The Enlightenment Philosophes

Part IDirections: Read each statement by the philosophes. Match each statement with the philosophes it is associated with. Write the name of the philosopher each statement is associated with in the right hand column.

Statement Philosopher1. All men are free and equal at birth.2. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the

ownership of property.3. Citizens have the right to overthrow the

government when their natural rights are violated.

4. Rulers receive the right to govern from the people, and unfair rulers can be forced from power.

5. The executive should not share power with the legislative or judicial branches.

6. Man is not born to be a good or evil person – he is made one or the other by his life experiences and society around him.

7. There should be a separation of powers in government between legislative, executive and judicial branches.

8. People cannot govern themselves. They need a strong ruler to protect them from themselves.

9. Slavery, torture, religious persecution and censorship are all wrong.

10. A man is innocent until a jury finds him guilty.

11. All men should be treated as equals and should have freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

12. Democracy is not a good form of government because the common people are not capable of governing themselves; the best government is one headed by a good and fair king.

13. Government is a contract between people.

14. The point of prison should be to reform not punish the convict.

Philosopher BankJean Jacques Rousseau John Locke Voltaire Cesare Beccaria

Mary Wollstonecraft Baron de Montesquieu Thomas Hobbes

15. Women deserve an education equal to that of men.

Name_________________________________________________ Date_____________________ Period_____Part II

Directions: Based on the common beliefs of the philosophes, would they approve or disapprove of the following events? Use A for Approve and D for Disapprove. Explain why next to each one. Consider the ideals of the Enlightenment: Nature, Progress, Reason, Liberty, and Happiness.Statement Explanation

1. Kings ruling by divine right. (absolute rulers)

The Enlightenment philosophers would disagree with this because it violates the ideal of…

2. Peter the Great increasing religious freedom in Russia.

The Enlightenment philosophers would agree with this because it goes with the ideals of…

3. Peter the Great building a navy and making improvements in the Russian Army.

4. Henry IV of France giving religious freedom to Huguenots.

5. Sir Isaac Newton discovering the law of gravity.

6. Louis XIV building the magnificent palace at Versailles.

7. Louis XIV ruling as an absolute monarch.

8. Russian czars (kings) building schools and hospitals.

9. Religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants.

10. Ferdinand and Isabella making Spain a Catholic nation-state.

11. The Glorious Rev. in England which resulted in the adoption of a Bill of Rights.

12. Galileo becoming the founder of experimental science.

13. Bloody Mary burning 300 Catholics at the stake.

14. King John signing the Magna Carta which limited his power.

PhilosophersPhilosopher Beliefs

Thomas Hobbes

• Wrote Leviathan – 1651• Humans are naturally selfish & wicked

• Cannot be trusted• Must hand their power over to a strong ruler

• Gain law & order in exchangeSocial contract: agreement by which people limit their rights to create an organized society.

John Locke

• Humans have the ability to govern themselves & society• Born with three natural rights:

• Life, liberty, & property• Government should protect these rights

• People can overthrow a government that fails to protect their rights

• Social Contract: Government comes from the people

Baron de Montesquieu

• On the Spirit of the Laws - 1748• Argued for the separation of government powers:

• Legislative: writes and enacts laws, declares war, & taxes

• Executive: implements & enforces laws• Judicial: interprets laws

Checks and balances - measures to prevent the one branch of government from dominating

Rousseau

• The Social Contract - 1762• Humans are born free; society corrupts them• EVERYONE is equal• Good government is freely formed by the will of the

people (determined through voting)• Social contract: agreement between individuals, NOT

the government - to lead government

Voltaire

• Wrote 70+ Enlightenment-based books & essays• Argued for tolerance, reason, freedom of religion, &

freedom of speech• “I do not agree with a word you say, but will defend to

the death your right to say it...”

• Laws should be written to preserve order not punish crimes

• Criticized abuses of justice:• Torturing of suspects• Irregular proceedings

Cesare Beccaria • Cruel punishments• Argued against the death sentence - inhumane

Mary Wollstonecraft

• A Vindication of the Right of Woman - 1792• Argued that women deserve an education too• Women are virtuous, useful, & equal to men• Women should enter the fields of medicine & politics