THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT. Time of Great Change in Thought

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1 THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Time of Great Change in Thought 1

2 OBJECTIVES Students will examine ideas of natural law in the Age of Reason Students will describe how the Enlightenment affected the arts and literature Students will analyze the events that led to the American Revolution 2

3 VOCABULARY I natural laws: rules of conduct discoverable by reason natural rights: rights that belong to all humans from birth, such as life, liberty and property social contract: an agreement by which people gave up their freedom to a powerful government in order to avoid chaos laissez-faire: policy allowing business to operate with little or no government interference 3

4 VOCABULARY II philosophe: French for philosopher ; French thinkers who desired reform in society during the Enlightenment salons: informal social gathering at which writers, artists, philosophes and others exchanged ideas federal republic: government in which power is divided between the national, or federal, government and the states popular sovereignty: basic principle of the American system of government which asserts that the people are the source of any and all governmental power, and the government can exist only with the consent of the people 4

5 SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION SPARKS THE ENLIGHTENMENT Scientific laws that became cemented by Newton and other scientists brought about a greater understanding of natural law Modern philosophy is born from the discussion of what is natural when discussing human behavior Enter the Age of Reason, a time to discuss the natural state of humanity, and the Enlightenment 5

6 HOBBES VS. LOCKE Thomas Hobbes wrote in 1651 Leviathan People are naturally greedy, cruel, selfish To avoid a life that is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short we enter into a social contract to maintain an orderly society (absolute monarchy) John Locke would counter Hobbes in 1690 Two Treatises of Government People formed a government to protect their natural rights Government has an obligation to the people; people have an obligation to monitor that government 6

7 THE PHILOSOPHIES 1700s saw a flourishing of Enlightenment thinkers from France - the philosophies Separation of powers advocated by Montesquieu: executive, legislative, judicial; checks and balances Voltaire advocating freedom of speech Diderot - Encyclopedia; banned for ideas Jean-Jacques Rousseau - people are basically good; corrupted by the unequal distribution of wealth Meeting place to discuss ideas and theories - the French salons 7

8 ECONOMIC THINKING Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, describes an understanding of market economy Rather than have absolute control of markets by government, businesses and consumers will act in their best interests Policies of laissez-faire emerge Little to no government regulation 8

9 ENLIGHTENMENT INFLUENCE IN ART Intellectuals influence major events; influence spreads to artistic expression Challenge to societies ideas of proper or normal Sees a revolution in music, art, architecture and literature Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 9

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11 BAROQUE VS. ROCOCO Art and architecture of the time reflected changes Louis XIV s court featured ornate and lavish paintings that glorified battles or the lives of saints Examples of baroque art Louis XV was much less formal and reflected rococo styles Lighter, elegant and charming Meant to encourage imagination 11

12 BAROQUE 12

13 ROCOCO 13

14 ENLIGHTENED DESPOTS Many absolute monarchs of the time embraced ideas of the Enlightenment Maintained strict control over their country s, but attempted to minimize it, to some degree Idea was to become more modern Frederick the Great - liked Voltaire s ideas Government policy of tortured continued, but not as much 14

15 ENGLISH COLONIES Britain rises as pre-eminent power - 2nd major global power (Spain: 1500s & early 1600s) England had colonies all over the world: West Indies, India, Africa, America Colonists in the New World build several colonies modeled after English government Loyal to King George III from 1760 and considered themselves English subjects Expected same rights as British subjects living in Britain 15

16 13 COLONIES IN REVOLT Great Britain sees all colonies as opportunity to gain financial growth French and Indian War - drain on resources Stamp Acts in ability to reclaim losses Colonists upset about taxation without representation Issue declarations to get change At first, England responds, but eventually grows weary of colonists complaints Continued protests lead to growing frustration Battle of Lexington; Declaration of Independence (Thomas Jefferson) Justification found in Locke s ideas - seek to gain popular sovereignty 16

17 FRAMERS OF CONSTITUTION With support of French, American s defeat British in 1781 American s struggle with how best to form a new government 13 independent nations or 1? Articles of Confederation Gather in Philadelphia for the Constitutional Convention - drafted our Constitution James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington Create a government modeled as a federal republic Power divided between federal and states; three branches - checks & balances (Montesquieu) Defined Bill of Rights - of individuals 17

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