Enlightenment & American Revolution

Ch 17

Philosophy in the Age of Reason

Sec 1

Natural Law

• Who: Europeans• What: rules that are discoverable by reasoning that

governed scientific forces such as gravity & magnetism• Where: Europe• When: 1500s-1600s• Why: scientific success convinced educated Europeans

of the power of human reason; used to better understand social, economic, & political probs; used this to study human behavior & solve probs = led to the Enlightenment

Thomas Hobbes

• Who: 17th century English thinker• What: set forth ideas that were to become key to the

Enlightenment ; wrote “Leviathan”• Where: England• When: 1700s• Why: he lived through upheavals in the English Civil

War; outlined his ideas in “Leviathan”= argued that ppl were naturally cruel, greedy & selfish; he said that ppl entered into “Social Contract” to avoid brutal life; best gov’t= Absolute Monarchy

John Locke• Who: 17th century English thinker• What: set forth ideas that were to become key to the

Enlightenment• Where: England• When: 1700s• Why: he thought ppl were reasonable & moral; ppl had

certain natural rights: life, liberty, & property; came to very diff ideas about the human nature & role of govt= govt has obligation to its ppl, if it fails, it fails the ppl = if govt violates natural rights = ppl have a right to overthrow= American & French Revolutions

Social Contract

• Who: European ppl; Thomas Hobbes• What: an agreement where ppl gave up their

freedom for an organized society • Where: Europe• When: 1500s-1600s• Why: Hobbes said that ppl entered into this

agreement to escape the brutish lifestyle; believed a powerful govt = orderly society; promoted Absolutism

Natural Right

• Who: John Locke• What: rights that belonged to all humans on

earth such as life, liberty, & property• Where: England• When: 1700-1800s• Why: Locke believed ppl are reasonable & moral=

they have rights from birth; ppl had a right to overthrow a govt if these rights were violated = American & French Revolutions

Philosophe

• Who: French Enlightenment thinkers/philosophers

• What: they believed the use of reason could lead to reforms of gov’t, law, & society

• Where: France, Europe• When: 1700s• Why: this group of thinkers started

Enlightenment thought = spread throughout Europe & beyond; applied methods of science to improve society

Montesquieu

• Who: an early influential thinker; a philisophe• What: studied the gov’ts of Europe & learned about

Chinese & Native Am. Cultures; wrote “Sprit of Laws” • Where: France, Europe• When: 1689-1748• Why: his sharp criticism of Absolutism = debate; in

order to protect liberty the gov’t should be divided into 3 branches; idea taken by framers of US Constitution; wrote “Persian Letters”= ridiculed French Gov’t

Lab- ch 2 lab packet & Budget Hero

Voltaire

• Who: a Philosophe, poet & historian• What: an imprisoned poet, historian, essayist &

philosopher• Where: Paris, France• When: 1694-1778• Why: he detested the slave trade; deplored

religious prejudice; defended principle of freedom of speech; his new ideas= imprisoned & forced into exile

Diderot

• Who:• What:• Where:• When:• Why:

Rousseau

• Who:• What:• Where:• When:• Why:

Laissez-Faire

• Who:• What:• Where:• When:• Why:

Adam Smith

• Who:• What:• Where:• When:• Why:

Rococo• Who: Architect & Designers• What: Personal, elegant style of art & architecture made

popular that featured designs.• Where: Paris, France• When: 1600’s-1700’s (mid)• Why: Rococo art moved away from religion unlike,

Baroque. Rococo was believed to encourage imagination. Portrait showed noble subjects in charming rural settings, surrounded by happy servants. Despite it being criticized it had a vast of people in upper class & graving middle class.

Enlightenment Ideas Spread

Sec 2

Censorship

• Who:• What:• Where:• When:• Why:

Salons

• Who:• What:• Where:• When:• Why:

Baroque

• Who: Greek & Romans• What: Courtly art and architecture were neither in the

Greek and Romans tradition or in a grand, ornate style.• Where: Europe• When: 1600’s-1700’s• Why: Baroque paintings were huge, colorful, and full of

excitement. They glorified historic battles or the lives of the saints. Such works matched the grandeur of the European courts at that time.

Enlightenment Despot

• Who: Monarchs, Frederick the Great, Joseph II, and Catherine the Great

• What: Those that accepted enlightenment ideas.• Where: Europe• When:1700’s• Why: they were absolute rulers who used their

powers to bring about political and social change. These philosophies convinced rulers that change and reform was necessary.

Frederick the Great• Who: King of Prussia• What: Exerted &extremely tight control over his subjects.• Where: 1740-1786• When: Prussia• Why: He saw himself as the “First servant of the state,”

with a duty to work for the common good. He openly praised Voltaire’s work. He reduce the use of torture and allow a free press. He recognized the governments civil service and simplified laws, the tolerated religious differences.

Catherine the Great

• Who:• What:• Where:• When:• Why:

Joseph II

• Who:• What:• Where:• When:• Why: