Chapter 17: The Enlightenment and American Revolution

1

• Chapter 17 The Enlightenment and American
  Revolution
• Section 1 Philosophy in the Age of Reason
• Scientific Revolution Sparks the Enlightenment
• The Scientific Revolution changed the way
  Europeans viewed the world
• Educated Europeans lived by natural laws
  discovered by reason
• They studied human behavior to solve societal
  problems
• This evolved into the revolution in thinking
  known as the Enlightenment

2

• Hobbes and Locke have conflicting views
• Both of these men were key Enlightenment thinkers
• Thomas Hobbes believed in a powerful government
  to control people in their natural state
• He believed in the Social Contract and in an
  Absolute Monarchy
• In contrast, John Locke believed people were
  basically good and had natural rights
• Locke rejected Absolute Monarchy and favored
  Democracy
• He also believed in the right of the people to
  overthrow the government if it fails them

3

• His ideas would have an effect on the American
  Revolution
• The Philosophes
• Some Enlightenment Thinkers applied science to
  improve society
• They believed that the use of reason could reform
  all areas of society
• Baron de Montesquieu studied world governments
  and was critical of Absolute Monarchs
• In his book The Spirit of the Laws, he argues
  that the best governments are divided into
  different branches
• (legislative, executive and judicial)
• Vocab pg 544, 3-5 pg 548

4

• Montesquieu also believed in checks and balances
• The most famous philosophe was Voltaire
• He believed in saying what he thought
• Despite being exiled by the government and the
  Church, he defended the principle of free speech
• Denis Diderot produced a set of books called the
  Encyclopedia
• They contained articles by leading thinkers of
  the day
• They were criticized by the government and the
  church

5

• Despite this, the Encyclopedia influenced Europe
  and the Americas
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that people were
  naturally good, but corrupted by society
• He believed that government should be freely
  elected, but place controls on people (Social
  Contract)
• Philosophes argued that women had natural rights,
  but were limited to home and family
• Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication of the
  Rights of Women which argued for the rights of
  women

6

• New Economic Thinking
• Economic thinkers were known as physiocrats
• They believed in a natural law of economics
• They were anti mercantilist, and favored laissez
  faire
• They supported free trade and were opposed to
  tariffs
• Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations
• He believed that all aspects of the economy were
  fueled by supply and demand
• He believed in Laissez Faire but believed in
  strong governments to protect the citizens
• Vocab pg 550

7

• Section 2 Enlightenment Ideas Spread
• Enlightenment thinkers found traditional beliefs
  flawed
• The Challenge of New Ideas
• All levels of society accepted Enlightenment
  ideas
• Middle-class men met in coffeehouses to discuss
  new ideas
• People began to challenge old ways and wanted to
  achieve a just society
• Pre-enlightenment thinking included
• divine right rule
• strict class system
• heavenly reward for earthly suffering

8

• Post Enlightenment thinking included
• material well being
• social justice
• happiness in this world
• Enlightenment thinking alarmed both the Church
  and the government who believed the old system
  was put there by God
• They began a policy of censorship
• Despite this Enlightenment writers found ways to
  get published
• Enlightenment thinkers gathered in salons to
  share their ideas
• Salons became places where even women could share
  ideas

9

• Enlightened Despots
• Enlightened Despots were absolute rulers who used
  their power to bring about political and social
  change
• Some of these rulers included
• Frederick the Great
• Catherine the Great
• Joseph II
• Despite their reforms, these rulers, except
  Joseph, maintained absolute power
• The Arts and Literature
• Like the rest of society, artists adapted to
  changing times

10

• Changes in art, music and literature all
  reflected the changing mood of society and were
  opened up to all members of society
• Lives of the Majority
• In western Europe peasant life improved during
  the Enlightenment
• Despite some change, some serfdom survived
• 3-6 pg 555

11

• Section 3 Birth of the American Republic
• Britain Becomes a Global Power
• Several reasons Britain was a global force
• -location
• -climate
• -most dominate country in Europe
• -offered free trade with few restrictions
• King George III re-affirmed royal power and gave
  seats in parliament to friends
• The Colonies in the Mid 1700s
• The colonies were very prosperous for Britain
• They were beginning to develop their own distinct
  culture from Britain however

12

• Colonists Express Discontent
• King George III believed the colonists should
  help pay for Britain's costly wars
• These taxes led to the phrase no taxation
  without representation
• Tensions began to elevate between the colonists
  and Britain
• -Boston Massacre
• -Boston Tea Party
• Eventually in 1776 the Colonists declare their
  independence from England
• The Declaration of Independence contained key
  elements from European Enlightenment thinkers

13

• The American Revolution Continues
• Colonists were well outmatched by Britain
• They had some advantages however
• -geography
• -determination
• -Help from France
• Eventually in 1781 the colonists prevail and win
  the war
• Treaty of Paris officially ends the war
• Britain was forced to recognize the independence
  of the United States
• Vocab pg 557, 3-6 pg 563