1. 18th Century: The Age of Enlightenment
Ch. 17 Part I
Deism

2. Overview

3. The Inspiration of the Enlightenment
Isaac Newton ( )
John Locke ( )
Scientific Revolution
Persuaded natural philosophers and many other writers that the traditions of thought inherited from both the ancient and medieval Christian worlds were incorrect, or confused, and needed to be challenged.
Newtonian Physics brought a mechanical and mathematical rationality to the physical world.
If the natural world was rational Society, too, should be organized rationally

4. The Inspiration of the Enlightenment
The Scientific Revolution
Better understanding of physical world through Science
Enlightenment thinkers believed that humans can improve themselves
Individual Morality
Enhance Economic Growth
Improve Government
Better agriculture
Religious Tolerance
Applying innovative rational methods to traditional social and economic practices

5. Isaac Newton Quote
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.
Source: Isaac Newton, Letter to Robert Hooke, February 5, 1675
English mathematician & physicist ( )

6. Philosophes
The intellects, writers, and critics who championed economic, political, and scientific
Focused on:
Greater Freedoms
More Liberties
Improvements on society

7. Influences on the Enlightenment
Isaac Newton’s determining the role of gravitation in the relationship between objects enabled others to realize that much remained to be discovered.
Newton’s use of empirical support for general laws became an important feature to the Enlightenment
John Locke’s view of psychology- that all humans begin life as a tabula rasa (blank page)
Locke’s view gave Enlightenment thinkers grounds for arguing that the human condition could be improved by modifying the social and political environment

8. Influences Continued
Britain's domestic stability- religious toleration, freedom of press (to an extent), small army, unregulated domestic life, and political sovereignty in the Parliament
Britain stability suggested that Absolute Monarchy may not be the best path
France- Louis XIV heavy taxation, absolute monarchy, religious persecution, and large standing army seen as obstacles to reform

9. Influences Continued Voltaire criticized French life
Letters on the English- believed the French could improve their lives by modeling after British
Candide- attacked War and religious persecution
Print Culture:
spread ideas
Public became more literate
Printed materials had ability to shift public opinion

10. The Encyclopedia Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert
Product of writing by over 100 authors
Two Aims:
Secularize Learning
Replace intellectual assumptions of the Middle Ages and Reformation
Survived censorship
Advanced ideas of the day and plea for freedom of expression

11. Enlightenment and Religion
Voltaire’s slogan “Crush the Infamous Thing” sums up general attitude
Philosophes felt that Christianity focused attention on the world to come was the detriment of the present condition
Philosophes object to the power structure of the old regiment which gave special rights to clergy (France)

12. Enlightenment and Religion Continued
Jewish and Islamic Religions also criticized by Enlightenment thinkers
Baruch Spinoza and Moses Mendelsohn- Jewish men who would enter the debate criticism of Jewish religion
Enlightenment thinkers portrayed Islam as a false religion

13. Deism Christianity is a REVEALED RELIGION Teaching divine Revelation
Man is Fallen
Needs Redemption
Faith
Authority
Natural Religion
-Empiricism (Logic and Observation)
-Man is Ignorant
Needs Enlightenment
Reason
Evidence
Empiricism- You Trust what you can see and deduce LOGICALLY
Deism- GODism: Believe in God but no other aspects of faith
Believe that religion and reason could be combined
Belief that God must be rational and religion should be so as well
Deists believed that God existed and could be empirically justified in the study of nature

14. The Enlightenment and Society
Philosophes were concerned with the application of laws and reason to the social condition
Cesare Beccaria ( ) On Crimes and Punishments
Attacked torture and capital punishment
His used critical analysis to address the problem of making punishments just and effective

15. Enlightenment and Society Continued
Physiocrats- Philosophes believed that policy could be reformed in a way that was consistent with natural laws
Leaders included Francois Quesnay and Pierre Dupont De Nemours
Believed that Mercantilist policies hampered with the expansion of trade

16. Enlightenment and Society Continued
Adam Smith- A Wealth of Nations
Believed that Economic Liberty was the foundation for a natural economic system and urged Mercantilist system to be abolished
Laissez-Faire- Hand-off- no government regulation in the economy
Four Stage Theory of human and economic development
Enabled Europeans to see themselves dwelling at the highest level of achievement
Justification for economic and imperial domination of the world

