STARTER What does it mean to be enlightened?

ANSWER To be enlightened means to give knowledge or understanding to someone; to explain something to someone.

THE ENLIGHTENMENT

Major Enlightenment Ideas  Every social, political and economic problem could be solved through the use of reason  Governments are created to secure an orderly society  Separation of powers is the best way to protect human liberties  All men are created “free and equal”  A free market should be allowed to regulate trade

THE ENLIGHTENMENT  The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 caused many people to question the existence of witchcraft and how they viewed the world.  During the Renaissance (a period when Europeans began investigating all aspects of the physical world), philosophers in Europe began using reason and scientific methods to obtain knowledge.  Looked beyond religious doctrine to investigate how the world worked.  The Enlightenment thinkers concluded that the world is governed not by chance or miracles, but by fixed mathematical laws.  1700s individuals began to make changes in the way they viewed the world and ideas about nature, in a movement called the Enlightenment.  These ideas traveled from Europe to the colonies and was spread using books and pamphlets.

ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS  John Locke: everyone in society should be treated equal and that they should have a representative democracy.  Nicolas Copernicus: the sun was the center of the solar system and the earth was not.  Benjamin Franklin: embraced the notion of obtaining truth through experimentation and reasoning.  Montesquieu (Mont-es-sqew): French philosopher, separation of powers.  Sir Isaac Newton: the law of motion and gravitation; Laws of motion govern planets and objects on Earth, explained the workings of the universe through mathematics.

Causes, Effect and Goal of the Enlightenment  Enlightenment was a philosophical movement that was effected by the Scientific Revolution in Europe.  Goal: to create a better society than the one they inherited.  Caused by people not wanting to continue the church’s teachings.  Caused by the development of new ideas: advancement in technology and science. (telescope, microscope, printing press)  Effect: many of the ideas from the Enlightenment thinkers were put into the government and documents we have today.

The Impact Today  Scientists use research techniques that are based on the scientific method.  Intellectuals of the Enlightenment advocated the rights of the individual, paving the way for the rise of democracy.  Montesquieu’s idea of separation of powers strongly influenced the writing of the Constitution of the United States.

Effects of the French and Indian War  Britain doubled its debt.  George Grenville, appointed by King George III, became prime minister in  Grenville believed colonist were smuggling goods into the country and he prompted Parliament to enact the Sugar Act in  The debt from the French-Indian War caused the English Parliament to impose a series of taxes on the colonists: Sugar Act and Stamp Act.

The Sugar Act  The Sugar Act (1764) placed duties (taxes) on certain imports that had not been taxed before.  Halved the duty on foreign-made molasses ( in hopes that the colonists would pay a lower tax).  More importantly, it meant colonists accused of violating the Act were tried in Vice-Admiral Courts rather than Colonial Courts.

The Stamp Act  In March of 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act which imposed a tax on documents and printed items such as wills, newspapers, and cards (a stamp would then be placed on the item).

Resistance Grows  In May of 1765 Colonists formed a secret resistance group called, Sons of Liberty to protest the laws  Samuel Adams-Harvard educated-along with the colonist-founders of the Sons of Liberty  Merchants agree to boycott British goods until the Acts are repealed  March 1766, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act.

More Taxes, More Protests  More taxes and acts soon followed: Declaratory Act and Townshend Acts.  Townshend Acts: indirect taxes on duties, three-penny tax on tea. People protested “taxation without representation” boycotts started.  British stationed 2,000 Red Coats in Boston.

Declaratory Act  Created in  When it was passed, the Stamp Act was being repealed.  This Declaratory Act made it so the Parliament (British) could control the colonists. It asserted that Parliament “had, hath, and of right ought to have, full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to bind the colonies and people of America, subjects of the Crown of Great Britain, in all cases whatsoever.”  The colonists hated this idea and rebelled against it immediately.

ACTIVITY  On page 83 of your textbook read about Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Edwards.  Create a Compare and Contrast Chart on Franklin and Edwards. (SEE EXAMPLE ON BOARD).  Or create a Comic Strip explaining their ideas and how the two are alike and different.

EXIT SLIP 1. Name two major Enlightenment Ideas. 2. How did the Enlightened movement reach the colonies? 3. What was the goal and effect of the Enlightenment? 4. Name two Enlightenment thinkers. 5. What is the difference between the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act? 6. What were the colonists reaction to these Acts?