Enlightenment and Enlightenment and RevolutionRevolution

Mr. Fernandez US IMr. Fernandez US I

New Ideas and New Struggles New Ideas and New Struggles Shape the Modern World Shape the Modern World

1766-18481766-1848

Enlightenment Ideas lead to Enlightenment Ideas lead to New Ways of Thinking About New Ways of Thinking About

Social and Political Social and Political Relationships.Relationships. Enlightenment Political Philosophers Enlightenment Political Philosophers

sought to:sought to: Interpret (explain) the world around them.Interpret (explain) the world around them. Search for a socially relevant truth that they Search for a socially relevant truth that they

in general agreed was understandable by in general agreed was understandable by way of logic and reason.way of logic and reason.

Change the world so that social reality and Change the world so that social reality and ideal reality were one and the same.ideal reality were one and the same.

How can we think of the How can we think of the relationship between Ideas relationship between Ideas

and Action?and Action? Recall, that I suggested in class that Recall, that I suggested in class that

ideas serve to “organize” experience, ideas serve to “organize” experience, but of course you don’t necessarily but of course you don’t necessarily need formal ideas to act. need formal ideas to act.

As we will see, there were a series of As we will see, there were a series of extraordinary events between 1755-extraordinary events between 1755-1776 that led to many actions that 1776 that led to many actions that “begged” for special “organization”. “begged” for special “organization”.

Linkage of the Scientific Linkage of the Scientific Revolution to the Revolution to the

EnlightenmentEnlightenment Belief in ProgressBelief in Progress The successes of the Scientific Revolution gave Enlighten thinkers the confidence that The successes of the Scientific Revolution gave Enlighten thinkers the confidence that

human reason could solve social problems. human reason could solve social problems. More More secularsecular Perspective Perspective Scientists made discoveries that contradicted & challenged religious teachings. Scientists made discoveries that contradicted & challenged religious teachings. Importance of the IndividualImportance of the Individual People turned away from the Church & royalty for guidance - looked to themselves.People turned away from the Church & royalty for guidance - looked to themselves. Encouraged to use their own abilities & reason to problem solveEncouraged to use their own abilities & reason to problem solve

Vocabulary/New WordsVocabulary/New Words

SecularSecular: Not primarily religious in : Not primarily religious in point of view.point of view.

RevolutionRevolution: A “relatively” short term : A “relatively” short term and encompassing change in the and encompassing change in the way people relate to each other. way people relate to each other. Revolutions can be economic, social, Revolutions can be economic, social, political…or all of these at once! political…or all of these at once!

““I do not agree with a word I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to you say but will defend to the death your right to say the death your right to say

it”it”

VoltaireVoltaire

VoltaireVoltaire• Prolific writer who Prolific writer who

used satire against used satire against his enemies.his enemies.

• Attacked clergy, Attacked clergy, aristocrats & govaristocrats & gov

• Fought for religious Fought for religious freedom & speech.freedom & speech.

• Was jailed & exiled Was jailed & exiled for his beliefs.for his beliefs.

• Fought superstition, Fought superstition, intolerance and intolerance and prejudice.prejudice.

• He corresponded He corresponded directly with many directly with many rulersrulers

HobbesHobbes Influenced by the Influenced by the

English Civil WarEnglish Civil War Human nature was Human nature was

wicked & life was wicked & life was like state of warlike state of war

Social Contract Social Contract req’d people to give req’d people to give up liberties to an up liberties to an absolute monarch.absolute monarch.

In return they gain In return they gain order & security.order & security.

Wrote the Wrote the LeviathanLeviathan

LockeLocke Locke believed that Locke believed that

human nature was human nature was essentially good.essentially good.

Humans were born Humans were born with natural rights of with natural rights of life, liberty, life, liberty, property…..property…..

