The EnlightenmentA switch has been flipped and Europe has entered an Age of

Reason!

By the end of this presentation you will be able to… Explain the major currents in Enlightenment

thought Discuss the philosophies of the major thinkers Explain how both high culture and popular culture

changed during this era Discuss the changing role and status of women

during this period Describe the characteristics of Enlightened

Despots

What is the Enlightenment?

A period of thought, reason and logic Scientific Revolution ideas: observation,

experimentation, testing hypotheses are applied to social issues

Thinkers like Kant “Dare to Know” the truth Truth should be plain and simple so any

man can understand it

What is the Enlightenment? (II) Voltaire: People should move away from

inherited misconceptions and learn for themselves the truths of the world

Rousseau: People should move away from the trappings, dogma and rhetoric of education and learn by experiencing things in nature

What is the Enlightenment? (III) Political thought also changes:

All people are born with natural rights Governments derive their power from the

people A government’s job is to protect the natural

rights of its citizens If a government isn’t protecting the rights of

it people, the people have the right to overthrow that government

Enlightenment though attacks the Church

Enlightenment thought urges movement away from tradition

The Church is the foundation of European tradition

Church corruption and things like the inquisition make the Church even less desirable to Enlightenment thinkers

Enlightenment though attacks the Church Voltaire attacks the church and calls it

“L’infâme” the infamous, or detestable thing

BLAH!

Enlightenment though attacks the Church Enlightenment

thinkers also criticize the Church for failing to embrace the ideas and advances of the scientific revolution

Alternatives to Christianity during the Enlightenment

Deism: Thinkers like Thomas Jefferson prefer to view God as a “Watchmaker” who made the universe and now watches it run according to the laws of nature Voltaire likes this because he favors “Truth

without Sect”

Alternatives to Christianity during the Enlightenment (II)

Other thinkers turn to Agnosticism and Atheism

Many view Christianity as being irrelevant to the truth

Others dislike what they see as artificial divides in society. Can’t we all just get along?

Assessment: Answer the following on a separate sheet of paper

What major ideas make up Enlightenment thought?

How does the view of religion change during this era?

Define Deism

Enlightenment philosophes and their contributions Many Enlightenment Philosophes looked to

Newton and Locke for their inspiration Newton laid the foundation for creating a

framework for experimentation an understanding of reason

“Nature, by Nature’s Laws lay hid in Night; God said, ‘Let Newton be,’ and all was Light.”

Locke’s influence… In addition to Two Treatises on Government,

Locke’s work greatly influenced Enlightenment thought: Essay Concerning Human Behavior and

Understanding, 1860 denied Descartes’s belief in innate ideas.

According to Locke we are all tabula rasa, a blank mind

Knowledge derived from environment, not birth

Let us suppose the mind to be , as we say, white paper void of all characters, without any ideas. How comes it to be furnished? Whence comes it by that vast store which the busy and boundless fancy of man has painted on it with an almost endless variety? Whence has it all the materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer in one word, from experience…. Our observation, employed either about external sensible objects or about internal operations of our minds perceived and reflected on by ourselves, is that which supplies our understanding with all the materials of thinking.

The Philosophes: Montesquieu Voltaire Diderot Rousseau

Montesquieu Charles de Secondat, the baron de

Montesquieu (1689-1755) Persian Letters, 1721:

Two Persians travel to France and criticize French institutions especially Catholic Church and Monarchy

Contains many Enlightenment themes like attacking traditional religion, advocating tolerance, denouncing slavery, ending prejudice

Montesquieu (II) The Spirit of the Laws, 1748

Comparative study of monarchies and republics

Study of England’s Parliamentary system the importance of Checks and Balances and maintaining separation of powers

Ironically this is based on Montesquieu misinterpreting the English system

Huge influence on American founding fathers

Voltaire Francois-Marie Arouet (1694-1778) Used wit and sarcasm to attack problems in

French society Philisophic Letters on the English, 1733

expressed deep admiration of English freedoms and religious tolerance

“…if there were just one religion in England, despotism would threaten; if there were two religions, they would cut each other’s throats; but there are thirty religions, and they live together peacefully and happily.”

