1. Beginning of the Enlightenment
Scientific Revolution challenged pre-existing ideas of how the world worked
Europeans had moved away from faith-centered lifestyles during the Renaissance due to secularism – focus on the worldly
Focus on investigation and inquiry, logic and reasoning, helped bring about the Scientific Revolution
Major advancements in science were achieved during this period by individuals such as Copernicus, Galilei, Newton and Bacon/Descartes
Led to The Enlightenment— Movement stressing reason and individualism during the 1700s
In essence, it was another era in which the human condition was celebrated and it was widely believed that humans could improve themselves

2. Two Views on Government (Cont.)
Enlightenment focused on rational thought -> made thinkers contemplate the nature of ruling bodies/governments
View of government began to change from leaders/governments having complete power to ruling for the people/in the best interest of people
Thomas Hobbes – English philosopher – Stated people enter contract: give up freedoms and government protects people
In his book, Leviathan, Hobbes stated he Distrusted human nature – inherently corrupt, but they deserved to be treated in a humane way (i.e. the government should be run in a way that is firm with the people but acknowledges them and gives them rights).
John Locke – English philosopher –Believed government gets power from the people – “Consent of the Governed”
Believed humans had rights: life, liberty and property
Also believed people have a right to overthrow unjust governments
Ideas are reiterated in the Declaration of Independence via Thomas Jefferson – Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness

3. Thomas Hobbes
John Locke

4. The Philosophes Advocate Reason
Enlightenment cultivates Philosophes - French social critics in the mid-1700s
Valued reason, progress, liberty, personal fulfillment
Usually gathered in salons – French entertaining rooms in upscale houses
Its where Enlightenment thinkers and writers would gather and discuss/exchange ideas
Salons were usually planned/held by wealthy women rather than men – used as a way to be closer to educated/higher society even though women were still limited in what they could do
Voltaire – French essayist – Defends personal freedoms of speech, religious toleration, etc. – Argued that people should make rational decisions themselves
He argued that prejudice against minority groups such as the Jews was bad and just a deflection for society’s ill that needed to be fixed. Also stated women had great potential to learn/be educated
Made powerful enemies among the French aristocracy and Church - and is exiled twice for his views
Kept returning to France though

5. The Philosophes Advocate Reason
Baron de Montesquieu—French lawyer – Believed government should be separated into different branches – won’t get too powerful
Separation of duties/powers would prevent one office from overpowering other offices that were also essential to running a kingdom (country)
Jean-Jacques Rousseau—French philosophe Stressed Social Contract Theory
Stated that Will of the People was needed to form government
“Consent of the Governed” – people willingly give up some of their power but the government in return protects their rights as citizens and individuals
Also believed that people should act if the government fails in its duties to the people
Cesare Beccaria – Italian Jurist - Worked to reform justice system by promoting greater rights for defendants such as access to speedy trials and protested cruel punishments
Torture methods, banishment, etc. had been execution methods used previously – argued they were inhumane and unjust
Protections against cruel and unusual punishment found in the U.S. Bill of Rights

6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Baron de Montesquieu
Voltaire
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

7. Women And The Enlightenment
Many Enlightenment thinkers take traditional views of women’s role – while they thought men are endowed with rights and had the potential to improve themselves, they still thought of women as an extension of men – not really their own person (except maybe Voltaire)
Prominent English writer Mary Wollstonecraft urged greater rights/education for women:
Argues women need education to be useful and in society – how else would women justify their existence?
Urged women to go into traditionally male professions like politics, law, medicine, etc.
Traditionally dominated by males (teaching is often dominated by females) – increase female presence in public
Some Wealthy women use their status to spread Enlightenment ideas by holding social parties/get togethers where Enlightenment thinkers/speakers or at least their ideas were discussed

8. Mary Wollstonecraft

10. The Legacy Of The Enlightenment
The philosophes were not activists but they inspired major revolutions – American Revolution, French Revolution, by extension the Industrial Revolution
Scientific breakthroughs show human capacity to improve society
New knowledge of the world leads people to question religious ideas
Voltaire and others criticize beliefs and practices of the Church
People emphasize individual rights
Reason becomes a central concept for philosophers,
European rulers are influenced by Enlightenment
European rulers will adopt ideas about government and create laws based on those ideas because they agree with them and because Enlightenment philosophy is popular with the people