ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS C Ideas of Enlightenment Enlightenment Thinkers

ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS C Ideas of Enlightenment

Enlightenment Thinkers Enlightenment Thinker List his/her country and areas of interest underneath the name Summarize… 1. …each person’s philosophy/beliefs 2. …how this philosopher influenced the creation of America and its government Thomas Hobbes John Locke Montesquieu Rousseau Voltaire Mary Wollstonecraft Adam Smith

Thomas Hobbes • From England; Studied Government • Wrote the book Leviathan • Believed all men were naturally bad, greedy & evil • Social Contract- Believed we need laws & strong leaders to keep order • Punishment for those who break laws • In US, we give-up some liberties for order

John Locke • From England; Studied Government • Believed in Natural Rights- Life, Liberty, and Property • Believed men were equal, moral and reasonable • Believed in loyalty to king and country (nationalism) • However, if a leader was not giving natural rights, citizens did have the right to overthrow the government • Ideas in US- the American Revolution, Documents like the Declaration of Independence

Montesquieu • From France; Studied Government • Rejected the idea of a absolute ruler • Believed in separation of powers so no one person or group had too much power • Believed in checks and balances • In the US, we have three branches of government that check and balance each other

Rousseau • From France; Studied Politics • Wrote about Social Contract • Believed people were born moral and good but learned how to be evil • Believed citizens should be committed to do what is good for the group • In US, helped settle revolts- what is good for the group

Voltaire • From France; Wanted reforms • Believed in freedom of speech and religion • In the US, influenced the Bill of Rights

Mary Wollstonecraft • From England; women’s rights • Believed girls and boys should both receive the same education • In US, her ideas did not come to pass until the 20 th Century

Adam Smith • From England; Wrote on Economics • Believed in the invisible hand of the marketplace • Laissez-faire, “to let do, ” the government should not interfere in economy • In the US, for 200 years the government relied on Smith’s ideas