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TheAgeofEnlightenmentOverviewStudentswillexploretheAgeofEnlightenmentthroughaPowerPointpresentationandclassdiscussion.Studentswillthenfurtherexplorethisperiodofhistoryanditsprominentfiguresbydesigningadinnerpartyfor12Enlightenmentthinkers.Thisprojectwillencouragestudentstolearnmoreabouttheperiodandthephilosophersassociatedwithit,aswellassynthesizewhattheyhavelearnedwhileutilizinghigherorderthinking,groupworkskills,andcreativity.NorthCarolinaEssentialStandardsforWorldHistory• WH.H.6.1:Explainhownewideasandtheoriesoftheuniversealteredpoliticalthoughtandaffected

economicandsocialconditions(e.g.,ScientificRevolution,Enlightenment,rationalism,secularism,humanism,tolerance,empiricism,naturalrights,contractualgovernment,laissezfaireeconomics,Bacon,Descartes,Galileo,Newton,inductiveanddeductivereasoning,heliocentric,inquisition,worksofLocke,Montesquieu,Rousseau,Bolivar,Jefferson,Paine,AdamSmith,etc.).

NorthCarolinaEssentialStandardsforAmericanHistory:TheFoundingPrinciples,Civics&Economics• FP.C&G.1.2:ExplainhowtheEnlightenmentandothercontributingtheoriesimpactedthewritingofthe

DeclarationofIndependence,theUSConstitutionandtheBillofRightstohelppromoteliberty,justiceandequality(e.g.,naturalrights,classicaltheoriesofgovernment,MagnaCarta,Montesquieu,Locke,EnglishBillofRights,etc.).

EssentialQuestions• WhatwastheAgeofEnlightenment/AgeofReasonandwhatledtothisshiftinthought?• WhoweretheprominenthistoricalfiguresduringtheAgeofEnlightenmentandinwhatwayswerethey

similarand/ordifferentintheirphilosophies?• WhatimpactdidtheAgeofEnlightenmenthavethroughoutvariouscountriesonsociety,culture,politics,

etc.?• HowdidtheEnlightenmentphilosophersinfluenceAmericangovernment?

Materials• TheAgeofEnlightenmentPowerPoint,availableintheDatabaseofK-12Resources(inPDFformat)

o ToviewthisPDFasaprojectablepresentation,savethefile,click“View”inthetopmenubarofthefile,andselect“FullScreenMode”

o TorequestaneditablePPTversionofthispresentation,sendarequesttoCarolinaK12@unc.edu• NotesfortheAgeofEnlightenment,handoutattached• AnEveningofEnlightenmentassignmentsheet,attached• AnEveningofEnlightenmentGuestList,attached• SampleItemsforPartyPlanning,attached• Internet,textbooks,libraryaccess,and/orotherresearchmaterials• Optional:EnlightenmentEssayAssignment&Rubric,attachedDuration• AtleastoneclassperiodforPowerPointpresentationanddiscussion• Additionalclassandhomeworktime(teacher’sdiscretion)willbeneededforthecompletionand

presentationofthe“AnEveningofEnlightenment”project.

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ProcedureEnlightenmentArtBrainstorm

1. Asawarmup,projectslide2oftheaccompanyingPPTandtellstudentstoconsiderthewordenlightenment.Tellstudentstotakeafewbriefmomentstocreateanartisticresponsetothewordandtheirthoughtsbydrawingasmallpicture,symbol,orothervisualthattheyfeelrepresentswhatthewordmeanstothem.Drawingscanbeliteralorabstract.(Teacherscaneitherprovidepaperand/orartsuppliessuchascoloredpencils,orhavestudentsdothisonnotebookpaperusingonlypencils.)Instructstudentstoposttheirworkatthefrontoftheclassroomoncefinished,andtoviewtheotherartisticresponsesthattheirclassmateshaveproduced.(TeachersmaywanttohavealargepieceofbulletinboardpaperwiththewordENLIGTENMENTinthemiddleonwhichstudentscanposttheirwork.Thiscanthenserveasavisualthroughoutthelessonandstudentscanbeinstructedtoaddtoitastheylearnmore.)

