The Age of Enlightenment
1700-1789
Objective
To understand the ideas behind the Age of Enlightenment
To understand how those ideas affected politics and society
The Age of Enlightenment
A period of intellectual exchange in Europe during the 18th century
“Progress”
A desire for political and social change
The Age of Enlightenment
What made the Enlightenment possible?
The Philosophes (Fee-luh-zawes)
Intellectuals who discussed ideas
Used reason to explain their world
Believed that Reason could improve society
Believed in tolerance for all religions
The Philosophes: How might the Salon encourage the free exchange of ideas?
Voltaire (1694-1778)
French intellectual who criticized French society
Voltaire
He was critical of intolerance and of attempts to suppress personal freedoms.
“I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
He championed the cause of religious freedom and freedom of thought.
John Locke (1632-1704)
John Locke (1632-1704)
Treatises on Government: that individual rights were superior to laws and governments.
Essay on Human Understanding
“Tabula Rasa”
Denis Diderot (1713-1784)
Published the Encyclopedia in 1772
Attempt to compile information on everything
Denis Diderot (1713-1784)
The Encyclopedia
Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) French political philosopher
The Spirit of the Laws: tried to describe the perfect government.
He believed in a division of government into three branches. Checks and balances. Executive, legislative, and judicial branches
Baron de Montesquieu(1689-1755)
Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677)
Jewish philosopher in Amsterdam
Belief in religious toleration
Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677)
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) The Social Contract (1762) Believed that
all people are naturally good, but that environment, education, and laws corrupt them.
The “General Will” Good Gov’t was popular sovereignty: that
gov’t must be created by and controlled by the people.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Adam Smith (1723-1790)
First modern economist
The Wealth of Nations (1776)
Laissez-Faire
Adam Smith (1723-1790)
The Wealth of Nations
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of
Women
Founder of modern feminism That men as well as women should be equal
and enjoy the same rights!
Mary Wollstonecraft(1759-1797)
The American Revolution
Was the American Revolution just a revolt against British taxation?
How was it based on Enlightenment principles?
In what ways is the Declaration of Independence based on John Locke’s Treatises on Government?
Conclusion
The Enlightenment was a period of intellectual exchange in Europe during the 18th century
Several factors contributed to the Enlightenment
Philosophes expressed desire for social and political change