Enlightenment Notes

Enlightenment leaders hoped to apply scientific principles of logic and reason to human interactions.
One of the most important of these interactions is between a government and its people. Many
“enlightened” writers believed the dominant form of government at the time, absolute monarchy, was in
need of reform…….or revolution.
II. Enlightenment- people believed that through reason people could be
“enlightened” and improve society
A. John Locke- English writer, argued in 1690 that people have natural
rights (from God) to life, liberty, and property
1. If a government (king) does not respect these rights, people have
the right to rebel (revolution) and form a new government
B. _____Montesquieu________- French writer, detailed in 1748 the
structure of an ideal
A government that would have three branches: executive, legislative, &
judicial (Separation of power)
1. Each branch would have Checks and balances to ensure that no
branch (or person) dominated the government

I think most monarchs didn’t like his enlightenment because they didn’t
want to lose power.

C. To the Death- _____Voltaire_______- French writer, advocated

freedom of _____religion_______, attacked superstition and
corruption, and supported secularism (a reduced role of religion in
society)
D. Knowledge to All- Denis diderot published first encycopedia in
Paris, France (1751), hoped to spread enlightenment ideas to all
 E. Let’s Make a Deal- Jean-Jacque Rousseau wrote in 1762 that a social
contract exists between the government and the people (government
must rule justly to ensure the people’s loyalty)
1. Led many people to a belief in Popular sovereighty- people should
be able to decide their own form of government
F. Effects of the Enlightenment/the Age of ____Reason______:
1. Encouraged _____equality______, education, technological
advancement, religious
tolerance, governmental reform, and personal liberty (freedom)
2. The Enlightenment had a great influence on the revolutions in
th th
America, France, & Latin America in the 18 & 19 centuries
3. __Art___ and Literature in the Age of Reason
a. Reacting against ornate Baroque music (led by Johann Sebastian
___Bach___),
elegant Classical music emerged (led by Wolfgang Amadeus
_____Motazr_____)
by the mid-1700s
b. Paintings exemplified perfect order and balance, while writers
(Defoe, Swift)

developed the modern ________

I think the most important art was natural rights Because everyone has their
natural rights and they should use them.