The Enlightenment and the American Revolution

Philosophy and the Age of Reason• The Enlightenment grew

out of the Scientific Revolution of the 1500’s and 1600’s

• Scientific success is going to cause great confidence – Scientific Method-

Hypothesis, experiment, results

• Main Ideas–natural laws- laws that

govern human nature–natural rights–social contract–Laissez- faire–Philosophe- Enlightenment

thinker who tried to apply science to improve society

Thomas Hobbes• Argued that people were

naturally cruel, greedy and selfish and needed to be strictly controlled

• Writings- The Leviathan• Beliefs- a strong ruler was

necessary to protect the people– Social Contract: deal between

governments and people to keep order.

John Locke• People were basically

reasonable and moral• Writings: Two Treatises

on Government• Beliefs- Natural rights-

life, liberty and property– Right to rebel if the

government doesn’t protect its people

Baron de Montesquieu• Studied governments of

Europe from Italy to England

• Writings- The Spirit of Laws

• Beliefs- Separation of powers, executive, legislative, judicial– Checks and balances

Voltaire• “I do not agree with a

word that you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”

• Writings- Candide and many other works

• Beliefs- Freedom of speech– Spoke out against French

monarchy and Catholic Church

Denis Diderot• Wanted to change

the general way of thinking

• Writings- Encyclopedia

• Beliefs- Amassed human knowledge– spread ideas of

Enlightenment, in 28 volumes

Jean- Jacques Rousseau• Most controversial

philosophe• Writings- Social Contract• Beliefs- People should be

educated otherwise they become corrupted– General will- the majority

should rule, people give up their self interest in favor of the common good

Mary Wollenstonecraft• Free and Equal did not

apply to women• Writings- A Vindication

of the Rights of Women• Beliefs- Women should

be good mothers, but that should not limit their rights

Adam Smith• British economist, argued

that the natural forces of supply and demand should be allowed to operate and regulate business

• Writings- Wealth of Nations• Beliefs- Free market- supply

and demand– Lassiez- faire economics

Problems SolutionsMost people were poor peasants Educate them to help them make good

decisions and improve their lives.

Most laws were based on tradition and

Church teaching

Use reason and logic (Scientific Method)

to test laws

Kings made all of the decisions Give citizens natural rights and allow

democracy

It was difficult to spread new ideas because

there was no free speech, most complainers

were put in jail

Spread ideas quickly and broadly with

printing press

Enlightenment Ideas Spread• The Challenge of New Ideas– Ideas of Enlightenment

quickly spread all over Europe

– Educated people read Encyclopedia, in printed pamphlets

– Middle class met to discuss new ideas in coffee houses and salons

• Censorship– Government and

church authorities felt they had a sacred duty to defend old order

– Banned and burned books, imprisoned writers

– Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, disguised ideas in works of fiction• Stories showed

corruption in society

• Salons- informal gathering where writers, artists, philosophers and others exchanged ideas– In 1700’s middle class women

invited intelligent people to their houses

– Salon in the Rue Saint Honore- • Most enlightened and talented

attended• Mozart, Diderot, Catherine the Great

• Enlightened Despots- Absolute rulers who used their power to bring about political change– Frederick the Great

• King of Prussia (1740-1786)• Lured Voltaire to Berlin to develop Prussian Academy

of Science• Organized Civil Service, tolerated religious differences

– Catherine the Great• Praised Voltaire for fighting the enemies of

humankind • Made limited reforms in law and government

– Joseph II• Traveled in disguise to see the problems amongst his

subjects, “peasant emperor” • Abolished serfdom, granted religious toleration,

chose middleclass to run government• All changes canceled after his death

• Arts and Literature– Baroque-

paintings were huge, colorful and full of excitement

– Middle class could afford to have portraits painted

– Trends in Music• Bach• Mozart

– Novel• Robinson Crusoe- Daniel

Defoe– Lives of Majority• Many people remained

peasants• West- More prosperous• East- Serfdom, disappear,

old ways survived • Equality Issues lead to

revolutions

Russia-the largest European nation- behind most other

powers technologically

Austria-main German power

Prussia-builds up a strong military even though it is the smallest nation

France -absolute monarch that is corrupt

-loses a number of wars to Britain and accumulates debt- many philosophes live here

Britain-becomes strongest naval power- gains large colonial empire- forms United Kingdom- Parliamentary Democracy

Europe in the 1700’s

• Britain Globally Expands– United Kingdom is formed• Union with Scotland• Ireland is controlled by England

– Constitutional Government – A government whose powers are defined and limited by law• Three institutions arise

– Political Parties– The Cabinet – Prime Minister (Leader of

majority party in Parliament)

Expansion of Ideas• American Revolution– Declaration of

Independence• Right to revolt used to

kick Britain out – US Constitution• separation of powers• checks and balances• natural rights

• French Revolution- copies success of America