The Enlightenment Context Caffeine and the Printing Press

The Enlightenment

Context Caffeine and the Printing Press A new “public sphere” – understanding that individuals were part of a larger “imagined community”

Thomas Hobbes Born 1588 Wrote Leviathan Thought humans were “naturally in a state of war” with one another Favored a strong monarch To control people

Queen Elizabeth and King Louis XIV Both favored monarchy – rule by king or queen Both believed monarch’s power came for god – divine right

John locke Born: 1632 Wrote Two Treatises of Government Thought humans had ability to reason That government’s got their power from the people (not God) That people can replace their government if it doesn’t protect their life liberty and propety Inspired Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence

Charles de Montesquieu Born in France 1689 Wrote On the Spirit of Laws Believed that governments should contain a separation of powers to keep any one branch from getting too much power Influence the U. S. Constitution

Jean Jaques Rousseau Born 1712 Wrote The Social Contract – an agreement between the people Believed humans were naturally good and compassionate Believed in direct democracy

Mary Wolstonecraft Born in 1759 Wrote Vindication of the Rights of Women Believed in the equality between men and women as long as women had the same rights (right to education) “Society will not whole until the last king is strangled with the guts of the last priest. ”

Cesare Beccaria Born in 1738 Wrote On Crimes and Punishment Influenced the 7 th and 8 th Amendments right to trial and protection against cruel and unusual punishment Believed criminal punishments should fit the crime and not be done for revenge but to prevent further crime

Voltaire Born 1694 Wrote On God and Human Beings Believed in freedom of speech and religion Influenced the first amendment to the U. S. Constitution