1. The Enlightenment
Into the Light

2. The Enlightenment
John Keating: We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life? Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse."
That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be? .

3. The Enlightenment
Dead Poets Society

4. The Enlightenment
While the Scientific Revolution focused on science and discovering the natural world it lead to a new understanding of mankind-The Enlightenment
In the late 17th and early 18th Century the small but growing educated population began on an intellectual road towards human enlightenment in which new ideas about government and society were explored

5. The Enlightenment Enlightenment focused on a new study of philosophy
How do we make society a better place?
Why are we here?
Should government serve the needs of the people?

6. The Enlightenment Divine Right
Strong monarchies developed after the Reformation and Counter-Reformation
The Catholic Church lost its power over monarchies and governments became more centralized
Monarchs used Divine Right or that their power came from God to justify their Absolute rule
“The King is from God and the law is from the king”-James I
An illegal act was an ungodly act

7. The Enlightenment The Social Contract
During the 17th Century this newly educated population of Europe and the Americas (Colonies) began to look hard at their government
The philosophical idea that governments were based not divine right but the idea that they needed to serve the needs of the people was advanced
The idea that there was a social contract (obligation) between ruler and the people

8. The Enlightenment
The social contract was further based on the idea that people were around long before governments
It was people who gave governments their power and rulers the right to rule
The monarchs authority did not come from God but from the people
There was a social contract between the people and the government

9. The Enlightenment So what did this social contract mean?
Many philosophers had different ideas on their own forms of government
In almost all cases it negated the idea of divine right
In all cases it made the monarch responsible for the economic, social and political wellbeing of the people

10. Hobbes (1588-1679) Believes that people are greedy
People cannot govern themselves
Man is evil and will commit evil acts
Hobbes idea of the social contract was between the king and the people
Explained this in his book Leviathan

11. Hobbes Government needs to be strong.
Only a strong government can create a peaceful society.
The people need an absolute monarch to make the laws and decisions for the country.
However that absolute ruler must be benevolent and just and if not the people may replace that ruler

12. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Believes that in a perfect society everyone obeys the laws.
The good of everyone in society more important than the good of one person.
Rousseau believed that each person must subject themselves to the general will of society
If the needs of society outweigh my needs then I must forego my needs for the betterment of society

13. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The majority or the General Will should always for the common good of society.
This would make people free in society because everyone would obey the laws and their would be no greed or problems in society
People make the laws, people abide by those laws, society is happy and people are free to live within society

14. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The Social Contract
Man and government had a obligation to form a government to protect society.
If government failed to protect the majority then the people could disband the government and create a new government.

15. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Rousseau’s ideas had a major impact on the revolutionary movements in America and France
Rousseau’s ideas also caused countries to look at slavery as an evil and inspired the anti-slavery movement
While Rousseau called for a society of equals, Rousseau had a very low opinion of women

16. John Locke (1632-1704) People have natural rights.
Life
Liberty
Property
People form government to protect these rights.
Government is formed through a contract between man and man.
Book- Treaties on Government

17. John Locke
Governments obligation is to protect peoples natural rights.
If government fails to protect the rights then the people have the right to overthrow the government.
Locke ideals of government influenced Thomas Jefferson in writing the Declaration of Independence and the French Revolution
An unproductive and unpopular government could and should be replaced

18. Baron de Montesquieu
The powers of government needed to be separated to keep one branch from becoming too powerful.
Three branches of government.
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
A system of checks and balances.
Ideas were introduced into the Constitution.

19. Voltaire Believed in free speech. Believed in religious toleration.
First French philosopher to use wit and criticism to speak out against the French government and the Catholic Church.

20. Spreading the Word
The ideas of the Enlightenment began to spread all over Europe
Places called Salons or literary circles began to appear all over Europe and Americas
Philadelphia
Boston
London
Moscow
Paris

21. Women
Women especially upper class women were able to gain education and in some cases proved to be intellectual equals to men
Many women began writing Mary Wollstonecraft (Vindication of the Rights of Women)
Other became great political leaders like Catherine the Great
Women were very instrumental in organizing and hosting salons which helped the spread of the Enlightenment

22. Deism
God created the universe and doesn't care or interact with creation.
Thus God is in reality a watchmaker who set the world in motion but plays no part in its running.
God also created natural laws, that could be proven by science, on how the world was to operate
This idea of deism went against the ideas of organized religion

23. Conclusion The Enlightenment will take hold in the new world first
Americas will use the ideas of Locke and break free of the British
In 1789 the French will take up the ideals of the Enlightenment and strike down the French absolute monarch Louis XVI
In 1791 the Enlightenment ideas will travel back to the Caribbean and the Latin America
1791 Haiti will rebel against the French
Between Bolivar will and San Martin will free most of South America

24. Conclusion
Monarch now understood that remain in power they needed to be just, tolerant, and improve the lives of the people
“I am the first servant of the state”-Frederick the Great