Age of ReasonAge of Reason1600s-1800s1600s-1800s

Scientific Method Scientific Method Will be used to discover natural laws in human nature not just physical science! Will be used to discover natural laws in human nature not just physical science!

Revolution and Revolution and ReasonReason

The Scientific The Scientific Revolution convinced Revolution convinced many Europeans of many Europeans of the power of human the power of human reason. reason.

Enlightenment Enlightenment philosophers philosophers admired scientists’ admired scientists’ use of reason to use of reason to understand the understand the natural world. natural world.

The Impact of this New The Impact of this New

Thinking…Thinking… Led to another Led to another revolution in thinking, revolution in thinking, which came to be which came to be known as the known as the Enlightenment. Enlightenment. These philosophers These philosophers promoted the use of promoted the use of reason to understand reason to understand government, religion, government, religion, education, and education, and economics. economics.

This revolution of This revolution of intellectual activity intellectual activity changed Europeans’ view changed Europeans’ view of government and of government and society society

Philosophers began ask, “ Why not use reason to Philosophers began ask, “ Why not use reason to discover the discover the natural laws natural laws (laws that governed) of (laws that governed) of human human naturenature?” ?”

Many philosophers began to believe that if people Many philosophers began to believe that if people

used reason to find laws that governed the physical used reason to find laws that governed the physical world (science)… then answers to society’s problems world (science)… then answers to society’s problems could also be found. could also be found.

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Center of the Center of the Movement…FranceMovement…FranceBy the mid-1700s-By the mid-1700s-

France was the France was the “headquarters” “headquarters” Paris became the Paris became the meeting place for some of meeting place for some of the world’s greatest the world’s greatest thinkers, thinkers, ““philosophes” philosophes” the lovers of wisdomthe lovers of wisdom Salons Salons started up all started up all over Europe. over Europe.

-They were -They were informal social informal social gatherings here gatherings here intellectual discussion intellectual discussion was considered fun! was considered fun!

Where would one find a salon atmosphere today?

Writers also discussed slavery, Writers also discussed slavery, intolerant churches, unjust intolerant churches, unjust governments and praised governments and praised religious tolerance.religious tolerance.

Traditional Ideas Abandoned

Many turned away from traditional Many turned away from traditional beliefs: beliefs:

1.1. Rejected the belief in in an absolute Rejected the belief in in an absolute monarchy and divine right rule monarchy and divine right rule

2.2. Became Became agonistics, agonistics, deists deists and and atheists atheists

3.3. Rejected church rituals Rejected church rituals

4.4. Challenged those in authority in the Challenged those in authority in the church and government church and government

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The The EncyclopedieEncyclopedie, , first first published in 1751, by published in 1751, by Denis Denis DiderotDiderot (dee DROH)(dee DROH) expanded expanded to 28 volumes by 1772, and to 28 volumes by 1772, and included topics that covered included topics that covered the sciences, technology, the sciences, technology, and history and history

Essays were also Essays were also included that discussed included that discussed slavery, intolerant slavery, intolerant churches, unjust churches, unjust governments and praised governments and praised religious tolerancereligious tolerance

Hobbes Explores Hobbes Explores GovernmentGovernment

Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes used the idea of used the idea of natural law to argue natural law to argue that that absolute absolute monarchy was the monarchy was the best form of best form of government, why?government, why?

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

Hobbes Explores Hobbes Explores GovernmentGovernment

1.1. People are naturally cruel, People are naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish. greedy, and selfish.

2.2. Without it chaos would Without it chaos would occur occur

3.3. People formed a People formed a social social contract, an agreement to contract, an agreement to give up their freedom and give up their freedom and live obediently under a live obediently under a ruler who would protect ruler who would protect them them

Key Focus: Support for Key Focus: Support for Monarchs and the social Monarchs and the social contract contract

Thomas Thomas HobbesHobbes

John Locke Offers John Locke Offers A Different ViewA Different View

Locke believed Locke believed people were people were inherently good and inherently good and that government was that government was based on a social based on a social contract too BUT… contract too BUT…

Unlike Hobbes he Unlike Hobbes he believed that people believed that people were were governed by governed by consentconsent based on based on natural rights or lawsnatural rights or laws

