The Spread of Enlightenment Ideas A World of

The Spread of Enlightenment Ideas

A World of Ideas • Ideas were often spread in salons • Salons = large drawing rooms where women entertained philosophers, writers, artists, and intellects met to discuss ideas and enjoy artistic performances • Marie. Therese Geoffrin Most influential Salon hostess

Other ways Ideas spread • Diderot’s Encyclopedia – first book where leading scholars of Europe put articles and essays • Encyclopedia annoyed the Catholic Church – the Church found Enlightenment ideas corrupt and immoral • Ideas also spread through music, newspapers, and pamphlets

Emergence of middle class helps ideas spread • There is Denis Diderot, working on his scandalous encyclopedia - • New middle class has more time to read and appreciate art

Art and Literature in the Age of Reason • Baroque = grand ornate style that preceded the Enlightenment • Two famous Baroque musicians = Bach and Handel • Eventually leads to classical music with famous composers like Mozart, Hadyn and Beethoven • New style – more elegant and original

Art and Culture during the Enlightenment • Mozart started composing when he was five! • Birth of modern novel; complex and carefully crafted plots. Daniel Defoe wrote Robinson Crusoe about a family stranded on a desert island • Below is Defoe’s quote – what do YOU think it means? • Wherever God erects a house of prayer the Devil always builds a chapel there; And 'twill be found, upon examination, the latter has the largest congregation – Daniel Defoe

Enlightenment and the Monarchy • Enlightened despots = monarchs who embraced the Enlightenment and allowed reform • Wanted ONLY to strengthen own countries, did NOT want to give up power

Enlightened Monarchs • Frederick the Great: committed to reforming Prusisia • Reforms included: – Allowing more religious freedom – Improving education – Reduced censorship – Reformed the criminal justice system and eliminated torture – Called himself “The First Servant of the State” – main goal was to serve and strengthen the state

Joseph II of Austria • 1780 – 1790 • Introduced legal reforms and freedom of the press • Religious tolerance – even for Jews and Protestants! • Got rid of serfdom and insisted that peasants get $

Catherine the Great • She had a horrible marriage and eventually had her husband (Joseph III, the czar of Russia) killed in order to take over the country • Ruled Russia from 1762 - 1796

Catherine the Great cont. • Ruled Russia with absolute authority, but also modernized and reformed the country • Influenced by Beccaria, Montesquieu and Voltaire • Never helped the Russian peasants and eventually gave the nobles absolute authority over their serfs • Also expanded Russia – fought for years for access to the Baltic Sea and the navigation routes in the Black and Mediterranean seas. Also took over much of Poland. • Catherine enlarged Russia and Russia soon became and international power.

More Catherine… • “I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly. ” • “It is better to be subject to the Laws under one Master, than to be subservient to many. ” • “What is the true End of Monarchy? Not to deprive People of their natural Liberty; but to correct their Actions, in order to attain the supreme Good. “ – Catherine the Great