Age of Reason

1st Part - Scientific Revolution

  • A new way of thinking about the world based on careful observation and willingness to question accepted beliefs

  • Empiricism - Theory of knowledge that emerged during the scientific revolution that in order to know things we must observe, gather information, and then gather conclusions

  • Scientific method is the empiricists use to gather information

2nd Part - Absolute Monarchs

  • Louis XIV - France

    • Religion - Catholicism only legal religion

    • Architecture - Hall of Mirrors + Versailles (signs of his power)

    • Economy - had complete control (mercantilism)

    • Arts + Culture - increased popularity of ballet and funded Royal Academy of Dance

    • War/Territorial Expansion - could declare war w/o approval, increased his glory while causing the French people misery

    • Nobility - he tried to control the nobles

  • Frederick II - Prussia

    • most famous salon in Europe

    • abolished torture + didn’t censor press

    • won 7 years war

    • built up military

  • Maria Theresa - Austria

    • mother of Marie Antionette

    • favored peasants

    • loses 7 years war

    • nobles + clergy had to pay taxes

  • Phillip II - Spain

    • Battle of Lepanto (October 7, 1571) war with Turks (prayed rosary and won - Our Lady of Victory)

    • Spanish Armada - tried to conquer England and failed

    • worsened economy

  • Elizabeth I - England

    • aided Dutch in war against Spain

    • in charge of Anglican church

  • Catherine the Great - Russia

    • suppressed peasant revolts

    • Poland divided up between Austria, Prussia, Russia during this time

  • Peter the Great - Russia

    • controlled noble culture and made it more western

    • tax on beards

    • moved capitol to St. Petersburg

    • Expanded territory into neighbor country Sweden

3rd Part - Enlightenment

This period was a new way of thinking about people

Thinkers tried to reason the laws of human behavior

applying Empiricism to social science

The enlightenment points out flaws in absolute monarchy - especially in france

Enlightenment Values

  • Reason - truth can be discovered through logical thinking, intolerance/prejudice can be avoided through reason

  • Progress - Humankind can be perfected on Earth, reason helps this

  • Science and Nature - nature is good + governed through natural law, scientific inquiry is still important

  • Happiness - a person who lives by natural laws can be happy, people should not have to accept misery

  • Liberty - wanted personal, political, and economic (no mercantilism) freedom, and freedom FROM religious institutions

the enlightenment caused increased secularism

Philosophe - French word for philosopher, used specifically for the significant thinkers of the enlightenment

Basic beliefs of Philosophes

  • People can apply reason to all aspects of life

  • revival of Greek/Roman ideas

  • goal is social reform

  • freedom of expression is critical

Thomas Hobbes

  • believed people were naturally cruel and selfish

  • social contract to Hobbes - people gave up their rights to a ruler to avoid lawlessness and chaos

  • disagreed with divine right but supported absolute monarchy

John Locke

  • people had natural right: life, liberty, and property

  • Social contract to Locke - people made agreement with government to protect their rights

  • people have right to overthrow government if it doesn’t protect natural rights

Voltaire

  • supported personal freedom

  • opposed to absolute monarchies

Baron de Montesquieu

  • 3 types of government

    • small - republic

    • middle - absolute monarchy

    • large - empire that use fear

  • system of checks and balances

Jean Jacques Rousseau

  • people are naturally good and society corrupts this

  • liked direct democracy

  • wanted to abolish concept of nobility and rules for social behavior

Cesare Beccaria

  • innocent until proven guilty

  • wanted to abolish capitol punishment and torture

  • laws existed to preserve social order and not avenge crimes

Mary Wollstonecraft

  • women entitled to same rights as men because they have reason and are therefore equal to men

Adam Smith

  • against mercantilism

  • Three Economic principles

    • no tariffs

    • labor is more valuable than gold + silver

    • the state should not interfere with the economy

Arts + Culture in Enlightenment

  • Print Culture

    • novel began to be published and gained popularity

    • printing increased literacy, helped ideas spread faster, improved education, and spread news

    • Libraries begin in 18th century

    • this primarily affect middle class

  • Neoclassism

    • Music - new musical form → symphony

    • nobles funded arts + Music

    • MOZART

    • Architecture - typically featured columns, geometric shapes and ornamental detail

    • Neoclassism aimed to restore Greco-Roman culture

  • Salons

    • organized meetings hosted by wealthy and prominent women

    • provided a place to discuss enlightenment ideas

    • not segregated by sex but still typically hosted by women

  • Coffee Houses

    • common public meeting places exclusively for men

    • preferred over taverns for discussion

    • popular in middle class

  • Deism

    • A belief that a mechanical God created the universe but has no involvement in it - like clockmaker

    • Deists do not miracles or a religious text

    • Voltaire + several founding father was a supporter of Deism

    • Began in England and spread to France + subject of controversy especially in Catholic Church