The Enlightenment: Ideas and Impact on Society

Enlightenment

Intellectual movement emphasizing reason and individualism.

Empiricism

Knowledge gained through observation and experience.

Natural Rights

Fundamental rights inherent to all individuals.

Social Contract

Agreement among individuals to form a society.

Nationalism

Political ideology emphasizing national identity and unity.

Revolution

Radical change in political or social structures.

Democratic Ideals

Principles promoting equality and citizen participation.

Reason

Logical thinking as a basis for understanding.

Observation

Active process of noticing and recording phenomena.

Religious Doctrines

Established beliefs that govern religious practices.

Human Experience

Collective knowledge derived from individual lives.

Progress

Belief in improvement and advancement over time.

Autocratic Government

System where one person holds absolute power.

Absolutism

Political doctrine of absolute sovereignty of a ruler.

Jamaica Letter

Document by Bolivar advocating for independence.

Declaration of Independence

American document asserting independence from Britain.

Rights of Man

French declaration affirming individual and collective rights.

Scientific Methods

Systematic approaches to inquiry and experimentation.

Cause and Effect

Relationship where one event leads to another.

Superstition

Irrational belief in supernatural causation.

Intellectual Context

Cultural and philosophical background influencing ideas.

Revolutionary Documents

Texts that articulate revolutionary principles and goals.

Colonized Peoples

Groups subjected to foreign domination and control.

Established Traditions

Long-standing customs and practices in society.

Rational Facilities

Cognitive abilities related to reasoning and understanding.

Intellectual Development

Growth of knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Knowledge Transformation

Belief that knowledge can change society positively.

Open Mindedness

Encouragement of inquiry and diverse perspectives.

Divine Right Critique

Opposition to monarchies based on divine authority.

Religious Authority Opposition

Resistance against superstition and corruption in religion.

Deism

Belief in a non-interfering God who created the universe.

General Will

Collective civic impulses for the common good.

Particular Will

Individual desires that prioritize personal interests.

Social Contract

Agreement defining relationships among individuals and government.

Natural Law

Doctrine linking social compact with inherent rights.

John Locke

Father of Classical Liberalism and influential Enlightenment thinker.

Life, Liberty, Possessions

Natural rights defined by John Locke for all individuals.

Montesquieu

Political thinker known for separation of powers theory.

Separation of Powers

Division of government into executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Three Social Classes

Montesquieu's division: monarchy, aristocracy, and commons.

Rousseau's Social Contract

Framework for legitimate political order and civic freedom.

Man is Born Free

Rousseau's assertion on natural freedom and societal chains.

Civil Society

Community formed through social contracts among individuals.

General Will Authority

Collective will that governs and protects individual freedoms.

Mary Wollstonecraft

Advocate for women's rights and education reform.

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

Wollstonecraft's work arguing for women's equality.

Influence on Revolutionaries

Locke's ideas shaped American revolutionary thought.

Rousseau's Influence

His theories impacted modern political philosophy significantly.

Voltaire

Philosopher influenced by Locke's liberal ideas.

Classical Republicanism

Political theory emphasizing civic virtue and common good.

Human Nature

Locke's view of reason and tolerance in individuals.

Political Philosophy

Study of fundamental questions about government and justice.

Education's Role

Wollstonecraft argued education empowers women and society.

Legitimate Political Order

Rousseau's concept of governance based on collective agreement.

Mary Wollstonecraft

Advocate for women's equality and rationality.

Frankenstein

Novel by Mary Shelley, Wollstonecraft's daughter.

Memoir (1798)

Published by Wollstonecraft's widower, revealing her life.

Feminist Movement

Revived interest in Wollstonecraft's work and ideas.

Founding Feminist Philosopher

Wollstonecraft is recognized as a key figure.

John Locke

Philosopher advocating government formed by social contract.

Social Contract

Agreement where individuals consent to governance.

Thomas Hobbes

Philosopher who viewed war as detrimental to society.

Montesquieu

Identified three branches of government power.

Rousseau

Believed in freedom maintained through social contracts.

Suffrage

The right to vote in elections.

Reform Act (1832)

Extended voting rights to certain adult males in UK.

Reform Act (1867)

Increased male suffrage in urban areas of UK.

Abolition of Slavery

Movement influenced by Enlightenment ideals for human rights.

Expanded Suffrage

Increased voting rights for various demographics.

Coercive Labor Systems

Labor systems like serfdom and indentured servitude.

Rights for Women

Emergence of movements advocating for women's rights.

Influence on Political Thought

Enlightenment ideas shaped modern democratic principles.

Western Political Thought

Philosophical foundations for contemporary governance.

Enlightenment Reform Movements

Movements promoting social and political rights.

Historical Developments

Changes in society driven by Enlightenment principles.

Educated Middle Class

Grew in influence due to Enlightenment ideas.

Critiques of Femininity

Wollstonecraft challenged traditional gender roles.

Rational Beings

Concept that all individuals are capable of reason.

Social Order

Structure of society based on rational principles.

Influence of Enlightenment

Shaped attitudes toward government and rights.

Representation of the People Act (1884)

Increased voting population to 5.5 million, property restrictions.

Representation of the People Act (1918)

Granted voting rights to men over 21, women over 30.

Representation of the People Act (1928)

Established universal suffrage for all adults over 21.

The Slave Ship

Painting by J.M.W. Turner, exhibited in 1840.

15th Amendment (1870)

Prohibited voting discrimination based on race or color.

19th Amendment (1920)

Granted women the right to vote in the U.S.

23rd Amendment (1961)

Allowed D.C. residents to vote for President.

24th Amendment (1964)

Abolished poll taxes in federal elections.

26th Amendment (1971)

Lowered voting age to 18 years in the U.S.

Abolition of Slavery in Portugal

Abolished slavery on mainland in 1761.

Abolition of Slavery in the U.S.

Slavery abolished in 1865 with the 13th Amendment.

Abolition of Slavery in Great Britain

Slavery abolished in 1833 through the Slavery Abolition Act.

Abolition of Slavery in Brazil

Last Western country to abolish slavery in 1888.

Russian Serfdom

Peasant serfs tied to land and landlords.

Abolition of Serfdom in Russia

Emperor Alexander II freed 23 million serfs in 1861.

Mary Wollstonecraft

Author of 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'.

Olympe de Gouges

Wrote 'Declaration of the Rights of Woman'.

Seneca Falls Conference (1848)

First women's rights convention in the U.S.

Enlightenment Thinkers

Male philosophers often disregarded women's contributions.

Women in Enlightenment Salons

Parisian women hosted thinkers but lacked recognition.