The Enlightenment and the American Revolution. Philosophy in the Age of Reason

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1 The Enlightenment and the American Revolution Philosophy in the Age of Reason

2 The Enlightenment and the American Revolution A. By the early 1700s, European thinkers ( was out of reach for the human mind. ) thought nothing

3 The Enlightenment and the American Revolution Go, wondrous creature! Mount where science guides; Go, measure the earth, weigh the air, and state the tides; Instruct the planets in what orbs to run, Correct old Time, and regulate the sun. -Alexander Pope, Essay on Man

4 1. began in the 1500s-1600s during the Renaissance a. transformed the way educated Europeans looked at the world 2. expanded during the 1700s a. beginning of modern chemistry created b. Jenner s vaccine against smallpox 3. Human Reason a. scientists used reason and logic to find laws that governed the physical world b. some began to seek natural laws that possibly govern human nature i. beginning of sociology

5 a. sociologists begin to ask questions such as: i. What are the problems of society? Can they be solved? ii. What is the best form of government? iii. Why are humans the way they are? b. this application of science to social problems starts the philosophical revolution known as the Enlightenment

6 1. both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes lived through the English Civil War a. they asked the same sociological questions, but got very different answers b. disagreed on the best government c. disagreed on human nature

7 2. Thomas Hobbes (English) a. wrote the Leviathan b. argued humans were naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish c. argued life without laws and a strong government would result in a solitary, nasty, brutish, and short life d. to escape this terrible life, humans enter into a theoretical social contract i. an agreement where we give up our state of nature for an organized society e. favored an absolute monarchy for better or worse

8 3. John Locke (English) a. thought humans were basically reasonable and moral b. because humans are born good, we have natural rights i. rights that belong to ALL humans: life, liberty and property c. wrote Treatises of Government d. argued humans form governments to protect their natural rights i. if a government fails at this, then people have a right to overthrow that government! (advocates revolution) e. favored a limited monarchy i. when a monarchy is limited by laws

9 1. Baron de Montesquieu (French) a. traveled and studied various European forms of government b. read about ancient and foreign governments c. published The Spirit of Laws in Montesquieu argued for a separation of powers in government a. legislative, executive and judicial branches b. each branch can check the other two s powers c. favored the limited monarchy of England

10 1. many of the ideas of the Enlightenment were discussed in France in salons a. originated as house parties hosted by noble women b. art, philosophy, and other intellectual subjects were discussed; sometimes to parlor music (Mozart for ex.)

11 2. François-Marie Arouet (Voltaire) a. most famous of the Enlightenment philosophers b. battled inequalities, injustices and superstitions with his witty writings i. spoke out about the slave trade and religious prejudice c. major champion of free speech Question: What is free speech? Is it a good thing? d. eventually imprisoned and exiled due to his criticizing the Catholic Church and the French government Voltaire

12 3. Denis Diderot a. produced a 28-volume encyclopedia i. to change the general way of thinking b. contained articles on i. evils of human slavery ii. Praised freedom of expression iii. universal education for all iv. attacked divine right and absolutism c. 20,000 copies in less than 40 years i. eventually translated into many languages

13 4. Jean-Jacques Rousseau a. the most controversial Enlightenment philosopher i. from a poor family ii. seen as strange and difficult to work with b. agreed with Locke that people in their natural state were basically good i. the evils of society were what made people turn bad ii. biggest evil was the unequal distribution of wealth Question:

14 4. Jean-Jacques Rousseau c. wrote The Social Contract i. government should be freely elected by the people ii. governments should not limit too much personal behavior d. stressed the community was more important than the individual e. Rousseau s ideas would be read and adapted by early socialists

15 1. the Enlightenment slogan of Free and Equal did not apply to women 2. some leading women spoke out against the hypocrisy a. Germaine de Staël, Catharine Macaulay, and Mary Wollstonecraft

16 1. the study of human behavior and human societies (this application of science to social problems starts the philosophical revolution known as the Enlightenment) 2. an agreement where we give up our state of nature for an organized society 3. Wrote the Leviathan, argued humans were naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish. Also argued life without laws and a strong government would result in a solitary, nasty, brutish, and short life. 4. rights that belong to ALL humans: life, liberty and property 5. wrote Treatises of Government; argued humans form governments to protect their natural rights. Also thought humans were basically reasonable and moral. 6. originated as house parties hosted by noble women; art, philosophy, and other intellectual subjects were discussed; sometimes to parlor music (Mozart for ex.) 7. most famous of the Enlightenment philosophers; battled inequalities, injustices and superstitions with his witty writings a major champion of free speech

