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The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment. The French. France 1650-1789. Louis XIV The “Sun King” famous for his extravagance. An absolute monarch, controlled all aspects of the French government. The Rich get Richer Huge disparity in wealth, 2% of the population held 98% of the wealth. Salons

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The Enlightenment

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  1. The Enlightenment The French

  2. France 1650-1789 • Louis XIV • The “Sun King” famous for his extravagance. An absolute monarch, controlled all aspects of the French government. • The Rich get Richer • Huge disparity in wealth, 2% of the population held 98% of the wealth. • Salons • Encouraged by Louis XIV, hosted by aristocratic women, thinkers came to discuss the problems of the nation. Brought in thinkers like Locke and scientists like Isaac Newton.

  3. Charles-Louis Montesquieu • Bio b. 1689-d. 1750 • A Baron, drew a lot of inspiration from Locke. An amateur sociologist, spent years gathering data on different cultures. • Writings • The Spirit of Laws, 1748 • Ideas • Focused on the separation of power and checks and balances. • Did not single out one type of government as the best. Different forms were better in different situations.

  4. Jean-Jacques Rousseau • Bio b. 1712-d. 1778 • Born in Switzerland, apprenticed as an engraver before moving to France to be a musician and composer. Became friends with other philosophers like, Diderot and gained fame after he won an essay competition. • Writings • Emile, 1762 • The Social Contract, 1762 • Ideas • Argued the progression of science and arts had lead to corruption of virtue and morality. • Government must exist to protect the free will of man • Humans are inherently good and a return to nature will foster this. • Individual will benefits the general will.

  5. Voltaire • Bio b. 1694- d. 1778 • Born Francois-Marie Arouet, a playwright, known for his wit and satire. Exiled to England, became friends with Locke and Newton. Wrote over 60 plays and novels and countless poems and letters. • Writings • Candide, 1759 • Ideas • A Deist, called Christianity a “glorified superstition.” • Supported the monarchy and worked for judicial reform. • Valued reason over superstition and intolerance. • Used satire to criticize without drawing legal fire.

  6. Denis Diderot • Bio b. 1713-d. 1784 • Writer and philosopher, spent most of his life collecting and editing the Encyclopedie, an attempt to catalogue all of human knowledge. • Writings • Encyclopedie, 1751-1772 • Ideas • The Encyclopedie collected the writings and ideas of Enlightenment thinkers to allow people to form their own opinions on government and religion. • A scientist, posited origins of life without divine intervention • Materialist philosophy, matter is the only thing that exists

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