1. The Enlightenment- “The Age of Reason” “Liberty of thought is the life of the soul.” -Voltaire

2. What was it? The Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason, began in Europe in the 1700s and spread to many parts of the world. The thinkers of the Enlightenment objected to the absolute power of the royal rulers and of the Roman Catholic church. They used reason, or logical thinking, and science to attack this power. Their ideas helped cause political revolutions all over the world. "Enlightenment." Britannica Junior Encyclopedia. 2008. Britannica Student Encyclopædia. 16 Dec. 2008.http://student.britannica.com/elementary/article-9353103

3. Impact of the Enlightenment 1. Fueled democratic revolutions around the world a. The American Revolution b. The French Revolution c. Latin American Revolutions 2. Inspired famous people and documents to be written. a. Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence b. The U.S. Constitution with the Bill of Rights 3. Stimulated religious tolerance

4. U.S. Declaration of Independence - 1776 National Archives, Washington D.C. Thomas Jefferson Revolution against ruling British monarchy

5. U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights Constitution 1787 –Supreme law Bill of Rights 1791 –1 st 10 amendments of Constitution –Limits government power –Protects natural rights –James Madison

6. 4. Inspired artists, philosophers, and writers a. Composers (“classical music”) -Bach, Mozart, Handel (1700s) b. Writers -Cervantes (Don Quixote 1605, 1615) -censorship of press led to novels with “hidden” political ideas c. Painters -Delacroix (portraits, natural scenes, public events, Liberty Leading 1830) -upbeat, imaginative to foster innovation d. Philosophers -Voltaire, Hobbes, Montesquieu, Locke, Wollstonecraft, Rousseau

7. Liberty Leading the People – Eugene Delacroix, 1830

8. 5. Advanced Technologies a.All-weather roads improved year-round transport and trade b.New designs in farms tools increased productivity c.Improvements in ship design lowered the cost of transport. Result: Moves European countries towards industrialism & urbanization

9. Think about it… Is there such a thing as too much freedom?