Voltaire (II) Treatise in Toleration, 1763

Religion had posed no problems in tolerant states such as England and Holland

“all men are brothers under God” Denounced the Church and urged people to

“Crush the infamous thing!” Was a Deist

Diderot Denis Diderot (1713-1784) Condemned Christianity as being of all

religions “the most absurd and most atrocious in its dogma”

Became increasingly materialistic and as an old man argued “This world is only a mass of molecules.”

Diderot (II) Most famous contribution to the period

Encyclopedia, or Classified Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts, and Trades Purpose was to change peoples way of thinking Attacked religious issues Hoped to make society more cosmopolitan,

tolerant, humane, and reasonable

Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) In Discourses on the Origins of the

Inequality of Mankind, Rousseau describes humans in a happy state of nature.

There were no laws, judges; all are equal. But what went wrong?

“The first man who, having enclosed a piece of ground, thought of saying, This is mine, and found people simple enough to believe him, was the true founder of civil society. How many crimes, wars, murders; how much misery and horror would have been spared if someone had pulled up the stakes and filled in the ditch, and cried to his fellow men: ‘Beware of listening to this imposter. You are lost if you forget the fruits of the earth belong to everyone and the earth itself belongs to no one!’”

Rousseau (II) The Social Contract, 1762

Harmonize individual liberty with governmental authority

An agreement by the entire society to be governed by the “General Will”

Liberty could be achieved if everyone followed the will of the majority

Rousseau (III) Emile, 1762

One of the Enlightenments most important works on education.

Education should foster rather than restrict children’s natural instincts

Viewed women as being naturally different from men, and should lead sedentary lives and learn to be obedient to better care for her children

Assessment: Answer the following on a separate sheet of paper

Summarize the major views of each of the following Enlightenment Philosophes Locke Voltaire Diderot Rousseau Montesquieu

Women and Enlightenment Thought

For centuries men had debated about the nature and value of women

Men believed a woman’s nature made her inferior and thus she needed domination

Ideas based on biological differences As Rousseau said, a woman’s construction

made her suited for motherhood

Women and Enlightenment Thought (II)

Diderot and Condorcet maintained that women were not all that different from men.

Voltaire said “women are capable of all that men are.”

Women and Enlightenment Thought (III)

Women thinkers began to add their thoughts to the “woman’s question” Mary Astell wrote in A Serious Proposal to the

Ladies in 1697 that women should seek education because they are men’s equals

In Vindication of the Rights of Woman, 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft pointed out two contradictions in Rousseau’s beliefs

Women and Enlightenment Thought (IV)

Wollstonecraft’s criticism of Rousseau: She believed that it was contradictory for people who believed slavery, and the arbitrary rule of monarchs were wrong to find that women should obey men.

Wollstonecraft believed women should be entitled to equal rights in education, and economic and political life

Enlightenment Salons A major goal of Enlightenment thought was

to spread their ideas throughout society Salons, elegant drawing rooms of the

wealthy where philosophers would gather and discuss their ideas, began in the late 17th century and gained popularity through the 18th

Enlightenment Salons (II) Women were generally the hostesses of

these salons As such women gained influence over royal

decisions, political opinions, and literary and artistic taste

They provided havens, and a stage for people whose views were unpopular at court

Enlightenment Salons (III) Although Salons were run by women, their

reputation was based on the males who attended

In spite of this, many feared female influence over French thought, politics, and culture

Enlightenment Salons (IV) In addition to the elite culture that sprang

up around salons, other new forums grew Coffeehouses Cafes Reading clubs Public libraries

Assessment: Answer the following on a separate sheet of paper

How did ideas about women during this time show hypocrisy on the part of some Philosophes

Identify Mary Wollstonecraft Explain the part women played socially and

intellectually during the Enlightenment

18th Century Art, Music and Literature

Baroque styles gave way to a new movement called Rococo Emphasis on grace and gentle action Rejection of straight geometric patters in favor of

curves Emphasized pursuit of pleasure, happiness and

love

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (II)

Antoine Watteau (1684-1721) reflected a world of upper class pleasure and joy.