John LockeJohn Locke

John Locke Offers John Locke Offers A Different ViewA Different View

These natural These natural rights (laws), rights (laws), included the included the rights to life, rights to life, liberty, & property liberty, & property

Key Focus: Natural Key Focus: Natural rights and consent rights and consent of the governedof the governedJohn LockeJohn Locke

16901690

Considered his most Considered his most important political important political work, work, Two Treatises Two Treatises of Governmentof Government argues argues that the function of that the function of the state is to protect the state is to protect the natural rights of the natural rights of its citizens, its citizens, primarily primarily to protect the right to to protect the right to property. property.

What is property?What is property?Slide by Rocky EspositoSlide by Rocky Esposito

Locke believedLocke believed people created government to people created government to protect natural rights, if a government failed in protect natural rights, if a government failed in this duty, this duty, people had the right to overthrow the people had the right to overthrow the government! government! This idea influenced American colonists This idea influenced American colonists including Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration including Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence of Independence Locke’s writings helped to provided the “fuel” Locke’s writings helped to provided the “fuel” for the American Revolution for the American Revolution

EmpiricismEmpiricismEmpiricism is the

belief that knowledge comes to us through experience.

There is no such thing as innate ideas; there is no such thing as moral precepts

John Locke established the principals of modern empiricism in his book An Essay Concerning Human Understanding.

VoltaireVoltaireFrancois-Marie Francois-Marie Arouet took the Arouet took the name Voltaire name Voltaire

Voltaire wrote Voltaire wrote poetry, plays, poetry, plays, essays, and essays, and books books Published over Published over 70 books 70 books Used satire and Used satire and humorhumor

VoltaireVoltaireCriticized unjust Criticized unjust legal systems, press legal systems, press censorship, and censorship, and intolerance of the intolerance of the Catholic Church Catholic Church Most well-known Most well-known for his outspoken for his outspoken belief in free speech belief in free speech Key focus: Free Key focus: Free speech speech

MontesquieuMontesquieuMontesquieu promoted Montesquieu promoted the idea of separating the idea of separating governmental powers governmental powers into three branches: into three branches: legislative, executive, legislative, executive, and judicial and judicial

Advanced the idea of a Advanced the idea of a check and balance check and balance system (define) system (define) WHY? WHY? Best Way to protect Best Way to protect liberty! liberty! Key Focus: Separation of Key Focus: Separation of powers and checks and powers and checks and balances balances

MontesquiMontesquieueu

Best Way to protect Best Way to protect liberty! liberty!

Wrote the book Wrote the book Spirit Spirit of Lawsof Laws Strongly believed in the Strongly believed in the rights of individuals rights of individuals His ideas influenced the His ideas influenced the writing of constitutions writing of constitutions of many countries of many countries including the United including the United States States

Key Focus: Separation of Key Focus: Separation of powers and checks and powers and checks and balancesbalances

MontesquieuMontesquieuWrote the book Wrote the book Spirit of LawsSpirit of Laws Strongly believed in the rights of individuals Strongly believed in the rights of individuals

His ideas influenced the writing of constitutions of His ideas influenced the writing of constitutions of many countries including the United States many countries including the United States

Taught that men were superior but that women Taught that men were superior but that women would make would make good government would make would make good government officials... officials... WHY? WHY?

According to the “According to the “philosophesphilosophes,” why were natural rights ,” why were natural rights different for men and for women? different for men and for women?

Women and the Women and the EnlightenmentEnlightenment

Enlightenment Enlightenment ideas about ideas about equality and equality and freedom spread freedom spread throughout throughout Europe, but were Europe, but were notnot applied to applied to womenwomen

Women and the Women and the EnlightenmentEnlightenment

In In A Vindication of the A Vindication of the Rights of WomenRights of Women, Mary , Mary Wollstonecraft favored Wollstonecraft favored equal education for equal education for women and men so that women and men so that both genders could both genders could contribute equally to contribute equally to society society Key Focus: Access to Key Focus: Access to education for girls; education for girls; education for all education for all