2. Onceallstudentshavecreatedandviewedtheart,discuss:• Whichartisticresponsesstandouttoyouandwhy?Whichdoyoufeelbestcapturetheconceptof

enlightenmentandwhy?• Arethereanycommoncharacteristicsamongthevariouspiecesofartthatyoucanidentify?Explain.• Whatcametomindwhenyoufirstconsideredthewordenlightenment?• Didanyonethinkofthehistoricalperiod,“TheAgeofEnlightenment?”Whatdoyoualreadyknow

aboutthisperiod?Doanyoftheseartisticresponsesseemtorelatetothatperiod?Explain.

IntroductiontotheEnlightenment3. TellstudentsthattheyaregoingtolearningabouttheAgeofEnlightenment(alsoreferredtoasjust

“Enlightenment”orthe“AgeofReason”)throughoutthislesson.Tellstudentsthatthiswasatimethatrepresentedashiftofthinkingasintellectualsinlate17th-and18th-centuryEuropebeganemphasizingtheimportanceofreasonandindividualismratherthanasolerelianceontraditionandfaith.Itspurposewastoreformsocietyusingreason,tochallengeideasgroundedintraditionandfaith,andtoadvanceknowledgethroughthescientificmethod.Discuss:• ThinkaboutwhatyoualreadyknowaboutEuropeanhistoryinthe17thcentury.Whywasthissucha

revolutionaryshiftgiventhetimeperiod?• Whatimpactdoyoupredictthisshifthadonsociety?

4. ExplaintostudentsthattheEnlightenmentwasarevolutioninhumanthought.Itpromotedscientificthought,skepticism,andintellectualinterchange.Thisnewwayofthinkingregardingrationalthoughtwasthatoneshouldbeginwithclearlystatedprinciples,usecorrectlogictoarriveatconclusions,testtheconclusionsagainstevidence,andthenrevisetheprinciplesinthelightoftheevidence.Enlightenmentthinkersthusopposedsuperstitionandintolerance.TheideasoftheEnlightenmentspreadandhadsignificantinfluenceontheculture,politics,andgovernmentasAmericawascolonized.

5. Projecttheartonslide3andaskstudentstospendafewminutessilentlyexaminingitthendiscuss:• Whatdoyouseeandfirstnoticeaboutthisimage?• Whatsymbolscanyouidentifyandwhatmighttheirmeaningbe?• InwhatwaysdoesthisimageconnecttotheEnlightenment?• Canyouidentifyanysimilaritiesbetweenthisartandthedrawingsyoucreatedatthestartofclass?• Ifyouweregoingtogivethisartatitle,whatwoulditbeandwhy?

6. Projectslide4,whichincludesanaccompanyingquotefortheart:“Ifthereissomethingyouknow,communicateit.Ifthereissomethingyoudon'tknow,searchforit.”Askstudentstoreconsidertheartwiththequoteinmindandfurtherdiscuss:• Whatmessagedoesthequoteconvey?• InwhatwayswassuchcommunicationandsearchingnottakingplacebeforetheEnlightenment?In

whatwaysdidthischangeduringandaftertheEnlightenment?• Howdoesthequoteconnecttotheart?Whataspectsoftheartillustratethisidea?

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7. Explaintostudentsthatthearttheyareviewingisanengravingthatwasfoundinthe1772Encyclopédie,apublicationcreatedbyEnlightenmentthinkingDenisDiderotwiththeaimofchangingthewaypeoplethink.TheformalinterpretationofthispieceisthatTruthisrepresentedinthefigureatthetopcenterandissurroundedbylightandunveiledbythefigurestotheright,PhilosophyandReason.

