Enlightenment Age of Reason What is the Enlightenment

Enlightenment: Age of Reason

What is the Enlightenment Movement? • The Enlightenment Movement was the time period after the Scientific Revolution in Europe. • 1600’s and 1700’s • Sought to shine “light” of reason on traditional ideas about government and society

Enlightenment: The Beginnings • The Enlightenment thinkers were trying to reform government and society by reason, but what was the government and society the thinkers were trying to reform? • What is absolutism? Complete control or authority of government • What is divine right? Person who rules by the authority of God

Enlightenment: The Beginnings • What is an absolute monarchy? King or Queen that rules with complete control and by the authority of God • What countries in Europe had absolute monarchies in the 17 th and 18 th centuries? France, Russia, and Spain, Prussia, Austria • What about England had a revolution and reformed their absolute monarch to a limited, constitutional monarchy

Enlightenment: The Beginnings • Scientific Revolution paved the way • Newton used reason and defined laws of physics, (gravity…) • So why can’t new thinkers use reason to define natural laws? • Enlightenment thinkers wanted to use reason and logic to define the world they lived in, they people that ruled, and how citizen acted in the world

For Friday: • We will define different types of thinkers • We will begin to look at specific Enlightenment thinker’s ideas on government