Discussion  What argument did Wollstonecraft use to object to what she described as women's being under the control of men? She said that Enlightenment thinkers opposed the idea that monarchs should be entirely in charge of societies and so it did not make sense for men to be in charge of women.

Liberty, Education, and Literacy Women's rights Growth of reading Religion

Discussion  How were the coffee houses of the eighteenth century similar to the online social networks of today? They allowed people to chat and exchange ideas.

Background  As young men, John Wesley and his brother Charles joined a group that attended frequent communion services, seriously studied the Bible, and fasted twice a week. Members of the group, the Holy Club, were referred to by others as Methodists because of their "methodical" devotion and study.

Predictable Misunderstandings When you encounter the institution of the eighteenth-century salon, you may tend to think of a salon in a modern sense—a place where hair styling is done. In the eighteenth century, salon referred to the elegant drawing room of an upper-class woman who brought fashionable people together with writers and artists to discuss timely topics. Enlightenment ideas were spread through such salons.

Background  The rococo style is characterized by lightness, elegance, and the use of curving, natural forms in ornamentation. Walls, ceilings, and moldings were decorated with delicate interweavings of curves based on the letters C and S, as well as with shell forms and other natural shapes.

Discussion How did the rococo style reflect Enlightenment ideas? It was highly secular, emphasizing grace and charm.

Understanding The word rococo is derived from the French word rocaille, which described the shell-covered rockwork that decorated artificial grottoes.