8. ProvidestudentswithanoverviewoftheEnlightenmentbysharingslides5-17withthem.Passouttheattached“NotesfortheAgeofEnlightenment”forstudentstofilloutasyougothroughthePPT.

“AnEveningofEnlightenment”9. Tellstudentsthattheyaregoingtoworkingroupsof5tofurtherexploreEnlightenmentthinkersby

planningadinnerparty.Handouttheattached“AnEveningofEnlightenment”assignmentsheetandgooverthedetailswithstudents.TeachersshouldalsoprovideonecopyoftheGuestListtoeachgroup.(Teachersshoulddeterminewhethertoassigngroupsorallowstudentstochoosewhotheyworkwith.Whiletheprojectiswrittenforgroupsoffive,groupscanbesmallerorlargerbutteacherswillneedtoaltertheassignmentintermsofthenumberofguestsattheparty.)

Teachersshouldencouragestudentstohavefunandbecreative,butalsotoremembertobepurposefulintheirchoices,allofwhichshouldrepresenttheAgeofEnlightenment.Forexample,ifagroupchoosestodesigntheirpartyinatentinagarden,withgoldandwhiteasacolorscheme,theyshouldhaveareasonforthesechoices,suchastheyfeelthesecolorsrepresenttruthandreason.Teachersmayalsowanttoencouragestudentstobrowsetheinternetforinspirationboardsand/orpartyplanningideas(i.e.,weddings,eventplanning,etc.)Therearealsoafewsampleitemsattached(aroomblueprintandseatingchart,amenuandapictureofadecoratedpartytable.)Letstudentsknowtheduedateoftheproject,aswellashowmuchclasstimeandhomeworktimewillbeallocatedforcompletionoftheproject.

Ø TeacherNote:ThelistofpotentialEnlightenmentguestscanbeeditedshouldteachershavespecificphilosopherstheywantstudentstofocuson.Teachersmayalsowanttoincludepeoplefromadditionalcountries.Forexample,EnlightenmentideaswereseeninLatinAmericancountries,wherepeoplewereinspiredbyboththewordsanddeedsoftheEnlightenmenttoembarkintheirownfightsforindividualrightsandpoliticalindependence(i.e.,thepoliticalreformsandrevolutionspromotedbySimónBolívarandFatherHidalgo.)

10. Ontheduedate,teachersshouldallowtimeinclassforeachgrouptopresenttheirpartyplanstothe

class.Studentsshouldsummarizeeachaspectoftheirparty,explainingwhytheymadethechoicestheymade,witheachgroupmemberpresentingatleastoneaspectoftheparty’sdesignfeatures.Eachgroupwillalsoreadtheirdialogueoutloud,witheachgroupmemberreadingatleastonerole.(Teacherscanencouragestudentstobeaselaborateandcreativeintheirpresentationsastheyseefit.Forexample,studentsmightwanttoplaysomeoftheirmusicchoices,actuallysetup/decoratea“mock”partytable,dressandperformtheirdialogue,etc.)

11. Asaculminationtothelesson,discuss:• SocietyfounditselfinneedofarevolutioninthoughttowhichtheEnlightenmentanswered.Inyour

opinion,areweinneedofasimilarrevolutionofthoughttoday?Explain.(Thisdiscussionmightaddressissuessuchasourpoliticalclimateandthelackofcivilpoliticaldiscourse,the“AgeoftheInternet”andhowreadilyaccessibleinformationis–bothaccurateandinaccurateinformation,changesinsocietyregardingrights,etc.)

• Reconsiderthequotefromearlier:“Ifthereissomethingyouknow,communicateit.Ifthereissomethingyoudon'tknow,searchforit.”Howdoesthisapplytomodernsociety?Howarewedoingintermsofcommunicationandsearchingforknowledge(i.e.,factchecking)?

