Era 7 topic 2: Enlightenment

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Era 7 - topic 2: Enlightenment

The Enlightenment period

The Enlightenment

From around 1700

• A period in which people wanted to increase their knowledge by using their  common sense (ratio)
• They no longer needed God's help
• As a result people got more critical towards king, church and nobility

Learning goals

• You name four enlightened philosophers and explain their ideas: Separation of powers, (democratic) revolutions, fundamental rights, democracy.

Previous era's 

- Renaissance: more interest in science from the Antiquity.

- Scientifical Revolution: people did more research and discovered many things. 

Knowledge

Scientifical Revolution:

• Empirism: knowledge by observing
• Rationalism: knowledge by using the common sense (ratio)

You are about to watch a clip about the meaning of the Enlightenment. The following philosophers will appear:

• Montesqieu
• Rousseau
• Locke
• Smith
• Diderot
• Spinoza
• Voltaire

Write the names which are underlined in your notebook. Leave enough space for notes.

Whilst watching take notes about these persons. 

The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment

• As cause of the scientifical revolution 
• Think for your self, do not believe anything blindly (use ratio)

Ideas of the Enlightenment

1. People should be free and have human rights.
2. More power to the people (more democracy and a constitution) 
3. Seperation of church and state
4. Common sense is important and must be used by everyone (ratio)

The Enlightened Thinkers and religion

Enlightened thinkers 

• God created the Earth but does not intervene.
• Er is not just 1 true religion

Cause:

• In favour of freedom of religion
• against the power of the church

Most important thinker: Voltaire (Fr. 1694-1778)

Enlightened thinkers and equality

Enlightened thinkers: 

• All people are equal and free

Consequence: 

• against society of estates (society of orders)
• against slavery and slave trade  (Abolitionism)

Enlightened thinkers and politics   1

Enlightened thinkers:

• The king must serve his citizens
• The people should be able to dethrone the king
• The real power lies with the people

Consequence:

• Against absolutism
• in favour of democracy

The king's reactions

Forbidding the books and works of the Enlightened thinkrers.

OR:

Taking over some Enlightened ideas whilst keeping in full power

= Enlightened Absolutism 

The Enlightened thinkers and politics    2

John Locke (Eng, 1632-1704)

Het volk geeft de koning macht en zij mogen een slechte koning afzetten. 

Charles de Montesquieu (Fr, 1689-1755)

Trias politica: the separation of powers

Jean Jacques Rousseau (Fr, 1712-1778)

A social contract between the people and their government to form a society together. (democracy)

What is an estate-based society?

1. A society in which there's great equality
2. A society divided into estates
3. A society that revolved around religion
4. A society ruled by clerics

How many estates were there in 18th century France?

1. 1 estate
2. 2 estates
3. 3 estates
4. 4 estates

What were the three estates in 18th century France?

1. Clergy, nobility, 3rd estate (soldiers)
2. Soldiers, nobility, 3rd estate (citizens/workers/farmers)
3. Clergy, nobility, 3rd estate (citizens/workers/farmers)

Which of the three estates was treated in a inequal manner?

1. the 1st estate
2. the 2nd estate
3. the 3rd estate

With estates had mostly rights and very few duties?

1. The farmers, citizens and nobility
2. The clergy and nobility
3. The clergy, the farmers and citizens
4. The citizens, clergy and nobility

"We do pay taxes, but have no say in government. That is unfair! "
To which group does this statement belong?

1. Farmers
2. Wealthy citizens
3. Nobility
4. Clergy

Which sentence or sentences are correct?
1 Enlightened thinkers felt that people should decide themselves what to believe.
2 They were against religious tolerance.
3 They believed there was a logical explanation for everything.
4 Before the Enlightenment, almost everyone believed that God no longer intervened in life.

1. Sentences 1 and 3
2. Sentence 4
3. Sentences 1, 3 and 4
4. Sentences 2 and 3

Which enlightened thinker developed the 'Trias Politica'?

1. John Locke
2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
3. Charles de Montesquieu
4. Baruch Spinoza

Why is Trias Politica important?

1. It prevents abuse of power.
2. More people are involved in government.
3. The king receives help in the administration.
4. It leads to more equality.

Which sentences match enlightened thinkers?
1. If a ruler doesn't perform well, the ruler can be replaced by the people.
2. The power of the government should be divided among the government, parliament and judges.
3. A king doesn't have to answer for his actions to anyone.
4. The Church should have a say in government.

1. 1 and 2
2. 1 and 3
3. 2 and 3
4. 2 and 4

Which sentences match the Ancien Régime?
1. Every state should have a constitution which sets out the citizens right's and duties and government's organisation .
2. Rulers received their power from God.
3. Kings and ministers were given their power by the people.
4. The king is the law.

1. 1 and 2
2. 1 and 3
3. 2 and 3
4. 2 and 4