1. The Impact of the Enlightenment on the United States
Unit 5: Equality & Power
The Impact of the Enlightenment on the United States

2. Unit Overview
Students will understand how tensions between freedom, equality and power have shaped the political, economic and social development of the United States.

3. What do you think “Enlightenment” is?
Key Vocabulary
What do you think “Enlightenment” is?
Definition
Example/Impact
Create a test question.
Enlightenment

4. Setting the Stage
The achievements of the Renaissance, Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution, would inspire others to question and seek the truth in society and government as well!

5. What are the three basic ideas of the Enlightenment?1. 2. 3.

6. Two views on Government
John Locke:
Believed that people have the ability to govern themselves.
Three natural rights.
Thomas Hobbes
Believed that people needed a strong government to keep order.
“Social Contract” = where people give up rights in exchange for protection.

7. Assessment Prompt 1
Talking Heads
1’s = Hobbes
2’s = Locke

8. Philosophers Advocate Reason
Five Important Concepts Of Enlightenment Are:
Reason (eliminate prejudice and superstition)
Nature (laws of nature, democracy is natural)
Happiness (everyone has a right to find happiness)
Progress (people can improve themselves = so can society
Liberty (all men are created equal…sort of)

9. Philosophers of the Enlightenment
Voltaire fights intolerance through writing
“I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it!!”
Montesquieu = checks and balances.
Rousseau believes in a new social contract = the governments consent to govern comes from the people.
Beccaria’s ideas promote criminal justice = no cruel and unusual punishment.

11. Women in the Enlightenment
Mary Wollstonecraft calls for education and equality in marriage.
“Why must a man stumble home from a bar after hours of berating the king, and then expect to be treated like a King himself in the home?”

12. Impact of the Enlightenment
People have confidence that human reason can be used to solve social problems.
The individual becomes more important as people use their own ability to reason and judge.

13. Assessment Prompt 2: Word Splash
Enlightenment

14. The Enlightenment Spreads

15. Foundation for Revolution
Enlightenment ideas would inspire American colonists to revolt against the British, and would also greatly inspire the US Constitution!

16. Britain and its Colonies
Americans became accustomed to a large degree of independence, but were still subjects to the King.
The French and Indian War stirred up resentment between the Colonists and the British.

17. America Wins Independence
England angers the Colonists by expecting them to pay the costs of the French and Indian War.
Colonists protest these harsh taxes and begin to protest the war = “No Taxation Without Representation!”
Colonial leaders use Enlightenment ideas to justify war and write the Declaration Of Independence.

18. Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

19. Americans Create a Republic
To Protect Their Authority, The 13 States Create A Weak National government That Fails = Articles Of Confederation
Constitutional Convention Delegates Create A New System Of Government Based On Enlightenment Ideas
The New Government System Is Based On Three Government Branches (Montesquie)
The Bill Of Rights Is Created To Further Protect The Rights Of The Individual (Volataire, Beccaria, Locke, Rousseau).

20. Assessment Prompt 3
In one sentence, what role did the Enlightenment play regarding the formation of the United States of America?

22. Activity
Create an illustration to show how the enlightenment ideas paved the way for our new form of government.
CREATE AN ILLUSTRATION FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:
Voltaire
Montesquie
Beccaria
Locke

24. Journal
In Your Journal, Summarize What You Have Learned Today About The Enlightenment And Its Impact On America.
What was the main idea of Hobbes “social contract”.
According to John Locke, what are the natural rights of man?
How did John Locke influence Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence?
How did Montesquieu influence the Founding Fathers?
Beccaria?
Voltaire?
What are the impacts of the Enlightenment?
How did the Enlightenment influence the US Constitution.
How does knowing about the Enlightenment help us understand equality?