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Enlightenment Ideas and the

Explore how Enlightenment ideas by thinkers like Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau influenced the American Revolution. Discover their views on government, human nature, and rights.

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Enlightenment Ideas and the

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  1. Enlightenment Ideasand the American Revolution

  2. The Enlightenment… • a philosophical, intellectual, and cultural movement of the 17th and 18th centuries (1600s and 1700s) • started in Europe and came later to America

  3. The Enlightenment… • applied the Scientific Revolution to human society • believed the use of reason and scientific method could be used improve society

  4. Thomas Hobbes • Leviathan (1651) • before civilization, human life was: • “nasty, brutish, and short” • guided by self-preservation -- not by reason and morality

  5. Thomas Hobbes Hobbes’ SOCIAL CONTRACT: • people agreed to create gov’t for protection • absolute rulers are best way to have an orderly society **Hobbes has a negative view of human nature.

  6. John Locke • wrote Two Treatises on Government : “no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.” • people are born with unalienableNATURAL RIGHTS from God **Locke has a positive view of human nature.

  7. John Locke GOVERNMENT must …. • protect people's natural rights (2) be limited in power (3) have the consent of the governed

  8. John Locke SOCIAL CONTRACT…. • an agreement between the people and gov’t • If gov’t. fails to protect people’s natural rights, then people have the right to overthrow it!

  9. Montesquieu • The Spirit of the Laws (1748) IDEAS: • a separation of powers: divide powers between three separate branches of gov’t. -- to protect the people’s liberty • creates checks and balances

  10. Jean-Jacques Rousseau Authority lies with the people! • The Social Contract, written in 1762 • (1) man is born free • (2) controls by a freely formed gov’t. are good • (3) consent to a form of gov’t. means that the individual gives up self-interest in favor of the common good • (4) when gov’t. is by the consent of the governed the people retain their rights

  11. Impact on the U.S.? • LOCKE:natural rights part of Decl. of Indep. and Constitution ….your rights are “locked-in” • MONTESQUIEU:three branches of gov’t, checks and balances … Mon – te- squieu(3 syllables) • ROUSSEAU:consent of the governed

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