1. The Enlightenment & the American Revolution
Chapter 17

2. Philosophe Natural Law Natural Right Enlightenment Natural right Rule of Law
Define

3. Definitions Philosophe
Member of a group of Enlightenment thinkers who tried to apply the methods of science to the improvement of society
Natural Law
Rule or law that governs human nature
Natural Right
Right that belongs to all humans from birth
Enlightenment
Revolution in thinking. Through the use of reason, people and governments could solve every social, political and economic problem.
Natural right
Rule of Law
government by Law. The rule of law implies that government authority may only be exercised in accordance with written laws, which were adopted through an established procedure.
Definitions

4. Linkage of the Scientific Revolution to the Enlightenment
Belief in Progress
The successes of the Scientific Revolution gave philosophes the confidence that human reason could solve social problems.
More secular Perspective
Scientists made discoveries that contradicted & challenged religious teachings.
Importance of the Individual
People turned away from the Church & royalty for guidance - looked to themselves.
Encouraged to use their own abilities & reason to problem solve

5. Core Values of the Philosophes
1. Reason – truth could be discovered through reason
2. Happiness – rejected medieval belief that people should concentrate on finding happiness in the hereafter rather than finding contentment & joy in this world
3. Progress – Humankind could improve
4. Liberty – called for liberties achieve from the Glorious Revolution in the English Bill of Rights

6. Hobbes Influenced by the English Civil War
Human nature was wicked & life was like state of war
Social Contract req’d people to give up liberties to an absolute monarch.
In return they gain order & security.
Powerful gov't. = absolute monarchy
Wrote the Leviathan – he argued people were naturally cruel, greedy and selfish. If unchecked they would fight, rob, and oppress.

7. Locke Locke believed that human nature was essentially good.
Humans were born with natural rights of life, liberty, property
Purpose of gov't. was to protect those rights
If gov't. abused it’s authority, as Britain had done, people had a right to overthrow the gov't.

8. Locke’s Chief Influence
Principles include:
Natural rights
Purpose of gov't.
Limited power/accepted by all (rejected absolute monarchy)
Justification to overthrow gov't.
Author of the Two Treatise on government
Locke’s Chief Influence

9. “I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to the death your right to say it” Voltaire

10. Voltaire
poet, historian, essayist, and philosopher who wrote with cutting sarcasm and sharp wit.
Prolific writer who used satire against his enemies.
Attacked clergy, aristocrats & gov't.
Fought for religious freedom & speech.
Was jailed & exiled for his beliefs.
sent to the Bastille prison twice due to his criticism of French authorities
Fought superstition, intolerance and prejudice.
He corresponded directly with many rulers

11. Montesquieu Believed the best organization of gov't. included:
Separation of powers (SOP) &
Checks and balances (C/B)
SOP was by itself a C/B
Both ideas are part of the US Constitution.
Wrote Spirit of the Laws
Montesquieu

12. “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.” Rousseau

13. Rousseau Civilization corrupted man Wrote The Social Contract
Only good gov't. had to be freely formed (elected) & guided by the “general will” of society.
Favored “direct democracy” in which individuals agree to give up some freedoms in favor of the common good.
Consent of government
Titles of nobility should be abolished
Influenced French Revolution/
Consent of the governed in US Constitution

14. Beccaria Interested in the justice system
Condemned torture & irregular proceedings.
Favored:
Speedy trial
Fair treatment
Punishment proportionate with the crime
Abolishing capital punishment

15. Wollstonecraft Women were not treated fairly by most philosophes.
Wollstonecraft believed that women were entitled to an equal education.
Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women

16. New Economic Thinking Commercial Revolution (1500-1700)
Rise in capitalism (laissez-faire):
Mercantilism: economic self-sufficiency; business operate with little or no gov't.
Overseas colonization:
esp. Atlantic economy
Scientific revolution:
new inventions and experimentation in better agricultural practices
Rise in population:
between 1750 & 1850 pop. nearly doubled to 266 million .
Adam Smith ( ): Wealth of Nations (1776)
a. Considered the “Bible” of capitalism.
b. Refined and expanded laissez-faire philosophy
c. Believed the economy is governed by the natural laws of supply and demand.
d. In a free market economy, competition will encourage producers to manufacture most efficiently in order to sell higher quality, lower cost goods than competitors.
e. gov't regulation only interferes with this natural self-governing style.
New Economic Thinking

17. Mercantilism
government regulated economic policy based on the following beliefs:
Wealth was measured by the amount of gold/silver in treasury which req’d that nations maintain favorable balance of trade.
Colonies were desired because they (1) provided raw materials and (2) markets for finished products.
Restrictive trade policies which was reflected in the Navigation Laws

