Warm-up: Write your answer to this question:

Do

you think that people are mostly good with some bad tendencies or inherently bad/greedy?

The Enlightenment
Philosophers

The Enlightenment
18th

Century European movement in which thinkers attempted to apply the principles of reason and the scientific method to all aspects of society.
AKA The Age of Reason

The Enlightenment
Characteristics:

Applied reason to the human world, not just the natural world Led to religious tolerance Led to democratic revolutions

 Thomas

Hobbes (England) John Locke (England) Baron de Montesquieu (France) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (France) Voltaire (France)

Enlightenment Thinkers

English Philosophers

Thomas Hobbes
Famous

Work:

Leviathan

Thomas Hobbes

Beliefs: Natural state of man is war Strong central government needed to keep order Supported Absolute Monarchy Supported a social contract

John Locke
Famous

Work:

Two Treatises on Government

John Locke
Beliefs:

Governments power comes from the people. Governments job is to protect people and their rights.
Did NOT support Absolute Monarchy

John Locke
People are born free and equal with three Natural Rights:
Life Liberty Property

John Locke
Greatly

inspired Thomas Jeffersons writing of the Declaration of Independence.

French Philosophes

Montesquieu
Famous

The Spirit of Laws

Work:

Montesquieu
Beliefs:

Government should include separation of powers:

Legislative Branch Makes laws Executive Branch Enforces laws Judicial Branch Interprets laws

Separation of Power

U.S. Separation of Power

Rousseau
Famous

The Social Contract

Work:

Rousseau
Beliefs:

Government is a contract between people and their rulers. Rulers are elected by the people, and all people are equal.

Voltaire
Famous

Candide

Work:

Voltaire
Beliefs:

Religious tolerance rather than fanaticism Separation of church and state (government) Freedom of speech

Voltaire
Freedom

US Constitution
of
Bill

Religion Freedom of Speech

of Rights First Amendment

The Enlightenment
Philosophies

of the enlightenment fueled revolutions in the Americas and France