17. Political Thought and Philosophes
Baron de Montesquieu Spirit of Laws (1748)
Held British Constitution as an example of the wisest model for regulating power of government
Advocated the French Aristocracy to improve the French political regiment
Jean-Jacques Rousseau Social Contract (1762)
Envisioned a Society in which each individual could maintain personal freedom while participating as a loyal member in a larger community
Saw Humans beings as enmeshed in social relationships and believed that loyalty to a community should be encouraged

18. Women in the Though and Practice of the Enlightenment
Helped promote careers of philosophes by giving them access to their social and political contacts and providing a forum for circulating ideas
Louis XV’s mistress Madame De Tencin- promoted Montesquieu’s Spirit of Laws by purchasing and circulating among friends
Mary Wollstonecraft- addressed shortcomings and critiqued Rousseau in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792)

19. Recap on the Values of the Enlightenment
The Values of the Enlightenment (AP European History).mp4

20. 18th Century Age of the Enlightenment
Ch. 17 Part II
Enlightened Absolutism
-Frederick the Great of Prussia
-Catherine The Great of Russia
-Joseph II of Austria

21. Enlightened Absolutist
Absolutists in the 18th century attempted to apply the principles of the Enlightenment in their kingdoms
Many philosophes supported strong monarchy as the best tool to implement the goals and ideals of the Enlightenment

22. “Let us admit the truth: the arts and philosophy extend to only the few; the vast mass, the common people and the bulk of the nobility, remain what nature has made them, that is to say savage beasts.”
--Frederick the Great to Voltaire

23. IT’S A TRAP!

24. T R A P

25. Toleration of religious minorities R A P

26. Toleration of religious minorities Reform of institutions A P

27. Toleration of religious minorities Reform of institutions Absolutism (Duh!) P

28. Toleration of religious minorities Reform of institutions Absolutism (Duh!) Patronage of the philosophes

29. The Enlightened Absolutists
Catherine II Frederick II Joseph II (Russia) (Prussia) (Austria)

30. Frederick “the Great”
Prussia

31. Frederick II “The Great”
Saw himself as the First SERVANT of the state
Anti-Machiavel (1740)
Frederick argued against Machiavelli that a ruler should be chiefly concerned with the well- being of his subjects.
Patronage
Frederick corresponded with Voltaire, who was a regular guest at his court before their relationship soured

32. Religious Toleration
Frederick expanded religious toleration in Prussia, but still favored Protestants for key government posts.
Frederick was a skeptic himself

33. Civil Service Reform
Frederick reformed the Prussian bureaucracy, allowed for men of non-noble birth to fill senior government posts.
Meritocracy

34. Militarism
Frederick continued to support a highly militarized state, contrary to the principles of the Enlightenment.

35. Critical Thinking?
In what ways did Frederick the Great successfully advance Enlightenment principles in Prussia? What factors limited his success?

36. Catherine “the Great”
Russia

37. Assassination?
Catherin’s husband, Peter III, died less than a year after taking the throne– likely by assassination

38. Patronage Catherine purchased Diderot’s library…
Then paid him a salary to be her “librarian.”
Catherine corresponded with Voltaire, who appreciated her flattery

39. Pugachev’s Rebellion 1773-1775
Showed lack of Catherine’s reform
Uprising of peasants & Cossacks on the Russian frontier

40. Catherine was Weak on Reform
Catherine was too dependent on the support of the nobility to make serious modernizing reforms (e.g. serfdom or legal changes).
Light on the reform
Heavy on Patronage

41. Self-Quiz
Catherine the Great rolled out an ambitious program of Enlightenment- inspired reforms in Russia.
True
False

42. Self-Quiz
Catherine the Great rolled out an ambitious program of Enlightenment- inspired reforms in Russia.
True
False

43. Joseph II
Austria

44. Most Radical Least Effective

45. Co-Ruler with Maria Theresa

46. Generous Religious Toleration
Joseph's policy included private worship for Jews.

47. Multi-Ethnic State
Attempted to Centralized Administration *Lots of push back

48. Reformer
Joseph abolished “serfdom” and granted more rights to peasants (although landlords retained some control)

49. Most Radical Least Effective

50. Joseph II knew he was un-effective
“Here lies Joseph II, who failed in all he undertook.” -Self suggested epitaph

51. Recap of the Enlightened Absolutist
Enlightened Absolutism (Frederick the Great, Catherine the Great, Joseph II).mp4

52. Can you remember the four characteristics of enlightened absolutism?
Self-quiz
Can you remember the four characteristics of enlightened absolutism?

53. IT’S A TRAP!

54. Toleration of religious minorities Reform of institutions Absolutism (Duh!) Patronage of the philosophes