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12. Asanoptionalhomeworkassignment,seetheattachedEnlightenmentEssayAssignment&Rubric.

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AnEveningofEnlightenmentUsingandexpandinguponwhatyouhavelearnedaboutthepeopleandideasfromtheAgeofEnlightenment,yourgroupwillplanadinnerpartyfor12AgeofEnlightenmentthinkers.YouarerequiredtoincludeThomasHobbes,BenFranklin,ThomasJefferson,JohnLocke,MontesquieuRousseau,andVoltaireasguests.Youwillchoosetheremainingfiveguestsandplanthepartybytakingthefollowingsteps:1. RESEARCH:Eachmemberofyourgroupshouldchooseadifferentguesttoincludeinthepartyfromthe

listprovided.Researchthatpersonandtakenotesonhis/her:• Experiences• Influences• Values,beliefsandphilosophies• ConnectionstootherEnlightenmentthinkers(whoishis/herbeliefssimilarto?Differentfrom?)

2. TEACH:Youwillberesponsibleforteachingtheothermembersofyourgroupaboutthisperson.Everyone

inthegroupshouldtakedetailednotesoneachphilosopherpresented.Together,discussthesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenthephilosophersyoupresenttooneanother,aswellasbetweenthemandthephilosopherswediscussedinclass(i.e.,Locke,Hobbes,MontesquieuRousseau,Voltaire,etc.)

3. BRAINSTORM&DESIGN:AftereveryonehaspresentedtheirEnlightenmentthinker,worktogetherto

brainstormwhattypeofpartytothrowforyourgroupof12Enlightenmentguests.• Decorations/theme:ThinkcreativelyabouttheAgeofEnlightenment.Whattypeofdecorationsor

partythememightyouwanttoutilize?(Considerthingslikeacolorscheme,possibledécorsuchasflowers,tableclothes,hangingdecorations,etc.Willtherebepartyfavors?Becreative.)

• Space:Wherewillyourpartybeheld(garden,banquethall,castle,tent,forest,etc.?)Howwillyourdinnerpartybearranged?Whattypeoftableswillyouuse&howmanyguestswillbeseatedateach?(Remember,tablescanberound,square,rectangle,banquet,etc.)

• Seatingchart:Whoshouldsitbyoneanotherthenightofthepartyandwhy?Createaseatingchartthatshowsthetypeandplacementofeachtablewithinyourchosenspaceandnotewhowillsitateachseat.

• Foodanddrink:Whatfoodandbeverageswillbeservedatthepartyandwhy?Willthedinnerbeseated,buffet,somethingelse…anywhyisthischoicemostappropriate?Designamenuthatshowsyourfinalchoices.Themenuchoicesand/ordesigncanbeliteralorabstract.

• Entertainment:Whattypeofentertainmentwillaccompanytheevent?Willtherebemusicplaying,sometypeofperformance,aspeechorreading,adramaticpresentation,etc?Perhapsguestswillplayagame,orbeguidedtoparticipateinaparticulardiscussion-ifso,whatandwhy?

4. DIALOGUE:Writeadialoguethatonemighthearonthenightofyourparty.Thedialoguemustbe

betweenatleastfiveoftheguestsandwhenspoken,shouldlastaround2-3minutesormore.Whilethedialoguecanbecreativeand/orhumorous,itmustshowanunderstandingofeachspeakingphilosopher’sviewsandshouldincludethingsspecifictohis/hertimeperiod.

FINALPRESENTATIONREQUIREMENTS:Youwillpresentyourfinalpartydesignonposterboard.Makesuretocreativelydesignanddisplayyourmenu,blueprintofthespacearrangementandtheseatingchartonthepresentationboard.

