The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in Europe

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in Europe during the 18 th century in which people began to change their views on the world and on society.

Enlightenment • Emerged out of the Scientific Revolution and culminated in the French Revolution • Starts in France and spreads throughout Europe. • Thought thinking should be based on reasoning not religion and the church.

Enlightenment • Philosophes=thinkers who believed that the use of reason could lead to reforms of govt. , law, and society. • Many met in salons-social gatherings were intellectuals gathered to discuss ideas about society, government and science • Salons originated in Paris-which is considered the “intellectual capital” of the Enlightenment

Five concepts that formed the core beliefs of the Enlightenment: • 1. Reason-Truth could be discovered through reason/logical thinking • 2. Nature-Nature is good and reasonable • 3. Happiness- Urged people to seek wellbeing on earth. • 4. Progress- Stressed that society and humankind could improve. • 5. Liberty- Called for the rights and liberties for people.

Voltaire - 1650 – 1722 Thomas Hobbes - 1588 - 1679 Enlightenment Thinkers Rousseau - 1712 – 1778 Montesquieu 1689– 1755 John Locke - 1632– 1704

Enlightenment Thinkers Adam Smith 1723 -1790 Denis Diderot 1713 -1784 Mary Wollstonecraft 1759 -1797 Many Enlightenment thinkers were also mathematicians and scientists. They viewed changes in science as going hand in hand with changes in philosophy.

Thomas Hobbes -Thought people are generally bad Life without strong government is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, & short. ” Hobbes From England Wrote Leviathan -Hypothesis: Absolute government is needed to control evil behavior

Thomas Hobbes • People have a social contract in establishing a government. • People get civil rights in return for having a government rule them. • Give up rights to ruler in exchange for law and order

John Locke • English philosopher-Wrote Two Treatises of Government • New ideas about rights of people and their relationship to ruler Government was created for the people • If rules did not protect the rights, then people had right to get new government American Revolution resulted from this idea • Power is in the people not rulers! • All people are free, equal and have “natural rights” of life, liberty, and property that rulers cannot take • Influenced Thomas Jefferson— Declaration of Independence

Voltaire • French philosopher Wrote Candide (1759); • Believed in possibility of social change and reform (Progress is possible) • Tolerance, reason, freedom of religion and speech • “I do not agree with a word you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it. ” • Separation of church and state influences Bill of Rights

Denis Diderot. French Philosopher • Created a 28 volume encyclopedia. • Purpose to change the general way of thinking. • Explained govt. , philosophy, and religion through articles by leading thinkers. • Govt. felt it was attack on public morals and Pope threatened excommunication to those who read it. • Over 4, 000 copies were printed between 1751 -1789

Mary Wollstonecraft • “Free and equal” not for women. • Women had natural rights but were limited to private sphere • Believed women’s first duty was to be a good mother but should be able to decide what is in her own interest without her husband. • Wrote 1792 -A Vindication on the Rights of Women-called for equal education-which would give them to tools to participate equally with men in public life.

Adam Smith • Wrote Wealth of Nations • Argued free market should be allowed to regulate business activity. • Supporter of Laissez-faire or “hands-off” approach • Believed in order to have free economy three laws needed to exist: • 1. law of self interest • 2. law of competition • 3. law of supply and demand

Montesquieu • French philosopher • Wrote the book –Spirit of the Laws -1748 • Believed monarchy was not the best form of government • Believed in separation of powers and checks and balances • Becomes framework of Constitution

Jean Jacques Rousseau • Wrote the Social Contract • “Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains. ” • General will of people was the deciding factor---not the individual one Majority Rule • Government should be freely elected-ie Democracy • Social contract—between people and ruler If ruler ceases to protect the ruled, then they are free to choose new ruler • Influenced Declaration of Independence 1712 -1788

Enlightenment Shapes Declaration of Independence • “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” • Governments derive their power and authority from “the consent of the governed” • When any government infringes upon individual’s rights, “it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government”

Enlightenment Shapes Government • Declaration of Independence -- sought to promise personal freedom to all citizens • New form of government - based on the people’s right to have a say • Shaped the making of the Constitution – Montesquieu -- the balance of power between three branches of government – Rousseau-- the power of democracy and consent of the people were in the formation of the new government.

“People in a state of nature give up their individual rights to a strong power in return for his protection, so social contract evolved out of self-interest. ” John Hobbes Social Contract Jean-Jacques Rousseau “In order to live in society, human beings agree to an implicit social contract, which gives them certain rights in return for giving up certain freedoms. ”

John Locke, in his 1690 Civil Government, second treatise, separated the powers into an executive and a legislature. Separation Of Power Checks And Balances Montesquieu, in his 1748 Spirit of the Laws, expanded on Locke adding a judiciary

"I do not agree with a word you so, but will defend to the death your right to say it. Voltaire Bill of Rights Freedom of Religion Civil Rights Freedom of Speech

Name Hobbes Locke Voltaire Wollstonecraft From Wrote Main Ideas

Diderot Smith Montesquie Rosseau

Name Hobbes Locke Voltaire Wollstonecraft From Wrote Main Ideas

Name From Wrote Main Ideas Hobbes England Leviathan Life without gov’t is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, & short. ” Believed in a monarchy Social Contract-People get civil rights in return for having a government rule them Locke England Two Treatises on Gov’t Govt. exists to preserve people’s natural rights-life, liberty and property. Govt. should be freely formed by the people-if it doesn’t preserve natural rights people can overthrow it. Voltaire France Candide “I do not agree with a word you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it. ” Believed in freedom of speech and religion. Church and state should be separate. His ideas influenced the Bill of Rights. A Vindication on the Rights of Women Felt women’s 1 st duty was to be a good mother. Also thought women should have the same rights as men especially in education. If given the same opportunity they could be equal with men. Wollstone England -craft

Diderot France Encyclopedia Created a 28 volume encyclopedia which had articles on govt. , philosophy, and religion. Opposed by govt. and church. Smith England Wealth of Nations Supported Laissez-Faire and felt business followed the Law of Supply and Demand. Montesquie France The Spirit of Laws Monarchy isn’t necessary-believed in separation of powers and checks and balances. Each branch of govt. should be a check to the other. Rosseau The Social Contract Will of the people=Majority Rule Social Contract govt. agrees to rule only so people’s rights, property and happiness are protected-if broken then governed are free to choose new rulers. France