The EnlightenmentChapter 17, Section 2

Path to the Enlightenment

What was the Enlightenment??? Philosophical movement- applying the

scientific method to all aspects of life

Common words of the Enlightenment: Reason Natural Law Hope Progress

Isaac Newton Discovered natural

laws that governed the physical world

Intellectuals of the Enlightenment used his methods to discover the natural laws of human society

John Locke Argued that everyone was born

with a tabula rasa- blank slate

People were molded by experiences and observations

If environments changed then people would change.

If people changed, society would be changed.

Philosophes and Their Ideas

Philosophe = Philosopher

Intellectuals of the Enlightenment

Mostly from nobility and middle class

Goal- to change the world through rational criticism of religion and politics

Montesquieu Most famous work- The Spirit

of Laws

Ideas: 3 basic kinds of governments:

Republics (for small states) Despotism (for large

states) Monarchies (medium

states) Separation of Powers:

3 Branches: executive, legislative, and judicial

Sound familiar?

Voltaire Greatest figure of the

Enlightenment

Known for his criticism of Christianity and strong belief of religious toleration

Wrote Treatise on Toleration

Deism- God is like a “clockmaker” and does not interfere with his creation

Diderot Freelance writer

Wrote the Encyclopedia, or Classified Dictionary, of the Sciences, Arts, and Trades

Attacked religious superstition and supported religious toleration and political improvements

Sold to doctors, clergymen, teachers, and lawyers- spreading the ideas if the Enlightenment!

Economics Adam Smith

Laissez-Faire- literally means “to let do” or let people do what they want

Wrote The Wealth of Nations

3 basic roles of government: Protecting society from

invasion (army) Defending citizens from

injustice (police) Certain public works (roads,

canals, etc)

Beccaria and Justice Wrote On Crimes and Punishments

Opposed capital punishment- believed it did not stop others fro committing crimes

Crimes should not be brutal

“Is it not absurd, that the laws, which punish murder, should in order to prevent murder, publicly commit murder themselves?”

The Later Enlightenment

Rousseau- believed people had become enslaved by government

Social Contract- “the general will” is what’s best for the entire community

Education should foster, not restrict, children’s natural instincts

Saw the importance of emotions as well as reason- balance between heart and mind

Rights of Women Mary Wollstonecraft

Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women

2 problems: If the power of monarchs over their

people is wrong, then so is the power of men over women

Enlightenment was based on the power of reason in all human beings. Since women have reason, they deserve the same rights as men

Women should have equal writes in education, economic, and political life

Social World of the Enlightenment

Growth of Reading Magazines and

Newspapers

Salons

Religion in the Enlightenment

Many Europeans were still Christians

John Wesley- Methodism Appealed to the lower

classes Preached to the masses

in open fields Influenced the abolition

of the slave trade

People still needed spiritual experiences