His work also revealed the fragility and transitory nature of life, love, and pleasure

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (III)

In Architecture, the Palace of Versailles became the standard others tried to emulate in an attempt to “keep up with the Bourbons”

Chateau Sans Souci

Baroque vs. Rococo Baroque

Displayed grandeur Show the power of the

Church Art, furniture and

architecture were created to impress, not to be used practically!

Rococo Grows out of Baroque Celebration of carnal life Imbued with open eroticism Art, furniture and

architecture were meant to be unified and in harmony.

Baroque Art Caravaggio Rembrandt Rubens Carracci Louis LeVau and Jules Mansart

The DepositionCaravaggio

Descent from the Cross, Holland. 1634 Rembrandt

The Deposition, Antwerp 1612Rubens

Pieta, Carracci

Numerous Chateaus and the Palace of Versailles

Rococo Francois Boucher Jean–Antoine Watteau Giacomo Amiconi Canaletto

Madame Boucher 1743,Francois Boucher

Mezzetin,Jean-Antoine Watteau

Mercury about to slay Argus,Giacomo Amiconi

Ponte di Rialto,Giovanni Antonio Canaletto.

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (IV) Neoclassicism was

also very popular. Focused on

recapturing the dignity and simplicity of Greece and Rome

David, Oath of the Horatii

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (V)

1600-1750 are important years for the development of classical music, and see the rise of forms such as opera and oratotio, the sonata, the concerto, and the symphany

Two most influential composers of this time were Bach and Handel

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (VI)

Handel’s most famous composition is The Messiah

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (VII)

Bach believed his task was to make “well-ordered music in honor of God.”

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (VIII) From 1756-1791, European music was

dominated by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who wrote his first opera at 12.

Mozart is credited with writing some of the greatest operas ever including The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, and Don Giovanni

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (IX) The Novel!

This new literary genre grew out of medieval romances and stories from the 16th century.

English are credited with this fictional form Proved equally attractive to women audiences

and writers Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded by Samuel

Richardson is one of the earliest novels A servant girl is rewarded for repeatedly fighting off

attempts of seduction

18th Century Art, Music and Literature (X)

Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson is one of the earliest novels

A servant girl is rewarded for repeatedly fighting off attempts of seduction

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding is a reaction to the serious morality of the time

Chronicles the many adventures of the main character, a young scoundrel

Popular Culture vs. High Culture High Culture usually refers to the literary

and artistic world of the educated elite ruling classes Consists of theologians, scientists, philosophers,

intellectuals, poets, dramatists

Popular Culture is the unwritten lore of the masses passed down orally and appealing to the everyday person

Popular Culture vs. High Culture There was a major increase in literacy and

reading during this era Growth of publishing houses made it

possible for authors to earn money for their work

Great Britain saw the introduction of the magazine 25 published in 1700, 158 by 1780

Popular Culture vs. High Culture One of the best known magazines was the

Spectator begun in 1711 Its major goal was to temper wit with morality,

bring philosophy into the mainstream Also praised family, marriage and courtesy

Popular Culture vs. High Culture (III)

Over time new magazines were aimed at women The Female Spectator was aimed at women Was edited by Eliza Haywood Featured articles by female authors

Popular Culture vs. High Culture (IV) Education was on the rise

Many private secondary schools, primary schools which tended to be elitist and for the wealthiest members of society