Purpose of gov was to Purpose of gov was to protect those rightsprotect those rights

If gov abused it’s If gov abused it’s authority as Britain authority as Britain had done people had had done people had a right to overthrow a right to overthrow the govthe gov

Locke’s Chief InfluenceLocke’s Chief Influence• Principles include:Principles include:

– Natural rightsNatural rights– Purpose of govPurpose of gov– Justification to Justification to

overthrow govoverthrow gov

– Author of the Author of the Two Two Treatise on Treatise on GovernmentGovernment

MontesquieuMontesquieu

• Believed the best Believed the best organization of gov organization of gov included:included:

• Separation of powers Separation of powers &&

• Checks and balancesChecks and balances• SOP was by itself a C/BSOP was by itself a C/B• Both ideas are part of Both ideas are part of

the US Constitution.the US Constitution.• Wrote Spirit of the Wrote Spirit of the

LawsLaws

““Man is born free and Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.”everywhere he is in chains.”

RousseauRousseau

RousseauRousseau• Civilization corrupted man.Civilization corrupted man.• Only good government had Only good government had

to be freely formed & guided to be freely formed & guided by the “general will” of by the “general will” of society.society.

• Favored “direct democracy” Favored “direct democracy” in which individuals agree to in which individuals agree to give up some freedoms in give up some freedoms in favor of the common good.favor of the common good.

• Consent of governmentConsent of government• Titles of nobility should be Titles of nobility should be

abolishedabolished• Influenced French Influenced French

Revolution/Revolution/• Consent of the governed in Consent of the governed in

US ConstitutionUS Constitution

BeccariaBeccaria

Interested in the Interested in the justice systemjustice system

Condemned torture Condemned torture & irregular & irregular procedings.procedings.

Favored:Favored: Speedy trialSpeedy trial Fair treatmentFair treatment Punishment Punishment

commensurate with commensurate with the crimethe crime

Abolishing capital Abolishing capital punishmentpunishment

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

Jefferson was a main Jefferson was a main author of the Declaration author of the Declaration of Independence and of Independence and argued for a republic argued for a republic based on human equality based on human equality and dedicated to “Life, and dedicated to “Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness.” in which a Happiness.” in which a free people and not a free people and not a monarch would captain monarch would captain the ship the State.the ship the State.

Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft

Women were not treated Women were not treated fairly by most thinkers of fairly by most thinkers of this time. Argued that this time. Argued that women were not women were not naturally irrational and naturally irrational and “weak” but were made “weak” but were made that way by culture.that way by culture.

She argued that She argued that therefore educating and therefore educating and treating them with treating them with equality was the path equality was the path toward social progress toward social progress for all.for all.

Wrote Wrote A Vindication of A Vindication of the Rights of Womenthe Rights of Women

““Children, I grant, should be Children, I grant, should be innocent; but when the innocent; but when the

epithet is applied to men, or epithet is applied to men, or women, it is but a civil term women, it is but a civil term

for weakness.”for weakness.”

WollstencraftWollstencraft

How did Enlightenment How did Enlightenment Ideas Spread?Ideas Spread?

DiderotDiderot

Published the Published the Encyclopedia.Encyclopedia.

Censorship used to Censorship used to prevent the spread prevent the spread of ideas.of ideas.

Enlightened Enlightened despots, absolute despots, absolute rulers, were those rulers, were those willing to consider willing to consider some reformssome reforms

Salons & SalonieresSalons & Salonieres

• Originated in 1600sOriginated in 1600s• Noblewomen began Noblewomen began

inviting inviting enlightenment enlightenment philosophes in all philosophes in all fields to their homesfields to their homes

• By the 1700s middle By the 1700s middle class women began class women began holding salons.holding salons.

• Another way in Another way in which ideas were which ideas were disseminateddisseminated

Catherine the GreatCatherine the Great

• Experimented with Experimented with Enlightenment ideasEnlightenment ideas

• Communicated with Communicated with Voltaire & Diderot.Voltaire & Diderot.

• Gave some rights to Gave some rights to noblesnobles

• However she allied However she allied herself with nobles herself with nobles who opposed change.who opposed change.

• Suppressed serf revoltSuppressed serf revolt

Frederick the GreatFrederick the Great

King of PrussiaKing of Prussia Religious toleranceReligious tolerance Hired Voltaire to set Hired Voltaire to set

up Prussian Academyup Prussian Academy Instituted reforms to Instituted reforms to

help commonershelp commoners However reforms However reforms

were largely to make were largely to make Prussian gov more Prussian gov more efficientefficient

Vocabulary/New TermsVocabulary/New Terms

LegitimacyLegitimacy: What is “appropriate”, “acceptable” considered “as should : What is “appropriate”, “acceptable” considered “as should be” in social (economic and political) relationships.be” in social (economic and political) relationships.

StateState: The organization that has the legitimate monopoly on the use of : The organization that has the legitimate monopoly on the use of deadly force in a particular territory. Governments administer or “run” deadly force in a particular territory. Governments administer or “run” states, they aren’t states as such. (Though many people who routinely states, they aren’t states as such. (Though many people who routinely confuse the two terms.) confuse the two terms.)

TaxationTaxation: The resources that the state takes from those under it’s power: The resources that the state takes from those under it’s power—citizens, subjects, businesses, residents etc., in order to pay for it’s own —citizens, subjects, businesses, residents etc., in order to pay for it’s own activities. (Everything from building and maintaining roads to paying for activities. (Everything from building and maintaining roads to paying for wars)wars)

MonarchyMonarchy: A kind of state in which a member of a ruling family (dynasty) : A kind of state in which a member of a ruling family (dynasty) represents the state and governs as the embodiment of the state. “I am represents the state and governs as the embodiment of the state. “I am the State” Louis XIV.the State” Louis XIV.

RepublicRepublic: Is a state in which the nation is sovereign and not a dynasty. A : Is a state in which the nation is sovereign and not a dynasty. A republic’s government is formed by elected representatives of the people republic’s government is formed by elected representatives of the people who rule for and in the people’s name.who rule for and in the people’s name.

The American RevolutionThe American Revolution

In 1776 the representatives of the In 1776 the representatives of the Thirteen Colonies of English North Thirteen Colonies of English North America after an extended crisis of America after an extended crisis of legitimacylegitimacy caused by disagreements caused by disagreements regarding regarding taxationtaxation and representation on and representation on the part of the part of MonarchicalMonarchical England decided England decided to stop being part of the United Kingdom to stop being part of the United Kingdom in order to form their own Republican in order to form their own Republican Union. Union.

The American Revolution The American Revolution

The declaration The declaration lead to a brutal war lead to a brutal war with England—A with England—A war that became a war that became a virtual world war virtual world war when England’s when England’s historical enemy historical enemy France joined the France joined the American American revolutionaries.revolutionaries.

The American RevolutionThe American Revolution

The Americans became a free republic at The Americans became a free republic at wars end in 1781. wars end in 1781.

The French Monarchy went into extremely The French Monarchy went into extremely serious debt—a fact which ironically led to serious debt—a fact which ironically led to a legitimacy crisis of their own and a legitimacy crisis of their own and eventual revolution in 1789.eventual revolution in 1789.

The American argument for a government The American argument for a government of the people influenced millions of non of the people influenced millions of non Americans around the world. Americans around the world.

The American RevolutionThe American Revolution

The American Revolution is not over. Or The American Revolution is not over. Or is it? Is a republic in which is it? Is a republic in which allall citizens citizens are open to pursuing their happiness in are open to pursuing their happiness in equality and fullest expression of all of equality and fullest expression of all of life’s possibility life’s possibility realreal or still or still ideationalideational? ? Could it ever be real? Could it ever be real? Is it important Is it important that it could or could not be?that it could or could not be?

To be continued…..