the enlightenment

social contract

A philosophical concept where people agree to give up privacy/rights in exchange for protection under the government.

Leviathan

Political treatise written by philosopher Thomas Hobbes, arguing for strong, centralized, power (where citizens give up freedoms) in order to prevent chaos. Earliest example of the social contract.

enlightened despot

A European absolute monarch in the 18th/19th centuries who used their power and supports Enlightenment ideas to improve citizens’ lives; also called a benevolent despot.

sovereignty

Supreme power or authority, elected by people; the concept that a person/nation has the right and power to govern themselves.

natural laws

An idea that humans are born with moral compasses and have inherent rights (natural rights) that need to be protected by the government.

laissez-faire

An economic philosophy that advocates for little government interference in economic affairs/policies; more power to the people.

Baroque

An artistic movement in Europe before the Enlightenment (more focused on art, music, and architecture, while the Enlightenment was more scientific and logic-based).

the Enlightenment

A period of time (mid-1600s to the late 1700s) in Western Europe when philosophers challenged the power of Catholic Church and absolute monarchs; philosophers and writers applied the scientific idea of reason to answer political questions.

• also called the Age of Reason/Light

what caused the Enlightenment?

• new ideas formed during the Scientific Revolution

• opposition to the Church during the Protestant Reformation

• growing frustration with leaders who abused their power

what caused the ideas formed during the Enlightenment to spread quickly?

• increased literacy rates

• urbanization

• printing press

Enlightenment Thinkers/philosophes

writers who took part in the Enlightenment

• challenged the claims of absolute monarchs

• ex: Voltaire, Diderot

what did scientists challenge during the Enlightenment?

the claims of the Catholic Church

before the Enlightenment, what organization had the most influence on how people in Europe lived and what they thought?

the Church

dissent

disagreeing with those in power

• used to be punishable by death

what did scientists prove during the Enlightenment?

Isaac Newton and other scientists used observation and reason to explain the true nature of the world which often proved the Catholic Church’s claims wrong.

• made the foundations of science by showing that the universe was governed by physical laws that could be discovered using observation and reason

what was the main claim of philosophes?

man, not God, was at the center of the world

what changes came about as a result of the Enlightenment?

• The Enlightenment brought new ideas to Europe that encouraged people to think about how to view the world around them.

• Enlightenment thinkers argued that man, not God, was the center of the world.

• Scientists, like Newton, began to show the public that the world was governed by the laws of physics and encouraged people to use reason when solving a problem. They started forming scientific ideas and laws.

• The value of reasoning and logic was starting to grow.

• The Church started losing power.

how did Martin Luther impact the Enlightenment?

Martin Luther’s actions in the Protestant Reformation challenged the Catholic Church’s hold on power by translating the Bible into common languages and encouraging people to read it for themselves instead of having priests translate it for them.

how might the influence of the Protestant Reformation and the Scientific Revolution have contributed to the start of the Enlightenment?

• The Protestant Reformation encouraged people to think for themselves + challenge the Pope and Church

• The Scientific Revolution encouraged people to use reasoning instead of belief + spread ideas throughout social classes

how might increased book production and literacy have contributed to the start of the Enlightenment?

• It allowed for increased literacy.

• the printing press allowed for ideas to be spread faster.

how might urbanization, salons, and coffeehouses have contributed to the start of the Enlightenment?

They allow people to spread and share their ideas.

Which of the following did the Enlightenment not address?

A. How governments should continue to maintain absolute control over people.

B. How people of different social classes should relate to one another.

C. What the relationship of ordinary people should be to their government.

D. How trade and manufacturing should function.

A

What was one of the early ways to criticize society?

make fun of it

Voltaire made fun of…

rulers

what did Voltaire value?

honesty and those who lived simple lives

during the Enlightenment, who did people believe you should listen to?

yourself

What was not a main purpose of an Enlightenment salons?

A. Hear about the latest Enlightenment ideas

B. Get a haircut.

C. Learn about new books.

D. Meet the latest philosophe (aka philosopher influencer)

B

Philosopher Hume believed that…

reason was more important than religion

What is Olaudah Equiano remembered for writing about?

human rights

What did Adam Smith's trade theory focus on?

manufacturing, division of labor, free trade

In addition to believing in laissez-faire (free trade), Adam Smith also believed in the need for what?

healing social policies

Both Rousseau and Locke believed in the idea of a _____ contract between people and government leaders. 

social

Emmanuel Kant encouraged people to _________.

think for themselves

Exploitation, oppression, and structural inequality have been caused by what?

pseudoscientific reasoning

t or f: An important result of Enlightenment ideas was to encourage people to believe that they have control over how they live and can work to make the world a better place.

t

Thomas Hobbes

• first Enlightenment thinker

• English writer of Leviathan

• believed people are naturally wicked

“Without government our lives would be nasty, brutish, and short!”

• a strong govt. is needed to keep order

• no absolutism → power to the people

• social contract (limited rights for protection from govt.)

John Locke

• English writer of Two Treatises on Government

• believed people are the source of power

• we are born with a blank slate, and people (not God) around us influence us

“All people have the natural rights, including life, liberty, and property.”

• govt. must protect our natural rights

• Jefferson and DOI influenced by Locke

what Enlightenment thinker was Locke inspired by?

Hobbes: Locke builds off Hobbes’ concept of the social contract

Montesquieu

• French writer of On the Spirit of Laws

• lawyer → sees justice through the eyes of law

• hated extremism

“To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.”

• no monarchy/absolutism

• wrote about the importance of a separation of powers

• this provides “checks and balances”

• Constitution is inspired by Monstesquieu

Voltaire

• French writer on: (these concepts inspired the Constitution)

  • freedom of speech

  • religious toleration

  • separation of church and state

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

• against monarchy + Church

• education + reason saves us

*drank 50+ cups of coffee a day, people believe it fueled his creativity and intellect

Jean Jacques Rousseau

• French writer of the Social Contract (puts Hobbes’ ideas into text)

• education + reason corrupt us

“No man has any natural authority over his fellow men.”

• government is an agreement or contract between ruler (govt.) and the people

• people give up some rights in return for protection

why did Voltaire and Rousseau not get along?

Differing opinions on the value of education and reason (Voltaire supported it, while Rousseau felt it corrupted us)

• Rousseau sent Voltaire his book for advice, Voltaire didn’t agree with him

Mary Wollstonecraft

• English advocate for women’s rights

• wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

“Strengthen the female mind by enlarging it, and there will be an end to blind obedience.”

• died in childbirth; her daughter went on to write “Frankenstein”

why was Wollstonecraft critical of Rousseau?

he denied education for women