The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment

Important termsImportant terms

• Absolutism: A system of government in Absolutism: A system of government in which a monarch is the only source of which a monarch is the only source of powerpower

• Common good: An effort by individuals to Common good: An effort by individuals to work together for the benefit of allwork together for the benefit of all

• Natural rights: A belief that individualsNatural rights: A belief that individuals are are naturally endowed with basic human rights naturally endowed with basic human rights that cannot be taken away or given upthat cannot be taken away or given up

Path to the EnlightenmentPath to the Enlightenment

• Forefathers of the Enlightenment: Forefathers of the Enlightenment: – John Locke: wrote John Locke: wrote Essay Concerning Essay Concerning

Human UnderstandingHuman Understanding•Stated that every person was born with a

tabula rasa, or blank slate

•People are molded by the experiences in the world, and so if people change society can change as well

Hobbes v. LockeHobbes v. Locke

• In this corner: John Locke: Believing that In this corner: John Locke: Believing that people have natural rights and that before people have natural rights and that before society was organized people lived in a state society was organized people lived in a state of equality and freedomof equality and freedom

• And in this corner: Thomas Hobbes: And in this corner: Thomas Hobbes: Believing that people entered into a social Believing that people entered into a social contract and agreed to form a state; this contract and agreed to form a state; this state would then be governed by an state would then be governed by an absolute ruler in order to keep peace and absolute ruler in order to keep peace and preserve orderpreserve order

Sir Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton • The physical world and everything in The physical world and everything in

it was like a giant machine it was like a giant machine

• Enlightenment thinkers would use Enlightenment thinkers would use Newton’s methods to discover the Newton’s methods to discover the natural laws that govern human natural laws that govern human societysociety

What was the What was the Enlightenment?Enlightenment?

•A historical period in the 18A historical period in the 18thth century in which science and century in which science and reason was applied to question reason was applied to question traditional thinking about the traditional thinking about the world; provided new thinking world; provided new thinking about government and people’s about government and people’s rightsrights

The Spread of the The Spread of the EnlightenmentEnlightenment

• Lower class and peasants unaffected by Lower class and peasants unaffected by Enlightenment. Why?Enlightenment. Why?– Most Enlightenment ideas spread through the Most Enlightenment ideas spread through the

growth of readinggrowth of reading• Elite in society= literateElite in society= literate• Growing number of middle class also becoming Growing number of middle class also becoming

literate at this time= spread of Enlightenment ideas literate at this time= spread of Enlightenment ideas among middle classamong middle class

– Development of magazines and newspapersDevelopment of magazines and newspapers• Helped to spread Enlightenment ideas to a mass Helped to spread Enlightenment ideas to a mass

audienceaudience• First daily newspaper published in London in 1702First daily newspaper published in London in 1702

SalonsSalons• Salon: elegant drawing rooms of the Salon: elegant drawing rooms of the

wealthy upper classwealthy upper class– Invited guests would gather in salons and Invited guests would gather in salons and

discuss topics that centered around the new discuss topics that centered around the new ideas of the philosophesideas of the philosophes

– Women who host these salons are given a Women who host these salons are given a degree of political and social influencedegree of political and social influence• Salon discussions are used to sway political opinion Salon discussions are used to sway political opinion

and social tastesand social tastes

Who led the Enlightenment?Who led the Enlightenment?

• The philosophes: the Enlightenment The philosophes: the Enlightenment thinkersthinkers– Writers, professors, journalists, Writers, professors, journalists,

economists, and social reformerseconomists, and social reformers– Mostly noble/middle classMostly noble/middle class– The role of philosophy is to change the The role of philosophy is to change the

worldworld– The philosophes often disagreed The philosophes often disagreed

Influential PhilosophesInfluential Philosophes

Baron de MontesquieuBaron de Montesquieu• French nobilityFrench nobility• The Spirit of Laws: The Spirit of Laws: study of governmentsstudy of governments

– Tried to use the scientific method to find the natural Tried to use the scientific method to find the natural laws that govern the social and political relationships of laws that govern the social and political relationships of human beingshuman beings

– Three kinds of governments: Three kinds of governments: • Republics= small statesRepublics= small states• Despotism= large statesDespotism= large states• Monarchies= moderate statesMonarchies= moderate states

– Three forms of governmentThree forms of government• The executive (monarch)The executive (monarch)• The legislative (parliament)The legislative (parliament)• The judicial (courts)The judicial (courts)

– Government functions through a separation of powers/ Government functions through a separation of powers/ checks and balanceschecks and balances

•

VoltaireVoltaire• Prosperous middle class family in ParisProsperous middle class family in Paris• Religion: Criticized Christianity and Religion: Criticized Christianity and

believed strongly that all religions should believed strongly that all religions should be tolerant of one anotherbe tolerant of one another– ““All men are brothers under God.”All men are brothers under God.”

– Treatise on Toleration, Treatise on Toleration, 17631763

• DeismDeism– Foundation= Newtonian world-machineFoundation= Newtonian world-machine– Mechanic of the universe= God (clockmaker)Mechanic of the universe= God (clockmaker)– Universe= a clock Universe= a clock – What happens after God sets the clock? What What happens after God sets the clock? What

is his God’s role then? is his God’s role then?

Jean Jacques RousseauJean Jacques Rousseau

• Part of the later EnlightenmentPart of the later Enlightenment

• Discourse on the Origins of the Inequality Discourse on the Origins of the Inequality of Mankind: of Mankind: people are enslaved to their people are enslaved to their governmentsgovernments

• The Social Contract: The Social Contract: – Most famous work Most famous work – Social contract: society agrees to be governed Social contract: society agrees to be governed

by its general willby its general will• Individuals cannot follow their own self- interestsIndividuals cannot follow their own self- interests

Women and the Women and the EnlightenmentEnlightenment

• Mary Wollstonecraft: founder of the Mary Wollstonecraft: founder of the modern European and American modern European and American Women’s rights movements and a Women’s rights movements and a daughter of the Enlightenmentdaughter of the Enlightenment– Vindication of the Rights of Women: Vindication of the Rights of Women:

argues that many Enlightenment argues that many Enlightenment thinkers are hypocrites when it comes to thinkers are hypocrites when it comes to the role of women in societythe role of women in society

The Enlightenment and The Enlightenment and ReligionReligion

• John Wesley: An Anglican minister who John Wesley: An Anglican minister who founded a new religious movement called founded a new religious movement called MethodismMethodism– Focused on preaching to all people, and not just Focused on preaching to all people, and not just

the upper and middle classesthe upper and middle classes– Preached in open fieldsPreached in open fields– Methodist societies were formed in which Methodist societies were formed in which

everyone helped each other to do good works everyone helped each other to do good works and gave those involved a sense of purpose and and gave those involved a sense of purpose and communitycommunity

– Stressed the importance of hard work and Stressed the importance of hard work and spiritual contentment versus political equalityspiritual contentment versus political equality

– Religion was not overshadowed by the search for Religion was not overshadowed by the search for reason during the Enlightenment as proven by reason during the Enlightenment as proven by the formation of Methodismthe formation of Methodism