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Thereshouldalsobeasectionontheboardthatsharesyourideasforthepartythemeanddecorations,andyoumightalsoconsiderdecoratingtheposterboarditselfinthisfashion.(Youcanevenincludefabricswatches,flowersamples,etc.)Thereshouldalsobeasectionthatnotesyourdecisionsregardingentertainment.Finalinformationontheposterboardcanbesketched/drawn,designedandprintedviaacomputer,oritcanmakeuseofcollageitems(i.e.,picturesformmagazines.)Becreativeandhavefun,butremember,allofyourchoicesshouldbechosenthoughtfullyinconsiderationofyourEnlightenmentguests.Yourgroupwillsummarizeyourpartydesignchoicesandguestlistinclassontheduedate,aswellasreadaloudyourdialogueoutloud.Eachgroupmembermustpresentatleastoneaspectofthepartydesignandallgroupmembersmustreadforoneofthethinkersyouchosetoputintoyourdialogue.DUEDATE:______________________________________________Questions/Notes:

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AnEveningofEnlightenmentGuestList

RequiredguestsThomasHobbes(1588–1679)-Aphilosopherandpoliticaltheoristwhose1651treatiseLeviathaneffectivelykickedofftheEnglishEnlightenment.ThecontroversialLeviathandetailedHobbes’stheorythatallhumansareinherentlyself-drivenandevilandthatthebestformofgovernmentisthusasingle,all-powerfulmonarchtokeepeverythinginorder.BenjaminFranklin(1706–1790)-Americanthinker,diplomat,andinventorwhotraveledfrequentlybetweentheAmericancoloniesandEuropeduringtheEnlightenmentandfacilitatedanexchangeofideasbetweenthem.FranklinexertedprofoundinfluenceontheformationofthenewgovernmentoftheUnitedStates,withahandinboththeDeclarationofIndependenceandtheU.S.Constitution.ThomasJefferson(1743–1826)-AmericanthinkerandpoliticianwhopennedtheDeclarationofIndependence(1776),whichwasinspireddirectlybyEnlightenmentthought.JohnLocke(1632–1704)-AnEnglishpoliticaltheoristwhofocusedonthestructureofgovernments.Lockebelievedthatmenareallrationalandcapablepeoplebutmustcompromisesomeoftheirbeliefsintheinterestofformingagovernmentforthepeople.InhisfamousTwoTreatisesofGovernment(1690),hechampionedtheideaofarepresentativegovernmentthatwouldbestserveallconstituents.BarondeMontesquieu(1689–1755)-TheforemostFrenchpoliticalthinkeroftheEnlightenment,whosemostinfluentialbook,TheSpiritofLaws,expandedJohnLocke’spoliticalstudyandincorporatedtheideasofadivisionofstateandseparationofpowers.Montesquieu’sworkalsoventuredintosociology:hespentaconsiderableamountoftimeresearchingvariousculturesandtheirclimates,ultimatelydeducingthatclimateisamajorfactorindeterminingthetypeofgovernmentagivencountryshouldhave.Jean-JacquesRousseau(1712–1778)-AneclecticSwiss-FrenchthinkerwhobroughthisownapproachtotheEnlightenment,believingthatmanwasathisbestwhenunshackledbytheconventionsofsociety.Rousseau’sepicTheSocialContract(1762)conceivedofasystemofdirectdemocracyinwhichallcitizenscontributetoanoverarching“generalwill”thatserveseveryoneatonce.Laterinhislife,RousseaureleasedConfessions(1789),whichbroughtapreviouslyunheard-ofdegreeofpersonaldisclosuretothegenreofautobiography.ThefrankpersonalrevelationsandemotionaldiscussionswereamajorcausefortheshifttowardRomanticism.Voltaire(1694–1778)-AFrenchwriterandtheprimarysatiristoftheEnlightenment,whocriticizedreligionandleadingphilosophiesofthetime.Voltaire’snumerousplaysandessaysfrequentlyadvocatedfreedomfromtheploysofreligion,whileCandide(1759),themostnotableofhisworks,conveyedhiscriticismsofoptimismandsuperstitionintoaneatpackage.PotentialGuestsJohannSebastianBach(1685–1750)-AnenormouslyinfluentialGermancomposerwhorosetoprominenceintheearly1700s.Bestknownbyhiscontemporariesasanorganist,Bachalsowroteanenormousbodyofbothsacredandsecularmusicthatsynthesizedavarietyofstylesandinturninfluencedcountlesslatercomposers.FrancisBacon(1561–1626)-AnEnglishphilosopherandstatesmanwhodevelopedtheinductivemethodorBaconianmethodofscientificinvestigation,whichstressesobservationandreasoningasameansforcomingtogeneralconclusions.Bacon’sworkinfluencedhislatercontemporaryRenéDescartes.CesareBeccaria(1738–1794)-AnItalianpoliticianwhoventuredintophilosophytoprotestthehorribleinjusticesthatheobservedinvariousEuropeanjudicialsystems.Beccaria’sbookOnCrimesandPunishments(1764)exposedthesepracticesandledtotheabolitionofmany.Hewasalsooneofthefirstvoicesopposingthedeathpenaltyaspunishmentforbreakingthelaw.JohnComenius(1592–1670)-ACzecheducationalandsocialreformerwho,inresponsetotheThirtyYears’War,madetheboldmoveofchallengingthenecessityofwarinthefirstplace.Comeniusstressedtoleranceandeducationasalternativesforwar,whichwererevolutionaryconceptsatthetime.

