Enlightenment Philosophers

What did Voltaire believe about religion?

Religion should be a personal choice, and tolerance is essential for peace.

How did Voltaire view authority?

He opposed absolutism and censorship, believing in free thought.

What Enlightenment value did Voltaire defend most?

Freedom of speech and expression.

How did Voltaire’s ideas inspire revolutions?

Encouraged resistance to tyranny and support for civil liberties in France and beyond.

What did Montesquieu think prevented tyranny?

Division of power among branches of government.

What was Montesquieu’s goal for government?

To create a balanced system that protects individual freedom.

How did his philosophy influence revolutions?

Guided constitutional design in America and Latin America.

What did Rousseau believe about government and people?

Government should follow the general will of the people.

What did Rousseau think corrupted humanity?

Society and inequality, not human nature itself.

How did Rousseau influence revolutions?

Inspired popular sovereignty and democratic equality.

What did Kant say Enlightenment means?

Having the courage to think for yourself using reason.

What did Kant believe about morality?

Moral actions come from rational choice, not authority or tradition.

How does Kant’s philosophy connect to Enlightenment values?

Encourages independent reasoning and moral freedom.

What was Hume’s main idea about knowledge?

Knowledge comes from experience and observation, not faith.

How did Hume challenge traditional beliefs?

He used skepticism to question religion and superstition.

What Enlightenment value does Hume represent?

Empirical reasoning and critical inquiry.

What did Beccaria believe about punishment?

It should be fair, quick, and aimed at reform, not revenge.

How did Beccaria view justice?

Justice should protect rights, not display power.

What Enlightenment ideal does this reflect?

Rational law and human dignity.

What did Smith believe about human behavior in economics?

People naturally act in self-interest, creating prosperity.

What should the government’s role in the economy be?

Limited, allowing free exchange to guide growth.

What Enlightenment value underlies Smith’s ideas?

Freedom of choice and natural order in society.

What did Mill think about individual freedom?

Each person should have maximum liberty unless harming others.

What did Mill value in society?

Open discussion and diversity of ideas.

What Enlightenment principle did Mill continue?

Rational freedom and progress through reason.

What Enlightenment value did Diderot promote?

Human reason over superstition or tradition.

How did Diderot view knowledge?

Knowledge should be shared to improve society.

What Enlightenment goal does this support?

Education and rational progress for all.

What Enlightenment principle did Franklin emphasize?

Rational improvement of society through science and civic action.

What did Franklin believe about government?

It should serve the people’s welfare, not the ruler’s power.

What Enlightenment trait did Franklin model?

Practical reason and progress.

What did Wollstonecraft believe about women?

Women have equal capacity for reason as men.

What injustice did she challenge?

Patriarchy and the idea that women exist only for men’s use.

What Enlightenment ideal guided her?

Equality and rational education for all.

What made Frederick II an “enlightened” ruler?

He valued reason, education, and tolerance in governance.

What was his main contradiction?

Used Enlightenment ideals to strengthen monarchy, not liberty.

How did Catherine II apply Enlightenment ideas?

Supported education and legal reform, but preserved autocracy.

What does her rule show about Enlightenment in monarchy?

Selective use of Enlightenment to modernize without sharing power.

What Enlightenment values did Maria Theresa apply?

Education, rational administration, and central reform.

How did she differ from later reformers?

Focused on order and efficiency, not full equality.

What Enlightenment qualities are shown in Mozart’s art?

Balance, harmony, and clarity, reflecting reason and order.

Why is Mozart considered part of the Enlightenment?

His work expressed rational beauty and human emotion in unity.

Which Enlightenment ideas shaped American independence?

Natural rights, consent of the governed, liberty, and separation of powers.

Which ideas inspired the French Revolution?

Equality, popular sovereignty, secularism, and freedom from tyranny.

How did Enlightenment ideas appear in Haiti?

Liberty and equality applied to enslaved people demanding freedom.

Which Enlightenment themes motivated independence movements in Latin America?

Self-rule, freedom from empire, and representative government.