The Age of Enlightenment What was the Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment

What was the Enlightenment? n 1700 s n Center: Paris, France n Intellectual movement n Explosion of ideas/writing about: n Science n Government n Religion n Society

The Enlightenment: Precursors n Renaissance n Encourages secularism, criticism, belief in reason n Protestant Reformation n Questions authority of church n Age of Exploration n Exchange of ideas with other peoples

The Enlightenment: Concepts n Natural Laws n Human behavior governed by laws of nature n God does not direct all human behavior n Reason Scientific method n Truth is found through logical thought n Progress n Encouraged new ideas, inventions n Valued innovation and creativity

The Enlightenment: Concepts n Criticism n Every person, institution, and idea subject to criticism n Skeptical of religion, superstition n SCIENCE

The Philosophes n Thinkers of the Enlightenment n People from all backgrounds: law, nobility, science, etc. n Philosophe is simply the French word for philosopher n approach a subject in a critical and inquiring spirit

The Big (French) Three n Voltaire n Freedom of thought n Montesquieu n Checks and balances in government n Rousseau n Distrusted reason, society

The Encyclopedie n Written 1751 -1780 n Edited by Denis Diderot n Banned by the Roman Catholic Church n Covered many topics: n Science n Literature n History n Politics

The Salon n Salon: French word for lounge, living room n Meeting place of philosophes n Discuss politics, religion, philosophy n Homes of influential women hostesses n Madame Geoffrin

Government n Thinkers differ in ideas about government n Voltaire, Montesquieu favor Britain n Most believe in rights of man n Right to representation n Freedoms of speech, religion n Many favor enlightened despotism

Enlightened Despotism n Monarch is in power, but…. n He/she follows principles of Enlightenment: n Freedom of speech, press, religion Examples: n Frederick the Great – Prussia n Catherine the Great – Russia

Impact of the Enlightenment American Revolution, Constitution n French Revolution n Latin American Independence Movement n United Nations – Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) n