The Enlightenment

The Age of Reason The Scientific Revolution had been an era of questioning old beliefs to discover new truths. Philosophers, just like the scientists, wanted to learn new truths about human nature. This search for truth and new way of looking at the world led to a period called the Enlightenment or Age of Reason. It was called this because philosophers wanted to “shine a light” on new ways of thinking.

Roots of the Enlightenment The ancient Greeks and Romans had a deep respect for reason. Through observation, logic, and reasoning, these classical scholars gained knowledge about the world around them. After the Middle Ages, European scholars rediscovered writings of the Greek and Roman cultures during the Renaissance.

Roots continued This return to the classical emphasis on observation, reason and logic; and the Renaissance belief in the human ability to achieve and to think were the roots of the Enlightenment.

John Locke Locke was an English philosopher in the 1600’s who set the stage for Enlightenment era debate. He believed governments got their power from the people and that the government’s job was to protect the natural rights of those people.

Locke continued Locke disagreed with the divine right of kings (God gave kings power). He believed that people were born with natural rights to life, liberty, and property. He also believed that people had the right to revolt if a ruler didn’t protect these rights.

European Philosophers Thinkers known as philosophes started applying the scientific method of Francis Bacon to social problems. They believed that reason could solve every problem that society had. They challenged old beliefs about power – which threatened the church and the monarchs.

Voltaire A French philosophe, Voltaire wrote over 70 books in which he spoke out against religious intolerance and superstition in the church. He also insisted on ideas like freedom of speech and insisted everyone had a right to liberty.

Montesquieu The Baron de Montesquieu believed liberty was a natural right (like Locke did). He also opposed absolute monarchs (Locke didn’t). He believed governments could become too powerful, so they should be broken up into 3 separate branches – one for making laws, one for enforcing them, and one for interpreting them…U.S. Constitution anyone?

Rousseau Jean Jacques Rousseau believed that democracy was the best form of government. People should be able to decide how they were governed by voting. He also believed that people should create governments that protect individual rights and the needs of the whole at the same time.

Your last PowerPoint slide?! Maybe… Salons Summary These social gatherings at the homes of the wealthy, were places where the era’s best thinkers, both men and women, would discuss and exchange ideas on an equal basis. Often these discussions were written up and published so that the general public could learn enlightenment ideas. Enlightenment thinkers believed human reason could lead to understanding all issues in life. Philosophes believed people had natural rights to life, liberty, and property. These thoughts influenced many of the founding fathers of the U.S.A.