Name
Class
Date
Chapter 17 Enlightenment and Revolution
Section 2
HSS 7.11
MAIN IDEAS
1. The Enlightenment influenced some
monarchies.
2. Enlightenment thinkers helped the growth
of democratic ideas.
3. In America, the Enlightenment inspired a
struggle for independence.
Students analyze political
and economic change in
the sixteenth, seventeenth,
and eighteenth centuries
(the Age of Exploration, the
Enlightenment, and the Age
of Reason).
Key Terms and People
John Locke
English philosopher who said government is a contract between ruler and
the people
Locke’s idea that every person has the right to life, liberty, and property
Charles-Louis Montesquieu French philosopher who said government should be
divided into separate branches, each branch limiting the power of the other branch
Jean-Jacques Rousseau French writer who proposed the idea of popular sovereignty
popular sovereignty government that expresses the will of the people
Benjamin Franklin American philosopher, scientiest, and statesman who argued
before the British Parliment for the repeal of extra taxes on colonists
Thomas Jefferson American statesman who proposed the idea of colonial
independence
natural rights
Academic Vocabulary
contract
a binding legal agreement
Section Summary
ENLIGHTENMENT INFLUENCE ON MONARCHIES
In the 1600s most European monarchs thought
they ruled by right imparted directly from God. The
Enlightenment challenged this belief. It inspired
some rulers to try to improve life for common
people. These rulers were called enlightened
despots. Although the enlightened despots made
some improvements in their countires, many
Enlightenment thinkers, began to consider the
need for democracy.
Look up the word “despot” in a
dictionary and write the definition
here:
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Chapter 17
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Interactive Reader and Study Guide
Name
Class
Date
Section 2, continued
DEMOCRATIC IDEAS
Three Enlightenment thinkers set the stage for
modern democracy. English philosopher John
Locke argued against a ruler’s divine right,
proposing instead that government should be based
on a contract between the ruler and the people. He
also said the government should have one goal: the
peace, safety, and public good of the people. Locke
said people had natural rights to life, liberty, and
property.
French thinker Charles-Louis Montesquieu
(mohn-te-SKYOO) expanded on these ideas, saying
that government should be divided into separate
branches, each one limiting the power of the other.
Another Frenchman, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (rooSOH), proposed the idea of popular sovereignty,
that governments express the will of the people.
THE ENLIGHTENMENT IN AMERICA
British colonists living in America were deeply
moved by these ideas. When the British government
began to chip away at what the colonists saw as
their rights, they began to protest. They began by
arguing against the extra taxes Britain imposed on
colonists for certain products. American printer and
scientist Benjamin Franklin traveled to London
and argued successfully in Parliament for the
repeal of these taxes. Franklin argued that the
British government had no right to tax the colonists
because the colonists had no representative in
Parliment. Meanwhile, Thomas Jefferson, a
scholar, scientist, and farmer, proposed the idea
of independence for the colonies.
What did John Locke believe was
the only goal of a government?
What is popular sovereignty?
Who were the two American
colonists who took conscious
action based on the ideas of Locke,
Montesquieu, and Rousseau?
CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
Critical Thinking: Drawing Inferences Write up your own legal contract
with your teacher about how to preserve the peace, safety, and public
good in your classroom. Be very specific and thoughtful about the rules
you choose. Remember, both sides need to follow rules. HSS Analysis
Skills CR 2, HI 1
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