What is “The Enlightenment?” Late 1600s- Early 1700s and beyond A new educational movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of the individual to solve problems. In response to the Scientific Revolution of the s. Became known as the “Age of Reason.”

Natural Law Natural Law —rules discovered by reason, governed scientific forces such as gravity. People started to ask: “Why not apply natural law to social, economic and political problems?”

Questioning the King’s Authority to Rule Divine Right of Kings —The belief that a monarch’s authority to rule comes from God. Absolute Monarch —Ruler with complete authority over the government and the lives of people he/she governs. Absolute Monarchies in Europe ( ): France, Spain, England, Austria, Prussia, Russia As people began to rely more on individual thought, they began to question why the king had power over them.

The Philosophes Philosophe--the French word for philosopher. They believed they could apply reason to all aspects of life including government.