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MarquisdeCondorcet(1743–1794)-Frenchphilosopher,mathematician,andearlypoliticalscientistwhoseCondorcetmethodinvotingtallyselectsthecandidatewhowouldbeateachoftheothercandidatesinarun-offelection.Unlikemanyofhiscontemporaries,headvocatedaliberaleconomy,freeandequalpubliceducation,constitutionalism,andequalrightsforwomenandpeopleofallraces.RenéDescartes(1596–1650)-AFrenchphilosopherandscientistwhorevolutionizedalgebraandgeometryandmadethefamousphilosophicalstatement“Ithink,thereforeIam.”Descartesdevelopedadeductiveapproachtophilosophyusingmathandlogicthatstillremainsastandardforproblemsolving.DenisDiderot(1713–1784)-AFrenchscholarwhowastheprimaryeditoroftheEncyclopédie,amassivethirty-five-volumecompilationofhumanknowledgeintheartsandsciences,alongwithcommentaryfromanumberofEnlightenmentthinkers.TheEncyclopédiebecameaprominentsymboloftheEnlightenmentandhelpedspreadthemovementthroughoutEurope.JohannWolfgangvonGoethe(1749–1832)-AGermanauthorwhowroteneartheendoftheAufklärung,theGermanEnlightenment.Goethe’smoroseTheSorrowsofYoungWerther(1774)helpedfueltheSturmundDrangmovement,andhistwo-partFaust(1808,1832)isseenasoneofthelandmarksofWesternliterature.OlympedeGouges(1748–1793)-AFrenchfeministandreformerinthewaningyearsoftheEnlightenmentwhoarticulatedtherightsofwomenwithherDeclarationoftheRightsofWomanandtheFemaleCitizen(1791).HugoGrotius(1583–1645)-ADutchscholarwho,likeCzechJohnComenius,livedduringtheThirtyYears’Warandfeltcompelledtowriteinresponsetoit.Theresult,atreatiseonwarandinternationalrelationstitledOntheLawofWarandPeace(1625),eventuallybecameacceptedasthebasisfortherulesofmodernwarfare.GeorgeFridericHandel(1685–1759)-AGerman-EnglishcomposerofthelateBaroqueperiodwhoseMessiahremainsoneofthebest-knownpiecesofmusicintheworld.Handelwasanactivecourtcomposer,receivingcommissionsfromsuchnotablesasKingGeorgeIofEngland,forwhomhisWaterMusicsuitewaswrittenandperformed.DavidHume(1711–1776)-AScottishphilosopherandoneofthemostprominentfiguresinthefieldofskepticismduringtheEnlightenment.Humetookreligiontotask,askingwhyaperfectGodwouldevercreateanimperfectworld,andevensuggestedthatourownsensesarefallible,bringingallobservationsandtruthsintoquestion.Hume’sskepticismprovedveryinfluentialtoothers,suchasImmanuelKant,andwasinstrumentalintheshiftawayfromrationalistthoughtthatendedtheEnlightenment.ImmanuelKant(1724–1804)-AGermanskepticphilosopherwhobuiltonDavidHume’stheoriesandbroughttheschoolofthoughttoanevenhigherlevel.Kanttheorizedthatallhumansarebornwithinnate“experiences”thatthenreflectontotheworld,givingthemaperspective.Thus,sincenooneactuallyknowswhatotherpeoplesee,theideaof“reasoning”isnotvalid.Kant’sphilosophiesappliedthebrakestotheEnlightenment,effectivelydenouncingreasonasaninvalidapproachtothought.GottfriedWilhelmLeibniz(1646–1716)-GenerallyconsideredthefounderoftheAufklärung,orGermanEnlightenment,whoinjectedabitofspiritualityintotheEnlightenmentwithwritingsregardingGodandhisperfect,harmoniousworld.Alsoascientistwhosharedcreditforthediscoveryofcalculus,Leibnizhatedtheideaofrelyingonempiricalevidenceintheworld.Instead,hedevelopedatheorythattheuniverseconsistsofmetaphysicalbuildingblockshecalledmonads.WolfgangAmadeusMozart(1756–1791)-AgeniusAustriancomposerwhobeganhiscareerasachildprodigyandauthoredsomeofthemostrenownedoperasandsymphoniesinhistory.Mozart’smusichasneverbeensurpassedinitsblendoftechniqueandemotionalbreadth,andhismusicalgeniusplaceshiminacategorywithaselectfewothercomposers.SirIsaacNewton(1642–1727)-AnEnglishscholarandmathematicianregardedasthefatherofphysicalscience.Newton’sdiscoveriesanchoredtheScientificRevolutionandsetthestageforeverythingthatfollowedinmathematicsandphysics.Hesharedcreditforthecreationofcalculus,andhisPhilosophiaeNaturalisPrincipiaMathematicaintroducedtheworldtogravityandfundamentallawsofmotion.

