Enlightenment 

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→ An intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of individuals to solve problems. (Also known as the “Age of Reason”)

Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan 1651

• Believed all humans are selfish and wicked
• Social contract theory- exchange power to a ruler in order preserve order.

John Locke: Two treatises on government

• Believed that people were naturally good and could control themselves.
• Natural Rights- Life, Liberty, and property
• The purpose of government was to protect people’s rights
  • we could overthrow government if we wanted too.

Other philosophers:

• Voltaire- free speech
• Montesquieu- separation of powers, as well as Checks and Balances
• Rousseau- similar beliefs as Hobbes.
• Mary Wollstonecraft- Spoke for women’s rights during the Enlightenment

Other Terms:

• Direct Democracy- Everybody votes on everything
• Representative Democracy- People vote on representatives to vote on their behalf.
• Individualism- People making decisions for themselves (Was rising during this time)
• Government- The system which oversees and governs a nation or area.

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