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?
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