The Enlightenment and American Revolution Vocabulary

natural law rules of conduct discoverable by reason

Thomas Hobbes Seventeenth century philosopher who thought that people were naturally bad and needed a social contract

John Locke Seventeenth century philosopher who believed people were naturally good and had natural rights

social contract an agreement by which people gave up their freedom to a powerful government in order to avoid chaos

natural right right that belongs to every humans from birth-life, liberty and property

Montesquieu an eighteenth century thinker who studied governments

Voltaire an eighteenth century philosopher who targeted corrupt officials and idle aristocrats

Diderot Created the 28 volume Encyclopedia to spread the ideas of government, philosophy and religion

Rousseau An eighteenth century philosopher who believed people are basically good, but corrupted by society

laissez faire policy allowing businesses to operate with little or no government interference

Adam Smith Scottish economist who said that the free market should regulate business activity

censorship restriction on access to ideas and information

salons Informal social gatherings at which writers, artists, philosophes, and others exchanged ideas

baroque ornate style of art and architecture popular in the 1600s and 1700s

rococo personal, elegant style of art and architecture made popular during the mid 1700s that featured designs with the shapes of leaves, shells and flowers

enlightened despot Absolute ruler who uses his or her power to bring about political and social change

Frederick the Great Prussian king who made changes such as reducing torture and allowing free press

Catherine the Great Russian empress abolished torture and implemented religious tolerance

Joseph II Austrian king who ended censorship and allowed free press and abolished serfdom

George III British king who tried to change the way things were done in Britain which led to disastrous policies

Stamp Act law passed in 1765 by the British Parliament imposing taxes on things like newspapers and pamphlets in the American colonies; repealed in1766

George Washington Virginia planter and soldier who led the Continental Army during the American Revolution and later became president

Thomas Jefferson principle writer of the Declaration of Independence based on John Locke’s ideas

popular sovereignty the idea that people are the source of any and all governmental power and government can exist only with the consent of the governed

Yorktown, Virginia Location where the British army surrendered in the American Revolution

Treaty of Paris peace treaty made final in 1783 that ended the American Revolution

James Madison one of the authors of the United States Constitution based on the writings of Montesquieu, Locke and Rousseau

Benjamin Franklin one of the framers of the United States Constitution

federal republic Government in which power is divided between the national, or federal, government and the states