17 1. physiocrats a. Enlightenment philosophers who focused on economic issues b. like philosphers, they looked for natural laws that governed economics 2. physiocrats rejected mercantilism and embraced the policy of laissez faire a. allowing business to operate with little to no government interference b. real wealth was not possession of gold and silver, but rather making your land more productive c. supported free trade rather than high tariffs

18 3. Adam Smith (British) a. wrote Wealth of Nations b. pioneered and championed the ideas behind laissez faire economics i. Smith's ideas used during the Industrial Revolution c. showed how jobs, wages, unemployment, profits, supply and demand are all related i. rule of the invisible hand

19 1. most peasant s would not become hip to these new ideas until the end of the 1700s and beginning of the 1800s. 2. European governments and church authorities attempted to censor Enlightened ideas that threatened to drastically change society a. they believed God had created the Old Order b. performed censorship restricting access to ideas and information i. banned literature, burned books and imprisoned writers

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21 The Enlightenment and the American Revolution Philosophy in the Age of Reason

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23 What is our state of nature? What is the social contract? Worth it?

24 Answer yes or no to the following prompts: Alcohol Smoke cigarettes in a bar Marijuana Vaccinations Doctor-assisted suicide Hand guns Automatic assault riffles with armor-piercing bullets Gay marriage Abortion Own and fly drones

25 The Enlightenment and the American Revolution Philosophy in the Age of Reason

26 II. Enlightened Despots A. Absolute rulers who use their powers to bring about positive political and social change. 1. philosophers attempted to enlighten monarchs across Europe

27 II. Enlightened Despots B. Frederick the Great 1. King of Prussia from nicknamed First Servant of the State Question: What does this nickname tell us about Frederick s attitude? 3. admired Voltaire 4. created academies of science, helped the peasants, and granted greater religious tolerance In my kingdom, everyone can go to heaven in his own fashion F to the G

28 II. Enlightened Despots C. Catherine the Great 1. Tsarina of Russia 2. exchanged letters with Diderot and Voltaire a. men who fought the united enemies of humankind: superstition, fanaticism, ignorance and trickery 3. more ideas than action a. expanded Russia s borders but changed Russian society very little

29 II. Enlightened Despots D. Joseph II 1. Emperor of Austria; son of Maria Theresa 2. nicknamed the Peasant Emperor because he would travel in disguise as a poor peasant Question: Why would Joseph II want to travel in disguise within his own borders? 3. ended censorship and eased religious persecution 4. confiscated and sold Catholic Church property to build hospitals and schools 5. reforms were cancelled after his death

30 III. Britain in 1750 A. How did Britain, a small island nation, become so powerful? 1. geography made it easier to dominate trade = $ 2. won many wars a. own colonies in North American (Canada and US today) = $ b. India = $ c. controlled slave trade = $ 3. built superior navy (no standing army) 4. favorable business environment (laissez fair hands off dude) 5. government was a constitutional government a. a government whose power is defined and limited by laws (constitutions)

31 III. Britain in 1750 A. How did Britain, a small island nation, become so powerful? 6. England unites with neighbors to become the United Kingdom of Britain a. union with Scotland in 1707 b. Wales c. begin to dominate Ireland and suppress Catholicism and Irish traditions

32 III. Britain in 1750 B. King George III 1. attempts to reassert absolute power; fails 2. tries to pressure American (still British) colonists to pay more tax $; fails

33 IV. The American Revolution A. Thomas Paine s Common Sense Tis repugnant to reason, to the universal order of things, to all examples from former ages, to suppose that this continent can long remain subject to any external power Question: Paine states that it will be impossible for a nation to rule the Americas as a colony for much longer

34 IV. The American Revolution B. the 13 American British colonies revolt over taxes without representation among other issues 1. slogans of Join, or Die and Don t Tread on Me

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36 IV. The American Revolution C. George Washington leads the overmatched Constitutional Army D. July 4 th, 1776 American colonies sign the Declaration of Independence Question: E. The Revolution 1. Americans outmatched but fighting for freedom and have home-field advantage 2. French agree to help Americans in war over by 1781 and Treaty of Paris signed in Yorktown, Virginia

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38 Enlightenment Review Matching: Important Humans Thomas Hobbes John Locke Baron de Montesquieu François-Marie Arouet (Voltaire) Denis Diderot Jean-Jacques Rousseau Adam Smith The Enlightened Despots Frederick, Catherine the Great & Joseph II Benjamin Franklin King George III George Washington Matching key terms philosophers Sociology the Enlightenment social contract state of nature natural rights limited monarchy separation of powers salons free speech physiocrats laissez faire free trade censorship