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ThomasPaine(1737–1809)-English-AmericanpoliticalwriterwhosepamphletCommonSense(1776)arguedthattheBritishcoloniesinAmericashouldrebelagainsttheCrown.Paine’sworkhadprofoundinfluenceonpublicsentimentduringtheAmericanRevolution,whichhadbegunjustmonthsearlier.FrançoisQuesnay(1694–1774)-AFrencheconomistwhoseTableauÉconomique(1758)arguedagainstgovernmentinterventionintheeconomyandinspiredScottisheconomistAdamSmith’sseminalWealthofNations(1776).AdamSmith(1723–1790)-AninfluentialScottisheconomistwhoobjectedtothestiflingmercantilistsystemsthatwereinplaceduringthelateeighteenthcentury.Inresponse,SmithwrotetheseminalWealthofNations(1776),adissertationcriticizingmercantilismanddescribingthemanymeritsofafreetradesystem.BaruchSpinoza(1632–1677)-ADutch-JewishlensgrinderwhoquestionedtenetsofJudaismandChristianity,whichhelpedunderminereligiousauthorityinEurope.AlthoughSpinozapersonallybelievedinGod,herejectedtheconceptofmiracles,thereligioussupernatural,andtheideathattheBiblewasdivinelyinspired.Rather,hebelievedthatethicsdeterminedbyrationalthoughtweremoreimportantasaguidetoconductthanwasreligion.MaryWollstonecraft(1759-1797)-AnEnglishwriter,philosopher,andadvocateofwomen'srights.

