Midterm- Ap European History: The Age of Enlightenment; Eighteenth-Century Thought (Chapter 9)

9.1: Formative Influences on the Enlightenment - What was the intellectual and social background of the Enlightenment?

Intellectual - Print culture allowed the number of literate people to increase as well as the amount of libraries

Social- Successful authors were accepted into upper levels of society

9.2: The Philosophes - Who were the philosophes?

Philosophes were writers and critics who advocated for tolerance and reform through reason, criticism, and common sense. Since philosophes weren't organized themselves, they saw organized religion as their biggest threat and thought society should be based on reason instead of religion which is why they sought to abolish it

9.3: The Enlightenment and Religion - How did the philosophes challenge traditional religious ideas and institutions?

• Complained that Christian churches prevented the pursuit of rational life and the scientific study of humanity and nature
• Opposed the power and structure of the Old Regime, which the church followed
• Deism ( the thought that the life of religion and reason could be combined)

9.4: The Enlightenment and Society - How did the philosophes apply Enlightenment ideas to social and economic problems?

Social- Created social laws to end human cruelty by provided effective and just punishment for the crimes committed

Economic- Establishment of the Encyclopedia, it included articles on manufacturing, ship building, and improved agriculture.

9.5: Political Thought of the Philosophes - How did the philosophes apply Enlightenment ideas to political issues?

• In the Spirit of Laws, Montesquieu pursued an empirical method and concluded that no set of political laws could apply to all people at the same time and place.
• Rousseau believed that the law to obey should be created by general will.

9.6: Women in the Thought and Practice of the Enlightenment - What role did women play in the Enlightenment?

• Philosophes urged better education for women
• Men were still expected dominate marriage and family
• Rousseau stated that a woman’s function is to bear children and be pleasing to me
• Women were portrayed as weaker and inferior to men
• Still excluded from political life

9.8: Enlightenment Absolutism - What was enlightened absolutism?

Monarchs who ruled absolutely had enlightenment ideas relating to rationalism and toleration without the need of an absolute monarchy.