Curriculum focused largely on Greek and Latin classics Little attention was paid to math, the sciences, or modern

languages In 1747 Germany opened the first Realschule to teach

modern languages, geography, bookkeeping, and prepare boys for business

Crime and Punishment The treatment of criminals also raised

questions during this period Except England, courts still used torture to get

information before trial Public execution was public and painful Death penalty was commonly applied to property

crimes and criminal offenses Forced labor in mines, forts, and navies were

also common punishments

Crime and Punishment Cesare Beccaria wrote On Crimes and

Punishments in 1764 in which he argued Punishments should serve as deterrents Capital punishment was wrong and didn’t

prevent others from committing crimes

This led to a growing sentiment against execution and torture

Crime and Punishment “Is it not absurd that the laws, which detest

and punish homicide, should, in order to prevent murder, publicly commit murder themselves?” Beccaria

Medical Advances Physicians and surgeons begin to need

licensing Male doctors begin to replace midwives in

delivering babies Traditional and faith healing continue

especially in rural parts of Europe

Popular Culture Carnival was celebrated in the weeks

leading up to Lent A time of great indulgence and debauchery It was a time of intense hedonistic and sexual

activity Certain crimes were permitted such as openly

insulting people, or throwing apples, eggs, flour, or water filled pigs bladders at others

Popular Culture (II) Taverns and Alcohol

Common gathering places for neighborhood men Gin was cheap, signs advertised “Drunk for a

penny, dead drunk for two pence” Consumption of gin rose from 2 to 5 million

gallons between 1714 and 1733 The rich also drank but they favored wine

Assessment: Answer the following on a separate sheet of paper Describe the changes made in art, music,

and architecture Discuss the differences between high

culture and popular culture during this time How did the medical field change during

this time? How did views of crime and punishment

change during this time?

What are Enlightened Despots? Monarchs who believed in Enlightenment

ideas like natural laws and natural rights were considered Enlightened Despots

Monarchs like Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine the Great of Russia, and Joseph II of Austria were supposedly Enlightened in their rule

Frederick II aka (the Great) of Prussia Developed the army and a governmental

bureaucracy Invited Voltaire to his court for several

years Believed the king should be “first servant of

the state” Oversaw administration of the state and

made it efficient and honest

Frederick II Established a single code of law Eliminated the use of torture Granted limited freedom of press and

speech, and total religious toleration Was to socially conservative to free the

serfs Reversed his fathers law that allowed

commoners to earn civil service positions

Austria and the Hapsburgs Maria Theresa (1740-1780)

Forced clergy and nobles to pay taxes

Divided land into 10 provinces all governed by appointed officials

Made Austria more centralized and bureaucratic

Austria and the Hapsburgs (II) Joseph II

Wanted to sweep away anything that stoop in the way of reason “I have made philosophy the lawmaker of my empire”

Abolished serfdom and gave peasants right to hereditary land holdings

Demanded complete religious toleration Alienated nobility and church with reforms

Austria and the Hapsburgs He wrote the following epitaph

for his gravestone

“Here lies Joseph II, who was unfortunate in everything that he undertook.”

Russia and Catherine the Great Claimed she wished to

reform Russia according to Enlightenment ideas

Would not pursue any reform that threatened her power or ability to work with the nobles

Catherine’s reforms 1767, issued new laws, Instruction as a

guide to deliberations Questioned serfdom, torture, capital

punishment, and advocated equality for all people

Spent 1 ½ years discussing these issues, then made little change

Catherine’s Reforms Policies strengthened the landed nobility Conditions grew worse for peasants Put down peasant revolt with force and

execute leader Pugachev Strengthened military and won control of

Black Sea from Ottoman Turks Negotiated partition of Poland with Austria

and Prussia

Assessment: Answer the following on a separate sheet of paper

To what extent do Prussia, Russia, and Austria reflect Enlightened Despotism in the 17th Century?

Discuss the extent of enlightenment within kingdoms ruled by Enlightened Despots