According to the picture, what do you think influenced Enlightenment thinkers?
Learning Goal
• Understand the significance of Enlightenment thinkers and influence on US Government and history.
ENLIGHTENMENT• Shift in thinking"enlighten"—the idea of
shedding light on something, illuminating it, making it clear.
• New philosophies dealt with government, religion, & relationships between people
• Reason, natural law, hope, progress
Philosophes (philosophers)
• Most were writers, professors
• Were concerned with idea of human reason–It can be applied to all areas of
life
philosophes cont.• Opposed divine right to
rule, no absolute monarchies & privileges of nobility & clergy
• People can govern themselves!!
• NO traditional religious values – some were atheist or Christian – most were deist
Frisco ISD
What is deism? belief in the existence of a god but denial of the supernatural teachings of Christianity, for instance the virgin birth and the resurrection - the universe was an orderly realm - a powerful god set the universe in motion and established natural laws to govern it - but did not take personal interest in its development or intervene in its affairs - god was the clockmaker who did not interfere since the earth (or clock) operated by itself according to rational and natural laws.
JOHN LOCKE• People are basically good.• They enter into a contract with
gov’t, and the gov’t is responsible for securing unalienable rights (life, liberty & property).
• If ruler becomes a tyrant, people have the right & duty to overthrow
• all people have natural rights• Life, liberty, property-
influenced what?
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LOCKE"The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts.""Logic is the anatomy of thought.""The thoughts that come often unsought, and, as it were, drop into the mind, are commonly the most valuable of any we have.""The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it."
THOMAS HOBBES
• Leviathan – 1651• Man was basically bad
If there is no government, humankind would fight & destroy themselves
• therefore they make an agreement with the government for protection
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HOBBESBelieved that under the contract, people gave up some rights in order to keep others."The source of every crime, is some defect of the understanding; or some error in reasoning; or some sudden force of the passions.""Leisure is the mother of philosophy.""Life is nasty, brutish, and short."
VOLTAIRE• believed in reason,
tolerance, and limited government
• Critic of Christianity
• deist
Frisco ISD
VOLTAIREEpitomized the spirit of Enlightenment. He published from ages 17-84 and championeed individual freedom, attacking any institution that sponsored intolerant or oppressive policies - targets most often being the French monarchy and the RCC - the latter of whom he held responsible for fanatacism, intolerance and incalculable human suffering. - his cry was "crush the damned thing" as he considered it an agent of oppression. "Liberty of thought is the life of the soul." "I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write." (In other words, "I dissaprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.") "There are truths which are not for all men, nor for all times." "Common sense is not so common." "One who is not a liberal in his youth has no heart, and who is not a conservative in his maturity has no mind."
MONTESQUIEU• separation of
powers in the government (3 Branches)
• liberty of the people must be guarded from corrupt leaders
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3 branches - legislative, executive, and judicialMONTESQUIEUWHERE ELSE DO WE SEE HIS OPINIONS POP UP???"In the state of nature...all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.""An author is a fool who, not content with boring those he lives with, insists on boring future generations.""The love of democracy is that of equality."
ROUSSEAU
• Social Contract-society agrees to be governed
• People in civilized society were unhappy & selfish
• Government should what's best for everyone-majority rule
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ROUSSEAU"As soon as any man says of the affairs of the State 'What does it matter to me?' the State may be given up for lost.""Happiness: a good bank account, a good cook and a good digestion.""The strongest is never strong enough to be always the master, unless he transforms strength into right, and obedience into duty.
Mary Wollstonecraft• Considered the founder of
women’s rights movement.• Self-educated, magazine publisher• Daughter was Mary Shelley-wrote
Frankenstein• “Make women rational creatures,
and free citizens, and they will quickly become good wives; - that is, if men do not neglect the duties of husbands and fathers.”
Thomas Jefferson
• Influence from Locke and Rousseau- Life liberty & pursuit of happiness/social contract
• Declaration of Independence-Individual liberties
William Blackstone
• Blackstone's main contribution was in his theory of common law (basis of legal system).
• Influenced U.S. Constitution-especially impeachment and the 2nd Amendment
• "... to the right of petitioning the king and parliament for redress of grievances; and, lastly, to the right of having and using arms for self-preservation and defense."
HOW IT SPREAD
• Diderot – Encyclopedia
• Salons-gathering places
• more secular outlook
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HOW IT SPREADThe encyclopedia was a catalog that summed up the knowledge and thought of the time period. Salons were gathering places, usually run by women - they held meetings of writers, philosophers, and artists.Enlightened Despots were rulers who were greatly influenced by the Enlightenment. They respected the rights of their subjects, while not taking too many privileges and rights away from the nobility.In general, a more worldy outlook develops. People begin to openly question the church and its teachings as well as their religious beliefs. Many philosophes, such as Voltaire, attacked the beleifs and principles of organized Christianity. They wanted to rid religious faith of superstition and fear anf promote tolerance of all religions.
3-2-1• 3- Give three new ideas from Enlightenment
thinkers
• 2- Name two Enlightenment thinkers and explain their philosophy
• 1- What idea from John Locke was used later in the Declaration of Independence? (one part was changed to fit their ideology)
