
SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION Scholars in Europe during the mid-1500s replaced old
assumptions with new theories This was a new way of thinking about the natural world New way = careful observation and a willingness to
question accepted beliefs
HELIOCENTRIC THEORY Presented by Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus Heliocentric Theory = the stars, Earth, and other planets
revolved around the sun This challenged the geocentric theory that stated all
heavenly bodies revolved around the EarthGeocentric theory was supported by Greek philosopher,
Aristotle, Greek astronomer, Ptolemy, and Christianity
GALILEO GALILEI Italian scientist who built upon Copernicus’ ideas about
astronomy He built and used his own telescope in 1609 to study the
heavens Discovered 4 moons orbiting Jupiter, the sun’s dark spots, and
the moon’s surface was rough and unevenIn 1633, he was forced to confess to the Catholic Church that
the ideas of Copernicus were false, otherwise he would have faced torture
SCIENTIFIC METHOD Developed by Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes Modern scientific methods are based on their ideas Scientists have shown that observation and experimentation,
together with general laws expressed by mathematics, can help people better understand the natural world
Scientific Method = observation-> question-> hypothesis-> experimentation-> conclusion
ISAAC NEWTON English scientist who discovered the law of universal gravitation Law = all physical objects are affected equally by the same force; this force
ruled the motion of the planets and all matter on Earth and in spaceEvery object in the universe attracts every other object The degree of attraction depends upon the mass of the objects and the
distance between them He believed that God created the universe to function perfectly according
to mathematics
THE ENLIGHTENMENT This was a revolution in intellectual activity that changed
Europeans’ view of government and societyScientific Revolution led to the Enlightenment which was a
movement stressing the use of reason and logic The literate middle class, thinkers and artists, and American
colonists were all influenced by this movement
THOMAS HOBBESEnglish political thinker who distrusted humans and
favored a strong government to keep orderIn his book Leviathan (1651), Hobbes promotes social
contract, which is achieving order in society by giving power to an absolute monarch
JOHN LOCKEEnglish philosopher who criticized absolute monarchy Consent of the Governed = he proclaimed that governments get their
power from the peopleStresses that people have a right to overthrow an unjust governmentNatural rights = he believed that all people are born free and equal and
have the right to life, liberty, and property His ideas directly influenced the American Revolution and our
Constitution
PHILOSOPHESPhiliosphes is the French word for philosophers They believed progress (improvement) for society could
be achieved through reason, nature, happiness, and liberty
Salons = regular social gatherings where philosophers, writers, artists, and scientists met to spread Enlightenment thinking; began in Paris
VOLTAIRE French philosopher who fought for tolerance, reason,
freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech Made powerful enemies and was imprisoned twice for
his views His view on religious freedom directly influenced our
First Amendment in the U.S. Bill of Rights
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUFrench writer who favored separation of powers to keep one
body from completely running a governmentHe believed in three branches of government – legislative,
executive, and judicial In his book, On the Spirit of Laws (1748), he explains the
concept of “checks and balances”
JEAN JACQUES ROSSEAUBelieved that civilization corrupted people’s natural goodness He believed that the only good government was one that was
freely formed by the people and guided by the “general will” of society
His book, The Social Contract (1762), explains the idea of a direct democracy
NEOCLASSICAL STYLE Pre-Enlightenment art style was baroque - grand and ornate
designs (over-the-top)Enlightenment style was neoclassical, which emphasized
elegance and simplicity New style was based on Greek and Roman themesClassical music emerges – lighter and more elegant than
earlier style; led by composers such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven
ENLIGHTENED DESPOTS Monarchs who embraced Enlightenment values to strengthen their ruleFrederick II - king of Prussia (1740 to 1786); reforms education and justice
system, grants freedom of worship, and abolishes tortureCatherine the Great – ruler of Russia (1762 to 1796); she responded to a
peasant revolt by giving nobles more power over serfs and successfully expanded the Russian empire by seizing northern coast of Black Sea and large parts of Poland
AMERICAN REVOLUTION Enlightenment ideas swept through Europe as well as colonial America The spirit of questioning during the Scientific Revolution influenced the
American Revolution because it led to challenging ideas about government
After England passed the Stamp Act in 1765, American colonists accused Parliament of “taxation without representation” which was a violation of their “natural rights”
The colonists won the American Revolution (1775 to 1781) due to a strong motivation to fight for their land, mistakes made by British generals, guerilla warfare, and the British having to fight an overseas war
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Written by Thomas Jefferson and issued on July 4th, 1776 Colonial leaders used Enlightenment ideas to justify
independence John Locke’s natural laws of life, liberty, and property, as well
as the pursuit of happiness, were incorporated into the actual document
ARTICLES OF CONFEDRATIONIn 1781, the original 13 States created a government
with a legislature only (Congress) and no executive or judicial branches
Result was a weak national government that failed to provide unity and order
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION Leaders call the Constitutional Convention in 1787 to revise
the ArticlesIn 1787, the Constitution creates three branches of
governmentProvides checks and balances - ensures branches share power
equally Promotes federal system - power divided between national
and state governments
BILL OF RIGHTS Some Americans feared too much national power and few protections of
rightsLeaders won support for creating a new Constitution by adding a Bill of
Rights (completed in 1789 and ratified in 1791)Bill of Rights = the first ten amendments to Constitution that protect
human freedoms and civil liberties The Bill of Rights was influenced by John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau