THE ENLIGHTENMENT IN EUROPE

My Life Philosophy….

Another Philosophy….

Last one…

Setting the Stage •  Scholars began to challenge other aspects of society

• Government • Religion •  Economics •  Education

•  Enlightenment is the new intellectual movement that stressed reason and though and the power of individuals to solve problems.

Thomas Hobbes •  All humans are naturally selfish and wicked,

• Governments must keep order and protect people.

•  People should hand over their rights to a strong ruler. •  a social contract

•  Strong ruler should have total power •  an absolute monarchy

John Locke

n People were reasonable (though still selfish) and had the natural rights to life, liberty, and property.

n Purpose of government is to protect these natural rights.

n Government power comes from the consent of the people.

n Foundation for Democracy

Changing Ideas

Philosophes Advocate Reason • Paris is the place to be • Philosophes

•  Reason to all aspects of life •  Five Concepts of their Core Beliefs:

•  1. Reason •  2. Nature •  3. Happiness •  4. Progress •  5. Liberty

Voltaire • Wrote more than 70 books of political essays, philosophy, and drama.

• Used satire against his enemies, especially the clergy.

•  Beliefs: •  Tolerance •  Reason •  Freedom of religious belief •  Freedom of speech •  “I do not agree with a word you

say but will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Montesquieu • Believed Britain was the best-governed and most politically balanced country of his own day.

• Proposed • separation of powers •  check and balances

BASIS FOR U.S. CONSTITUION

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Passionately committed to individual freedom.

• Believed man was born free and good but easily corrupted.

• Believed the only good government was the “general will” or direct democracy.

Cesare Bonesana Beccaria

• Beliefs •  Laws existed to preserve social order, not avenge crime.

•  Accused should receive speedy trials.

•  Torture should never be used. • Degree of punishment should match seriousness of crime.

•  Capital punishment (death penalty) should be abolished.

WOMEN’S RIGHTS

• Traditional View towards women •  Women should be wife and

mother •  Should not educate herself

Mary Wollstonecraft

• Women should be equally educated along with men.

• Women should enter professions traditionally dominated by men like medicine and politics.

• Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

MAJOR IDEAS OF ENLIGHTENMENT • See chart that you were handed out in class– this outlines

the key ideas that you need to know!

LEGACY OF ENLIGHTENMENT • Thinkers=challenged long held beliefs •  Lived in the world of ideas •  Ideas foundation of French and American Revolution • Three Long Term Effects:

•  1. Belief in Progress •  2. A More Secular Outlook •  3. Importance of the Individual

• REASON, REASON, REASON

SPREADING IDEAS © McDougal Littell Inc. All rights reserved.

MCD

OU

GA

L LITTELL

Wo

rld H

istory

: Pa

ttern

s of In

tera

ction

CT

22C

ritical Thin

king

: An

alyzing

Cau

ses and

Reco

gn

izing

Effects

The Spread of Enlightenment Ideas

BACON and DESCARTES:Reason and Logic

ISAAC NEWTON:Natural Law

HOBBES and ROUSSEAU:The Social Contract

BECCARIA:Reform of Criminal Justice System

MONTESQUIEU:Separation of Powers

VOLTAIRE:Religious Tolerance

JOHN LOCKE:Natural Rights—Life, Liberty, and Property

Growth of Secular Ideas;Importance of Education

Belief in Progress

American and French Revolutions,Independence Movements

Abolishment of Torture andCapital Punishment

French, U.S., and Latin American Constitutions

U.S. Bill of Rights andEnlightened Monarchies

Declaration of Independence; Rights of Manand Citizen; Growth of Individualism

Foundations of the Enlightenment Impact of the Enlightenment

ENLIGHTENMENTTHOUGHT

wh10a-CTT-CT21-CT40 12/12/2003 9:49 AM Page CT22