1. CHANGE IN EUROPE In the late 1600s and early 1700s, many Europeans began to question traditional ideas and practices of Europe.

2. SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION Copernicus countered the Catholic Church’s doctrine. He believed the earth revolved around sun. Galileo and Newton believed that laws could be made when dealing with motion. Bacon and Decartes came up with the idea of the scientific method in which one could experiment and use mathematics to come up with laws.

3. ENLIGHTENMENT Many philosophers believed these scientific principles could be applied to society to improve one’s life.

4. 1.benevolent7. life, liberty, property 13. social contract 2. overthrown8. goodness14. education 3. equal9. ruler15. tyranny 4. speech10. absolute power16. revolt 5. society11. separation of powers 6. religious12. overthrow

5. CATHERINE THE GREAT R. 1762-1796 Daughter of a minor German Prince Mother was a distant relative of the Romanov family Married Peter III in 1745 Had many love interests (besides Peter) including Russian officer Catherine along with army staged coup against Peter in 1762 Had 22 year old boyfriend when in her 60s. Many considered her to be a major leader in the Enlightenment, whereas others believed that she was more like the other autocratic czars of Russia.

6. Along with Austria and Prussia, divided up Poland.

7. Gave the nobility vast tracts of land after gaining land. Abolished the use of torture in interrogations. Offered to publish the book, Encyclopedia, a book that questioned the powers of the monarch and the Catholic Church. Exempted nobility from personal taxes and capital punishment. Gave the nobility exclusive rights to own their serfs.

8. After History Channel Segment on Catherine the Great: Do you consider Catherine to be an autocratic czar or an enlightened leader? Why do you think this?