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SampleItemsforPartyPlanning

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HumanNature:GoodorEvil?–EssayAssignmentAsindividualswehavechoicesaboutwhatdirectionourlivestakeus.Ultimately,whatwechooseisourdecision:however,areourdecisionsinfluencedbywhatwearedeepinside?Isthereacommonhumannatureinallofus:ifso,isthatnaturegoodorevil?

Throughouthistoryphilosophers,greatthinkers,and“everyday”peoplehavediscussedhumantendencies.FromtheearlydynastiesoftheChinesetotheEnlightenmentthinkersofeighteenthcenturyEurope,thistopichasbeenhotlydebated.Forthisassignment,wefocusinparticularontheEnlightenmentthinkersThomasHobbesandJohnLocke,whoproposeddifferentopinionsregardinghumannature.Hobbesbelievedthathumanswerenaturallyselfish,greedy,andcruel,whileLockecontendedthatpeoplewerenaturallyreasonableandmoral.

Nowitisyourturn.YouaretodecidewhetheryouagreewithHobbesorLocke.Doyoubelievepeopletobenaturallygoodornaturallybad,andwhy?Writea1-2pagepaperthatdiscussesthisquestionandsupportsyourideasbycitingtheideaspresentedbyHobbesorLocke.Youmayalsodiscussotherthinkersandeventsthroughouthistoryaswellaspersonalexperiencestostrengthenyourargument.Formulateathesisthatstatesyourbeliefsandsupportyourthesiswithatleastthreeparagraphs,eacharguingadifferentpoint.Stateyourthesisinyourintroductoryparagraphandunderlineit.Questionstoconsiderarelistedbelow:FocusQuestion:Arehumansnaturallygoodorevil?SupplementalQuestions:YoumustanswerthefocusquestionaboveANDnumber1below.Youdonothavetoanswerallquestionslistedbelow,buttheyshouldhelpwhenwritingthepaperifyouneedprompting.1. Withwhomdoyouagree:HobbesorLocke?Why?(REQUIRED)2. Arepeoplenaturallycruel,greedy,andselfishorarepeoplebasicallyreasonableandmoral?

Explain.3. Iftherearenotestablishedlaws,wouldpeoplefight,rob,andattackoneanotherwithout

constraintoraguiltyconscience?4. Dopeopleknow“right”from“wrong”?Explain.5. Dopeoplegenerallyliveinfear?Provideexamples.6. Arepeopleinconstantbattlewithothers,thatis,manv.man?Or,dopeoplegenerallywishto

cooperatewithoneanother-thatis,manwithman?7. Dopeopleconsidertheramificationsoftheiractionsandhowthoseactionswillaffectothers?

Whyorwhynot?8. Whatwouldlifeandhumanrelationsbelikeintheabsenceofgovernment?9. Whatviewismorerealistic?(Hobbesv.Locke,Goodv.Evil,Selfishv.Kind)

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HumanNatureEssayRubricStudent: Grading:Thiswillbeworthonetestgradeandwillbegradedona100pointscale.

30Points:FocusQuestionansweredwithatleastthreesupportingideasandparagraphs10Points:SupplementQuestion#1answeredwithjustification10Points:Thesisstatementevident10Points:IntroductoryParagraph10Points:ConclusionParagraph10Points:Spelling,Grammar,andPunctuation10Points:OrganizedandLogical10Points:MinimumPageNumberMet

/30Points:FocusQuestionansweredwithatleastthreesupportingideasandparagraphs

/10Points:SupplementQuestion#1answeredwithjustification

/10Points:Thesisstatementevident

/10Points:IntroductoryParagraph

/10Points:ConclusionParagraph

/10Points:Spelling,Grammar,andPunctuation

/10Points:OrganizedandLogical

/10Points:MinimumPageNumberMet

/100PointsTotal