1. Enlightenment Thinkers
An Overview

2. western democratic liberalism
What was life like before the Enlightenment?
During the 1700’s and 1800’s the royal families in Europe enjoyed absolute power and wealth.
While the common person did not enjoy the same freedoms that you enjoy today...

3. European social structure
What kind of social structure existed in Europe at the time of contact?
Monarch
Clergy
(Church)
Nobles
Peasants
The Feudal System

4. Feudalism
Feudalism was a structure of society in medieval Europe that flourished between the ninth and fifteenth centuries, which, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour, and ranked people based on power and authority in society.

5. feudalism
For Europeans, at the time, power and the right to rule were exclusive to royalty, nobility and the church.

6. The Enlightenment
A movement of intellectuals who were greatly impressed with the accomplishments of the Scientific Revolution.
Advocated the application of the Scientific Method to the understanding of all life.
That reason was the primary source of legitimacy for authority and understanding.

7. The Enlightenment
Intellectual and philosophical developments that aspired towards more freedom for common people based on self-governance, natural rights and natural law. Central emphasis was placed on liberty, individual rights and reason.
A revolutionary departure from theocracy, autocracy, oligarchy, aristocracy and the divine right of kings.

8. Enlightenment Enlightenment Thinkers Thomas Hobbes John Locke
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Baron de Montesquieu

9. Thomas Hobbes
After witnessing the upheavals of a civil war in England, he became convinced that if people were left alone they would constantly fight among themselves.
In his writing he described a natural state in which people had no laws. He claimed such a life would be “nasty, brutish, and short.”

10. Thomas Hobbes
Argued that in order to escape their natural state people entered into a contract in which they agreed to give up some of their freedom to a ruler who ensured peace and order.
Specifically, a ruler with absolute power.
Therefore, Hobbes supported the rule of absolute monarchs.

11. John Locke
A major source of inspiration for the Enlightenment movement.
Agreed with Hobbes in that the purpose of government was to establish order in society, but disagreed with Hobbes on several other aspects.
Locke had a more optimistic view of humanity.
Thought people were reasonable and would cooperate.
Argued that rulers could only stay in power as long as they had the consent of those they governed.

12. John Locke
Believed people had natural rights, including right to life, liberty and property.
Government was responsible for protecting these rights but its power should be limited.
Idea of “tabula rasa” or blank slate.

13. Rousseau ( )
Believed human nature was basically good, but that society corrupted people.
Argued that people were equal and all titles of rank and nobility should be banished.
“Man is born free and everywhere is in chains.”
That people needed to enter into a “Social Contract” in which they made a contract with each other and not a ruler.

14. Montesquieu ( )
In The Spirit of the Laws he attempted to apply the scientific method to the social and political arena to ascertain the “natural laws” governing the social and political relationships of human beings.
Distinguished three basic kinds of governments: Republics, Monarchies, and Despotism.
Thought that government should be divided into several branches (legislature, executive, judiciary) and that the system should be carefully defined to provide a system of checks and balances.

15. Enlightenment thinkers
Many of these thinkers were the philosophers who developed the idea of Laissez-Faire economics.
What is Laissez-Faire economics and what does it stand for?

16. Laissez-Faire “Leave people alone to do as they wish.”
Definitive of capitalism at the time and referred to a reduction of government involvement in the economy.
Emerged from the ideas of the physiocrats.
Enlightenment philosophers in France who critiqued the economies of mercantilism.
Physiocrats
One group of philospohes concerned primarily with how natural laws can be used to explain economics.
That people should be left free to govern their own economic self-interest.
Favored a free market economy in which people could buy and sell without government intervention. (Laissez-faire)

17. Physiocrats
Their notion of laissez-faire economics reflects the beliefs that:
Individuals need to be given freedom to make their own decisions.
An individuals selfishness and competitiveness will inadvertently improve their own societies.

18. What did the Enlightenment lead to?
French Revolution!
What happened?
This is considered to be a very general overview of the French Revolution. For a more detailed lesson/unit on the French Revolution to teach to your students please consider my unit available on Teachers Pay Teachers.
It is a well developed unit with PPT’s, Essay, Project, Test with Key, etc.

19. French revolution
Before the revolution, France was a society rooted in privilege and inequality.
Three Estates
Clergy – First Estate
Nobles – Second Estate
Peasants – Third Estate
Lower the estate the less power and authority.

20. Meh. French revolution We’re starving!
When Louis XVI came to the throne in 1774, he recognized a need for economic reform.
However, Louis XVI proved to be a weak ruler in that he was unprepared for the job and lacked motivation.
We’re starving!
Louis XVI was not able to appropriately respond to the economic and other challenges present at the time. Seen a weak ruler because of this.

21. French revolution
Led to the death of Louis XVI, seen here. Beheaded by his own people in the midst of the Revolution.

22. French Revolution
Following the death of Louis XVI, there was a great deal of social change within France.
Development of the French Republic.
Destruction of the Three Estates.

23. French revolution and liberalism
In what ways do you think the French Revolution was influenced by the Enlightenment?
New ideas from Locke and Rousseau especially led to the early ideas of republic or democracy. King lost authority.