Enlightenment: Theories of Childhood

Locke, Rousseau, and Dwight

I. Enlightenment Overview

Interest in Natural World God as “divine watchmaker” Reason/Rationality (“Age of Reason”) Order (in universe, natural laws, human nature) Secularization of politics/education/science.

II) John Locke, 1632-1704

Locke

Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693) Secular Puritan Children born neither good nor bad

III) Jean Jacque Rousseau, 1712-1778

Rousseau

Emile, or On Education Nature (“God makes all things good; man meddles

with them and they become evil.”) Children Naturally Good Will Provides Motivation “Feral Children”

Victor the “Wolf Boy”—France, 1798

IV) Timothy Dwight, 1752-1817

Dwight

Second Great Awakening Grace as Motivator Unitarians Romantic Movement Bronson Alcott

Victor, the “wolf boy,” ca. 1786-1828

Other “feral children”

Camp Meeting

Second Great Awakening hysteria

Bronson Alcott