18. Adam Smith Leading physiocrat who opposed mercantilism.
Wrote Wealth of Nations which argued that natural forces of supply & demand should operate the economy.
Strong supporter of laissez- faire.
Encouraged individual initiative

19. Mercantilism vs. Laissez-Faire
government regulated
Restricted trade
Tariffs
Navigation Acts
Regulated by the market
Liberal free trade
Mercantilism vs. Laissez-Faire

20. How did Enlightenment Ideas Spread?

21. Diderot Published the Encyclopedia.
Censorship used to prevent the spread of ideas.
Enlightened despots, absolute rulers, were those willing to consider some reforms

22. cencorship Restricting access
Gov’ts and Churches – wanted to defend the old order.
Banned and burned books
Imprisoned writers
Undaunted writers
Disguised ideas in works of fiction
Montesquieu –Persian Letters mocked French society
Voltaire – Candide exposed the corruption and hypocrisy of Eurp society
cencorship

23. Salons & Salonieres Originated in 1600s
Noblewomen began inviting enlightenment philosophes in all fields to their homes
By the 1700s middle class women began holding salons.
Another way in which ideas were disseminated

24. Catherine the Great Experimented with Enlightenment ideas
Communicated with Voltaire & Diderot.
Gave some rights to nobles
However she allied herself with nobles who opposed change.
Suppressed serf revolt
Catherine the Great

25. Frederick the Great King of Prussia Religious tolerance
Hired Voltaire to set up Prussian Academy
Instituted reforms to help commoners
However reforms were largely to make Prussian gov't more efficient

27. Joseph II Dedicated reformer
Disguised himself so he could learn about their problems and improve them.
Hired qualified civil servants rather than nobles
Religious toleration
Ended censorship
Sold some church property to build hospitals
Joseph II

28. The American Revolution -the Enlightenment experiment

29. Growth of Constitutional government
government whose power is defined and limited by law.
British Constitution = Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, all Acts of Parliament and unwritten traditions that protect citizens’ rights. British government not totally democratic.
Oligarchy
government in which the ruling power belongs to a few people.
Growth of Constitutional government

30. Causes of the American Revolution
SEVEN YEARS WAR (French and Indian War)
Conflict between the British and the French in their North American colonies
Fought over Ohio River Valley and Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Native Americans fought on the French side.
American colonists fought on the British side.
British win. War EXPENSIVE!
All French territory in Canada transferred to the British.
Causes of the American Revolution

31. Causes of the American Revolution
The War Begins
Foreign Support and British Defeat.

32. Causes of the American Revolution
British taxed colonies to pay for French and Indian War.
Stamp Act (1765) – required that certain printed materials such as legal documents, newspapers and playing cards, carry a stamp saying that a tax had been paid to Britain.
Tea Act – Tea could be purchased only from British merchants and was also taxed.
Boston Tea Party
Intolerable Acts – closed Boston Harbor, rescinded Massachusetts charter, quartered troops in private homes.
Declaration of Independence

33. Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence
In January of 1776 an Englishman named Thomas Paine published a small book called Common Sense. The book said all kings in general, especially George III of England, were bad. The book also stated that America must be free. This book became a best-seller. It made Americans believe that America should be a free and independent nation.

34. Declaration of Independence
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson
People had the right to “alter or abolish unjust governments.”
(Locke)
Popular sovereignty All government power comes from the people.
King had trampled the peoples’ natural rights.
Colonists now had the right to rebel

35. Declaration of Independence

41. Music, Literature and Architectural Changes during the Enlightenment

42. Baroque Characteristics – The Night Watch, Rembrandt Ornate Huge
Colorful
Glorified battles, lives of saintes
The Night Watch, Rembrandt
The Syndics of the Amsterdam Drapers' Guild, Rembrandt

43. Rococo Moved away from religious themes Lighter Elegant Charming
Happy Accidents of the Swing, Fragonard
Rococo

44. The Composers of the Enlightenment
The Flute Concert of Frederick the Great by Adolph Menzel. It depicts the Prussian monarch standing and playing the flute, surrounded by adoring subjects and musicians in the glow of candle-lit chandeliers. This was when a warrior king could also be a Renaissance man, composer, consummate artist and patron of the humanities.
The Composers
Johann Sebastian Bach
George Frederick Handel
Joesph Hayden
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ludwig von Beethoven

45. Baroque Music I’ll be Bach! Johann Sebastian Bach
George Friedrich Handel
Dramatic Organ & choral music

46. Classical Music - Enlightenment
Composers
Joseph Haydn
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ludwig van Beethoven
Lighter, more elegant music

47. Literature Novels which had plots, suspense & character development.
Entertaining stories enjoyed by middle classes.
Written in language that was understood
Literature