What Was The Enlightenment?
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Transcript of What Was The Enlightenment?
Fill in the Graphic Organizer as the teacher tells the story
1687-1789
Began with the English Revolution (1688) and ended with the French Revolution (1789)
It affected England, the U.S., and France
It shaped three revolutions
English (1688), American (1776), French (1789)
It was the Age of Reason
Philosophers used reason to examine human affairs – politics and economics
They loved education and free speech. They believed in human progress
They scorned ignorance and superstition, emotion and passion
Most of all, they challenged traditional authority
The Scientific Revolution shaped the Enlightenment
Philosophers loved Newton and his Law of Gravity (1687)
They believed the world is a machine that operates according to a few simple laws
Using reason, one could discover the “Natural Laws” of society
Self-Evident Truths Just like the mathematician, a political
philosopher begins with a self-evident truth
From there, you move to the next self-evident truth
Example: God created an individual endowed with
life and liberty Government should preserve the
individual’s right to life and liberty
They were political philosophers
John Locke
England
Two Treatises of Government – 1689
Natural Rights; The Social Contract
Jean-Jacque Rousseau
France
The Social Contract - 1762
“Father of the French Revolution”
Philosophers Wrote Books
They condemned tyranny and social injustice
They condemned people in authority . . .
the government and the church
Their ideas sparked the American Revolution and the French Revolution
During the Enlightenment, philosophers wanted to make progress and improve the world
During the English Revolution (1688), John Locke came up with “Natural Rights” and the “Social Contract”
During the American Revolution (1776), Thomas Jefferson wrote “All men are created equal”
During the French Revolution (1789), Rousseau said “Let loose your passions!” and chaos followed
People did not always operate on reason. The Paris mob operated on passion and emotion.