The Enlightenment (aka The Age of Reason) SSWH13b – Identify the major ideas of the Enlightenment from the writings of Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau and their relationship to politics and society.

New Ways of Thinking… Scientific Revolution spurs reassessment of many prevailing ideas Leads to the Enlightenment – a movement stressing reason and thought

Enlightenment Ideas… Universe is rational & is understood by reason Truth through reason and observation Experience is foundation of truth History as progress Human beings improved by education Religion has no place in understanding the world

Enlightenment Philosophy Emphasis on reason Goal: To improve the world by learning how it operated and making it more efficient Major Figures: Thomas Hobbes John Locke Voltaire Montesquieu Rousseau Diderot Wollstonecraft Beccaria

Enlightenment Thinkers: Thomas Hobbes, England (1600s) Wrote: Leviathan Distrusts man, favors strong, authoritarian government (ABSOLUTISM) to keep order Promotes SOCIAL CONTRACT – getting order by giving power to absolute monarch

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

John Locke, England (1600s) 2nd Treatise of Government (1688) (Written to justify the Glorious Revolution) State of nature requires a government People are naturally good, can govern their own affairs Purpose of gov’t is protection of life, liberty, property – man’s natural rights God made man. Man is property of God; therefore, no man can take away the rights of another, because those rights were given by God. People have right to overthrow unjust gov’t - power of gov’t comes from the people

John Locke (1632-1704)

Cesare Bonesana Beccaria, Italy (1700s) Believed laws existed to preserve social order, not to avenge crimes Worked to reform Justice System Calls for speedy trials, greater rights for criminal defendants

Mary Wollstonecraft, England (1700s) Wrote: A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Argues women need quality education to be virtuous and useful Urges women to go into traditionally male professions like politics

Philosophes Mainly French thinkers Believed people could apply reason to all aspects of life Main ideas: Reason, Nature, Happiness, Progress, Liberty Progress 3 main themes of human progress: development of new knowledge, overcoming ignorance, overcoming cruelty Deism Religion should be reasonable & moral; the human world has nothing to do w/ religion Tolerance Religious tolerance

Deism Religious movement Many of the philosophes followed Deism Universe is rational, God is rational Therefore, God can be understood through reason alone Supreme being as “master watchmaker”

Philosophes Important Philosophes Montesquieu Voltaire Rousseau Diderot David Hume Adam Smith

Voltaire - Francois Marie Arouet, France (1700s) Philosopher, targeted the powerful (church, govt.) – challenged preexisting ideas Fought for tolerance, reason, freedom of religion and speech Wrote Candide – a satire of society at the time

Montesquieu, France (1750s) Wrote: On the Spirit of Laws Studied govts. & favored England’s monarchy Favored separation of powers to keep 1 from controlling govt. (checks & balances, influence U.S. govt.)

Jean Jacques Rousseau, Switzerland (1760s) Wrote: The Social Contract Committed to individual freedoms People agreed to give up some freedom in favor of the common good - man good, but society corrupts Only good govt. is freely formed by the people – direct democracy

Denis Diderot (1713-1784) Encyclopédie (1751) “great manifesto” of the philosophe movement Collection of writings from over 100 writers Meant to secularize learning/education

Legacy of the Enlightenment Examined principles: divine right monarchs, union of church & state, & unequal social classes – inspired revolutions!!! Belief in Progress: Human reason can solve problems Secular Outlook: Knowledge leads people to question the church Importance of Individual: Emphasis on individual rights

Your task now… Complete the “Who’s Who of the Enlightenment” chart using your notes and sections 2 and 3 from chapter 22 in your textbook. On the back, in one paragraph, define the term “Enlightened Despot”, and then explain why King Frederick II of Prussia, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II of Austria, and Catherine the Great of Russia were considered to be Enlightened Despots. The subsection titled “The Enlightenment and Monarchy” on p. 638-9 should give you all the information you need to complete this. Both the “Who’s Who” and the paragraph about the Enlightened Despots will be part of your test day packet.