Vocabulary • Enlightenment- A new movement that stressed reason, thought and

the power of individuals to solve problems.

• Social Contract- Hobbes’s idea that people had to hand over their rights to a strong ruler in exchange for law and order.

• Natural Rights- Locke’s idea that everybody is born free and has the right to life, liberty, and property.

• Separation of Powers- Montesquieu’s idea that the gov’t needs 3 different branches (executive, legislative, and judicial).

Warm-Up

ANSWER BOTH QUESTIONS:1.How much power do you think an ABSOLUTE

Monarch possesses?

2.What do you think are Natural Rights? Can you give an example? Where/Who do we get them from?

• EQ: HOW DID THE IDEAS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT MOTIVATE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CHANGE?

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

The Enlightenment

Views on Government • Thomas Hobbes– Believed that without gov’t, life

would be chaos. – Need an absolute ruler to

impose order and demand obedience.

– Social contract

• John Locke– The purpose of gov’t is to

protect your natural rights.– If a gov’t fails to do so, citizens

have a right to overthrow it.

Philosophers Advocate Reason • Voltaire

– Fought for freedom of speech and religion.• “I do not agree with a word you say but will defend

to the death your right to say it.”

• Montesquieu – Believed in separation of powers to keep one

group from gaining total control of the gov’t.

• Rousseau – Wanted a direct democracy and since all people

are equal, titles of nobility should be abolished and land should be equally distributed.

• Beccaria – Argued that people have the right to a speedy

trial and punishments should match the crime.

Women and the Enlightenment • Mary Astell – Believed that women needed

educational opportunities and women should have an equal role in marriage. • “If all men are born free, how is it that

all women are born slaves?”

• Mary Wollstonecraft – Argued that women needed

education and should enter the male dominated fields of medicine and politics.

Legacy of the Enlightenment • Progress– Reformers urged for greater social

equality and a more democratic style of gov’t.

• Secular Views– People began to question their religious

beliefs and the teachings of the church.

• Individualism – People used their own ability to reason

in order to judge what was right or wrong.

A World of Ideas • Salons and the Encyclopedia helped

spread Enlightened ideas. – Attracted the middle class

• Led to censorship of printed materials that were spreading Enlightened ideas.

• Painters showed nobles in charming rural settings, surrounded by happy servants and pets.

• Classical music developed.– Bach and Mozart

• Authors wrote about the unknown and the endless possibilities the world held.

Enlightened Despots • Frederick the Great (Prussia)

– Granted religious freedom, reduced censorship, improved education, and abolished the use of torture.• “The first servant of the state.”

– Did nothing to end the use of serfs.

• Joseph II (Austria)– Introduced freedom of the press and

religion and abolished serfdom.

• Catherine the Great (Russia)– Recommended religious toleration,

abolishing torture and capital punishment.– Favored an end to serfdom until a peasant

revolt occurred.

Reflection

• How did views on government change during the Enlightenment?

• Choose 3 Enlightenment philosophers and describe their government beliefs.

• How did opinions of women change during the Enlightenment?

• How did the Enlightenment affect European rulers?• How did the Enlightenment affect the 13 Colonies?