Discuss how the Enlightenment thinkers influenced the world

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Enlightenment Roots Traced back to the Greeks and romans Gained knowledge through observation, logic, and reasoning Believed in the worth of the individual Renaissance and Reformation stress the individual Equality key feature of the Enlightenment

JOHN LOCKE English philosopher Did not oppose monarchies: disagreed on the divine right of a king Power of the government comes from the people not God or ruler People give their consent to be governed Governments job is to protect the people, if fails the people have the right to change the government NATURAL RIGHTS: people are born with rights that can not be taken away Life, liberty and property

JOHN LOCKE Video

PHILOSPHES/ PHILOSOPHERS BELIEVE THAT REASON COULD SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM AND THAT SOCIETY CAN PROGRESS CHALLENGED OLD BELIEFS ABOUT POWER CHURCH AND ABSOLUTE MONARCHS FEEL THREATENED TRIED TO SILENCE THE PHILOSPHIES

VOLTAIRE Believed in freedom of speech and liberty Francois Marie Aroquet: Voltaire Wrote more then 70 books Spoke out against religious intolerance and against superstition in the Church Was put in jail for his writings, forced to leave France Believed in freedom of speech and liberty

Video on Montequieu

WHAT DID MONTESQUIEU MEAN WHEN HE SAID

MONTESQUIEU The Baron de Montesquieu Believed liberty was a natural right Opposed absolute monarchs Feared the government could become too powerful Wanted separation of power in government 3 branches, laws, enforce, interpret checks and balances Basis of U.S. Constitution

SEPERATION OF POWER

ROUSSEAU Jean Jacques Rousseau Wrote the book The Social Contract Democracy was the best form of government People should create a government that will defend individual rights and protect the good of the whole Believed in votes Opposed absolute monarchs, titles and nobility Believed people were created equal His ideas caused revolt

ROUSSEAU Video on Rousseau

WOMEN IN THE ENLIGHTENMENT Wealthy woman hosted salons Thinkers and artists participated Discussed and exchanged ideas on a equal basis Salons provided an education for woman

Marie Therese Rodet Geoffrin Most admired of the salon hostesses Most guest were nobility some not Foreigners invited brought new ideas Discussion were written up and published in newspapers for the general public Enlightenment ideas were spread through the salons

Judith Sargent Murray 1784 in America Wrote that women that are deprived of education thought poorly of themselves

MARY ASTELL 1964 Focused on social issues Lack of education for women

MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT 1792 published A vindication of the Rights of Woman Argued well educated woman would help create enlightened families Public life would become strengthened through enlightened families