The Enlightenment and Democratic Revolutions

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The Enlightenment and Democratic Revolutions

• Prologue Sec 4

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I Enlightenment thinkers and Ideas

• Apply reason and science to all aspects of life
• Combined ideas of
• 1. Ancient Greece Natural Laws
• 2. Christianity/Judaism Equality of People
• 3. Renaissance Worldly Concerns
• 4. Scientific Revolution rational thought over
  traditional Beliefs (Scientific Method)

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• C. Hobbes (Leviathan) the social contract
  People give up rights for Safetya neg. view of
  humanity
• D. Locke (Two treatise on Government) Natural
  Rights absolute right to overthrow bad
  governmenthe had a more optimistic view

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• E. Voltaire Free Speech and Religion--tolerance
• F. Rousseau Free individuals create a
  government that responds to peoples will, Wrote
  The Social Contract

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• G. Montesquieu Separation of Powers
• 1. Legislature Make laws
• 2. Executive Enforce Laws
• 3. Courts To interpret laws

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II. Beginnings of Democracy in America

• A. Americans Protest British Policies after
  French and Indian War. England
• 1. put tax burden on colonies for cost of war
• 2. put more soldiers in colonies
• 3 would not let colonists settle west of
  Appalachian Mountains
• 4. did not let colonies have representation in
  Parliament--Taxation w/out representation

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• B. Americans Win Independence (1775 1781)

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• C. Enlightenment Ideas shape the Constitution
  (1789)
• 1. Representative Govt.
• 2. Federal system Central, State and Local
  Govt.
• 3. 3 branches of govt.

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III. The French Revolution

• Causes of Revolution
• 1. Louis XVI was a weak leader
• 2. Unfair tax burden on Poor
• 3. Peasants thought govt. did not care about them

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• B. Early Reforms of the Revolution
• 1. Declaration of Rights of Man Citizens basic
  rights
• 2. Reformed Courts
• 3. Constitution calling for Limited Monarchy

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• C. Reforms Undone
• 1. Outside monarchies went to war with France
• 2. Reign of Terror
• 3. Eventually becomes a dictatorship to control
  chaos due to lack of leadership

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III. Struggle for Democracy Continues

• United Nations promotes democracy set worldwide
  standard for how humans should be treated (1948)
• New Movements toward democracy
• 1. Former Soviet Union (15 new Nations)
• 2. South Africa