Transcript Key Thinkers of the Enlightenment Era

Key English Philosophers
Intellectual changes
• The English Civil war led to important
changes in government and in the way
people thought about government.
– Two English philosophers, Thomas Hobbes, and
John Locke, developed opinions on
government’s role in people’s lives.
– Later, during the Enlightenment era, many other
thinkers, called philosophes expressed their own
opinions on government and human nature.
Thomas Hobbes
• Lived during the
English Civil War and
was disturbed by all
the chaos it created.
• He expressed his views
in a book called
Leviathan. (1651)
Leviathan
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Hobbes believed that the first
people on earth lived in
anarchy, which was the state
of nature.
In order to avoid chaos,
people elected a ruler. Then,
they made a social contract,
which gave the leader
absolute power.
–
In return for their
protection, the people
gave up individual rights.
Hobbes believed that people
acted from self-interest
without thought towards
others.
•
He felt that the world was
a place where only the
strong survived unless
order was maintained by a
strong ruler.
John Locke
•
Locke disagreed with
Hobbes and wrote a
book called it Two
Treatises of Government .
•
He believed in the social
contract, but thought
people only had to give
up some of their rights.
Teachings of Two Treatises of
Government
1. People had the right to
life, liberty, and property.
– Rulers were expected
to preserve these
rights.
2. Individual rights were
more important than the
laws and governments.
3. Absolute rulers went
against human nature and
should be overthrown.
The Enlightenment
Beliefs of the Enlightenment.
1. Reason and the
scientific method
could be explained in
human nature.
2. The laws of natured
governed the
universe.
3. To live in harmony,
people had to live
according to natural
law.
Philosophes
• Thinkers of the Enlightenment were called philosophes.
– Comes from the French word for philosopher.
• Critics of society who published ideas in books, plays,
pamphlets, and newspapers.
• Their most famous work was The Encyclopedia which
described the ideas of the Enlightenment.
Key Political Philosophes
Baron de Montesquieu
Wrote The Spirit of
the Laws, which
described the perfect
government.
1. Argued for division of
power between
branches of
government.
• Very influential in
U.S. Constitution.
•
Voltaire
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2.
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“I may disapprove of what you say,
but I will defend to the death your
right to say it.”
Exemplified the spirit of
the Enlightenment.
Wrote Philosophical
Letters and Candide.
Highly intolerant of
attempts to suppress
personal freedoms.
Opposed prejudice,
bigotry, and oppressive
government.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
•
Wrote The Social
Contract.
1. People are naturally
good but corrupted by
environment.
2. People can preserve
nature by choosing
and controlling
selves. (popular
sovereignty) .
“Man is born free; and everywhere
he is in chains. One thinks himself
the master of others, and still
remains a greater slave than they”
Mary Wollstonecraft
•
Wrote A Vindication
of the Rights of
Woman (1792).
1. Argued that
Enlightenment ideals
of equality should be
given to women.
The American Revolution
Background
• Enlightenment thinkers inspired new ideas
about popular sovereignty in the American
colonies.
– Many in the colonies felt that they should be
governed by the same laws as citizens of Great
Britain.
• Meanwhile, the French and Indian War
(Seven Years’ War) left Britain heavily in
debt and they expected the colonists to help
pay.
Beginnings of a Conflict
1. In 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act which
imposed taxes on man different documents.
–
In response, the colonies boycotted British goods and
forced Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act.
2. Parliament continued to pass new taxes and the
colonists argued “no taxation without
representation.”
3. In 1760, King George III came to power and was
determined to force the colonies to obey.
The Colonists Take Sides
• About 1/3 of Americans believed that
breaking away from Britain was the only
way to guarantee their rights. These were
called Patriots.
• Those who opposed independence were
called Loyalists and were about 1/3 of the
colonies, as well.
• The remaining third did not take sides at all.
Boston Tea Party
• Parliament forced the
British East India Tea
Company to have a
monopoly over the tea
trade in the colonies.
• This angered the colonists
so angry colonists threw a
shipment of tea overboard.
• Parliament responded by
closing the Boston Port and
passing other cruel acts.
These came to be known as
the Intolerable Acts.
Conflict Begins
• In April of 1775, British troops tried to seize
weapons and gunpowder in the towns of Lexington
and Concord and fought groups of armed colonists.
The revolution had begun.
The Declaration of Independence
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On July 4, 1776, the
colonists declared their
independence from
Britain.
They sent King George a
document called “The
Declaration of
Independence” written
by Thomas Jefferson.
The Declaration was
heavily influenced by
Enlightenment
philosophers like John
Locke.
Ideas of the Declaration of
Independence
1. All men are created equal and have the
right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness”.
2. Government must come from the people
and that it cannot exist without the
consent of its citizens.
3. Government is created to protect
individual rights and if it does not, the
citizens have the right to rebel.
The War for Independence
Beginnings
1. At first, a lack of unity among the colonies
helped the British. Congress was slow to
send weapons, supplies, and to appoint
officers.
–
Congress had to borrow money and print paper
currency to pay for the war.
2. The soldiers were also poorly trained.
3. One advantage the colonists had was good
leadership, like George Washington.
European involvement
• France was eager to oppose British interests
internationally, so they sent officers, troops,
weapons, ships, and money. Large amounts
of troops were not sent until the end of the
war, however.
Major Battles
• Much of the fighting took place between 1776 and
1781.
Saratoga
• October 1777. Major turning point in the war
when the Americans defeated a British force led by
John Burgoyne.
– After this battle, the Americans seemed to have a
reasonable chance of winning so the French formed an
alliance with the U.S. Spain and the Netherlands soon
joined in.
Map of Battle of Saratoga
Major Battles
Yorktown
• In 1781, the Americans and French allies
trapped the main British army and forced the
British to surrender the war.
• Peace negotiations, led by Ben Franklin
lasted two years. They ended with the
signing of the Treaty of Paris, which gave
the colonies their independence.
Map of the Battle of Yorktown
Governing a New Nation
• Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation,
whose central government was too weak.
• Many were unhappy, so each state sent delegates to
Philadelphia, PA.
• There, they wrote the Constitution, which adopted
a federal system of government.
– divided into three branches (executive, legislative, and
judicial)
– Some felt the Constitution did not govern the rights of
the individual, so the Bill of Rights was added to protect
freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and
petition.
Effects of American Independence
1. MAJOR event in world history. Put into
practice the ideas of the enlightenment.
2. Landmark example of democratic
government in world history.
3. Not perfect. Women not allowed to vote
and slavery remained.