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The Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment. What was the Enlightenment?. 1700s Center: Paris, France Intellectual movement Explosion of ideas/writing about: Science Government Religion Society. The Enlightenment: Precursors. Renaissance Encourages secularism, criticism, belief in reason

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The Age of Enlightenment

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  1. The Age of Enlightenment

  2. What was the Enlightenment? • 1700s • Center: Paris, France • Intellectual movement • Explosion of ideas/writing about: • Science • Government • Religion • Society

  3. The Enlightenment: Precursors • Renaissance • Encourages secularism, criticism, belief in reason • Protestant Reformation • Questions authority of church • Age of Exploration • Exchange of ideas with other peoples

  4. The Enlightenment: Concepts • Natural Laws • Human behavior governed by laws of nature • God does not direct all human behavior • Reason Scientific method • Truth is found through logical thought • Progress • Encouraged new ideas, inventions • Valued innovation and creativity

  5. The Enlightenment: Concepts • Criticism • Every person, institution, and idea subject to criticism • Skeptical of religion, superstition • SCIENCE

  6. The Philosophes • Thinkers of the Enlightenment • People from all backgrounds: law, nobility, science, etc. • Philosophe is simply the French word for philosopher • approach a subject in a critical and inquiring spirit

  7. The Big (French) Three • Voltaire • Freedom of thought • Montesquieu • Checks and balances in government • Rousseau • Distrusted reason, society

  8. The Encyclopedie • Written 1751-1780 • Edited by Denis Diderot • Banned by the Roman Catholic Church • Covered many topics: • Science • Literature • History • Politics

  9. The Salon • Salon: French word for lounge, living room • Meeting place of philosophes • Discuss politics, religion, philosophy • Homes of influential women hostesses • Madame Geoffrin

  10. Government • Thinkers differ in ideas about government • Voltaire, Montesquieu favor Britain • Most believe in rights of man • Right to representation • Freedoms of speech, religion • Many favor enlightened despotism

  11. Enlightened Despotism • Monarch is in power, but…. • He/she follows principles of Enlightenment: • Freedom of speech, press, religion Examples: • Frederick the Great – Prussia • Catherine the Great – Russia

  12. Impact of the Enlightenment • American Revolution, Constitution • French Revolution • Latin American Independence Movement • United Nations – Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

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