Controversial PhilosopherControversial Philosopher

Some Jean-Jacques Some Jean-Jacques Rousseau beliefs: Rousseau beliefs:

1.1. That people should rely That people should rely more on instinct and more on instinct and emotion emotion

2.2. Community is more Community is more important than the important than the individual; opposite of individual; opposite of most philosophers most philosophers Jean-Jacques Jean-Jacques

RousseauRousseau

Controversial PhilosopherControversial Philosopher3.3. Government by Government by

general will general will (majority); the best (majority); the best conscience of the conscience of the people people

Wrote Wrote The Social The Social Contract Contract

Key Focus: Key Focus: Government by Government by general will; a new general will; a new social contract-social contract-direct democracydirect democracy

Jean-Jacques Jean-Jacques RousseauRousseau

The Role of CensorshipThe Role of Censorship

1.1. Government and church Government and church officials tried to protect officials tried to protect the old order from the the old order from the new ideas. new ideas.

2. To defend against the 2. To defend against the attacks of the attacks of the Enlightenment, they Enlightenment, they used used censorshipcensorship: banned : banned and burned books and and burned books and imprisoned writers. imprisoned writers.

The Role of Censorship

•To defend against the attacks of the Enlightenment, they used censorship: banned and burned books and imprisoned writers.

New Economic ThinkingNew Economic Thinking

Thinkers called Thinkers called physiocrats focused physiocrats focused on economic on economic reforms. reforms.

Like the Like the philosophers, philosophers, physiocrats looked physiocrats looked for natural laws to for natural laws to define a rational define a rational economic system. economic system. François Quesnay François Quesnay

New Economic ThinkingNew Economic Thinking Physiocrats rejected Physiocrats rejected

mercantilism in favor mercantilism in favor of a policy called of a policy called laissez faire or laissez faire or allowing businesses to allowing businesses to run with little or no run with little or no government government interference. interference.

In In The Wealth of NationsThe Wealth of Nations, , Adam Smith (1776)Adam Smith (1776) argued argued that the laissez-faire or free that the laissez-faire or free market should be allowed market should be allowed to regulate business to regulate business activity.activity.

Adam SmithAdam Smith

Adam Smith referred to Adam Smith referred to “an invisible “an invisible hand,”hand,” which kept the economy in which kept the economy in check check

In order for the “invisible hand” to In order for the “invisible hand” to work, there can be no external laws work, there can be no external laws or rules interrupt the natural or rules interrupt the natural economic cycle of boom and bust.economic cycle of boom and bust.

Smith’s Invisible Smith’s Invisible HandHand

Smith arguedSmith argued that a free, that a free, unregulated economic competition unregulated economic competition or or laissez-faire bringslaissez-faire brings: :

1.1.Maximum profits Maximum profits

2.2.Quality productsQuality products

3.3.Creative innovation Creative innovation

4.4.Competitive pricesCompetitive prices

Smith’s Invisible Smith’s Invisible HandHand

Enlightenment Influences Classical Enlightenment Influences Classical Style Style

Late 1700sLate 1700s 1. Enlightenment artists sought a return to a calm, rational style 2. Writing focused more on form than content 3. Musical composers also stressed classical elements such as balance, contrast, and refined expression of emotion, baroque (define) became the style of music for the era.MozartMozart

Some Enlightened Some Enlightened DespotsDespots

Enlightened despots were Enlightened despots were absolute rulers who used absolute rulers who used their power to bring about their power to bring about political and social change.political and social change.

Frederick the Great

Catherine the Great

Enlightened DespotsEnlightened Despots

1. Most radical of enlightened despots.

2. Granted toleration to Protestants and Jews.

3. Ended censorship and tried to control the Catholic Church.

4. Sold church property to build hospitals.

1.Abolished serfdom.

1. Was interested in Enlightenment ideas but intended to give up no power.

2. Made some limited reforms in law and government.

4. Granted nobles a charter of rights.

5. Criticized the institution of serfdom.

1. Exerted tight control over subjects, but saw himself as a “servant of the state.”

2. Tolerated religious differences.

3. Distributed seeds and tools to peasants.

JOSEPH II

CATHERINE II

CATHERINE THE GREAT

FREDERICK

THE GREAT