Chapter 5 – The Enlightenment and the American Revolution
I.
Philosophy in the Age of Reason
A. Scientific Revolution Sparks the Enlightenment
1. How does science change the way people look at religion?
a. Natural Law – Rules or discoveries made by reason
B. Hobbes and Lock have conflicting views
1. Hobbes believes in Powerful Government
a. Leviathan – book by Hobbes
i. People are naturally cruel, greedy and selfish
ii. People must be strictly controlled
b. Social Contract – People should give up freedom for an organized society
i. A powerful government should run our lives
2. Locke Advocates Natural Rights
a. People were basically reasonable
b. Natural Rights – life, liberty and property
c. Governments job was to protect our lives
i. Government should have limited power, and be accepted by all citizens
ii. It the government fails, we have the right to overthrow
C. The Philosophes
1. Thinkers who used reason to reform governments, laws, etc…
2. Montesquieu
a. Separation of Powers
b. No one form of government should have too much power
i. Checks and Balances
3. Voltaire
a. Freedom of thought
b. Being able to speak your mind without getting in trouble
4. Diderot
a. Encyclopedia – group of books “to change the general way of thinking”
i. Had many articles from philosophes explaining their beliefs
5. Rousseau
a. The Social Contract (different from Hobbes)
i. “general will” of laws
ii. People are obligated to be good, and elect the government
6. Women and the Philosophes
a. Is a women’s role in the home?
i. Women argued for more rights outside of the home
D. New Economic Thinking
1. Laissez Fair replaces mercantilism
a. Laissez Faire – Leave it be economics
i. Government should not interfere with business
2. Smith Argues for a Free Market
a. Businesses should succeed or fail on their own.
II. Enlightenment Ideas Spread
A. New Ideas Challenge Society
1. Citizens of countries began to read pamphlets written by philosophes
2. Writers Face Censorship
a. Government and Church felt threatened by new way of thinking
b. Censorship – restricting access to ideas and information
3. Ideas Spread in Salons
a. Salon – informal social gathering
i. Philosophes met to discuss ideas
B. Arts and Literature Reflect New Ideas
C. Enlightened Despots Embrace New Ideas
1. Enlightened Despot – absolute ruler who used their power to bring about political change
2. Frederick the Great
a. Reduced torture, freedom of the press, simplified laws, tolerated religious differences
3. Catherine the Great
4. Joseph II Continues Reform
III. Birth of the American Republic
A. Britain becomes a global power
B. The colonies in the mid-1700’s
C. Colonists Express Discontent
1. Stamp Act, Sugar Act – Tax on imported goods to the colonies
2. Colonists Rebel Against Britain (1770)
a. Boston Massacre
i. Soldiers opened fire, killing five protestors
b. Boston Tea Party (1773)
i. British tea in to the harbor
3. Colonists declare independence
a. Thomas Jefferson - Declaration of Independence
i. Government’s obligation to protect the peoples natural rights of “life, liberty, property”
ii. According to Locke, people had the right to revolt
iii. Popular sovereignty – all power comes from the people
i. Because king was not fair, people had the right to revolt
D. The American Revolution Continues
E. A new Constitution
1. Enlightenment ideas have great impact
a. “We the people” refers to social contract between people and government
b. Separation of Powers – Checks and Balances
c. Bill of Rights – first ten amendments