Transcript The Enlightenment

The
Enlightenment
Challenging Absolutism
Causes of the Enlightenment
The Renaissance & Reformation




Humanism: encouraged people to learn
Printing Press: spread new ideas & recreate
old ancient texts
Martin Luther & 95 Thesis: people
challenged ideas supported by the RCC
Questioning Spirit
Causes of the Enlightenment
The Scientific Revolution


Scientific Method: encouraged people to
challenge and test theories
Scientists challenged the science of the RCC
 Geocentric versus the heliocentric theory
Causes of the Enlightenment
Age of Absolutism

Absolutism:
 All power in government belongs to a
monarch
--No separation of powers or checks
and balances
 Divine
right: position of monarch was
created by God
Causes of the Enlightenment
Age of Absolutism

Corrupt & abusive rulers and gov’t officials
 Arbitrary laws/punishments
 Unequal and over taxation
 Religious persecution
Causes of the Enlightenment
Age of Absolutism
EXAMPLES???
Causes of Enlightenment
The Bourgeoisie

Middle class education
 Printer press created cheaper books
 Excess income & leisure time
Causes of Enlightenment
The Bourgeoisie

French salons
 Gatherings of intellectuals
 Ideas spread
Causes of Enlightenment
The Bourgeoisie

Lack of political rights
 Heavily taxed
 Not political privileged due to birth
John Locke
“Consent of the governed”
Main Ideas
 Gov’t
gets its authority to rule
from the citizens
 Citizens
have the right to
overthrow an unjust gov’t
Impact on Democracy



Declaration of Independence
Right to vote
Impeachment process
Montesquieu
“All men are born equal”
Main Ideas
 All
men are born equal
 Gov’t
must protect that equality
through laws
 Separation
of powers
Impact on Democracy



Declaration of Independence
U.S. Constitution
 13-15th Amendments
 Women’s Suffrage Movement & 19th
Amendment
 Civil Rights Movement leads to Civil Rights
Act
Three branches of gov’t = check/balances
Voltaire
“Let us crush the infamous ones”
Main Ideas
 Freedom
of Religion
 Freedom
of Speech
Impact on Democracy

1st Amendment Bill of Rights

Freedom of RELIGION, ASSEMBLY, PRESS,
PETITION, SPEECH
Rousseau
“The will of the people”
Main Ideas
 Decisions
should be made based
on the common good
 Direct democracy is the best type
of gov’t
Impact on Democracy
 Voting
rights
 Congressional representatives
Beccaria
“Laws should not avenge crime”
Main Ideas

Laws exist to preserve social order

On Crimes and Punishments (1764)

Abolishment of torture, arbitrary and cruel
punishments, irregular trial proceedings,
and capital punishment
Impact on Democracy
 Bill
of Rights
 Miranda Rights
 Habeas Corpus Rights
Mary
Wollstonecraft
“If all men are born free, how is it that
all women are born slaves?”
Main Ideas

Marriage should be equal

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
(1792)
 Women should receive education
equal to men, have equal job
opportunities, and participate in
politics
Impact on Democracy
 Women’s
suffrage movement
 Equal Rights Act
Enlightened Despots
Pages 638-639 (561-562 in the old book)
1. What political and economic reforms
were made by the monarch?
2. In what ways did the monarch refuse to
make changes?
3. Was the monarch enlightened or not?
Justify your opinion using facts.
Enlightened Despots
Using pages 517, 559-560 take notes on p.
27-28 in the Enlightenment packet.
1. What political and economic reforms
were made by the monarch?
2. In what ways did the monarch refuse to
make changes?
3. Was the monarch enlightened or not?
Justify your opinion using facts.
Enlightened
Despots of
Europe
Divine Right of Kings


16th century political theory
Rulers are chosen by God and answerable
for their actions only to God
Enlightened Despot

Themes of the Enlightenment:


Reason, Logic, Natural Rights, Happiness,
Liberty
Absolute ruler who used their power to
create reform
--avoided wars, abolish torture and capital
punishment, increase political/economic
freedoms, abolish serfdom
Hapsburg Austria: Maria
Theresa (1740-80)

absolute ruler
 Reforms:
Forced the nobles &
clergy to pay taxes
 Lowered taxes of
peasants
 Decreased amount of
labor for peasants
 Created public education

Hapsburg Austria: Maria
Theresa (1740-80)
 Refusals
change:
to make
Limited rights after
American Rev
 Invaded Poland

Prussia: Frederick II (the Great)
1712-1786
 Reforms:
Lessened
censorship
 Religious
tolerance
 Public education
 Reformed justice
system
 Abolished torture

Prussia: Frederick II (the Great)
1712-1786
 Refusal
to
make change:
Invaded Poland &
Austria
 Kept serfdom to
keep support from
landowners

Catherine the Great:
end of
 Reforms:
th
18
Read philosophers &
communicated with
Voltaire
 Recommended
religious tolerance &
abolishment of capital
punishment & torture

century
Catherine the Great:
end of

th
18
Refusal to change:
century
Crushed serf rebellion
 Gave nobles complete
power over serfs
 Waged war with Ottomans
and Poland
 Ended all reform when the
French Rev began

The Gold Room
The Catherine Palace at Pushkin – what are the gold domes in the background?