Key English Philosophers

Intellectual changes The English Civil war led to important changes in government and in the way people thought about government. Two English philosophers, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke, developed opinions on government’s role in people’s lives. Later, during the Enlightenment era, many other thinkers, called philosophes expressed their own opinions on government and human nature.

Thomas Hobbes Lived during the English Civil War and was disturbed by all the chaos it created. He expressed his views in a book called Leviathan. (1651)

Leviathan Hobbes believed that the first people on earth lived in anarchy, which was the state of nature. In order to avoid chaos, people elected a ruler. Then, they made a social contract, which gave the leader absolute power. In return for their protection, the people gave up individual rights. Hobbes believed that people acted from self-interest without thought towards others. He felt that the world was a place where only the strong survived unless order was maintained by a strong ruler.

John Locke Locke disagreed with Hobbes and wrote a book called it Two Treatises of Government . He believed in the social contract, but thought people only had to give up some of their rights.

Teachings of Two Treatises of Government People had the right to life, liberty, and property. Rulers were expected to preserve these rights. Individual rights were more important than the laws and governments. Absolute rulers went against human nature and should be overthrown.

The Enlightenment

Beliefs of the Enlightenment. Reason and the scientific method could be explained in human nature. The laws of natured governed the universe. To live in harmony, people had to live according to natural law. Many believed God did not act directly in human affairs and the individual determined his/her own future. Called secularism/deism. -many downplayed the role of religion. Influenced idea of seperation of church and state in government.

Philosophes Thinkers of the Enlightenment were called philosophes. Comes from the French word for philosopher. Critics of society who published ideas in books, plays, pamphlets, and newspapers. Their most famous work was The Encyclopedia which described the ideas of the Enlightenment. The Encyclopedia-The most famous ideas of the period. -articles covered every subject. -attacked church, government, slave trade, torture, taxes, and war.

Key Political Philosophes

Baron de Montesquieu Baron de Montesquieu Wrote The Spirit of the Laws, which described the perfect government. Argued for division of power between branches of government. Very influential in U.S. Constitution. Wrote The Spirit of the Laws, which described the perfect government. Argued for division of power between branches of government. Very influential in U.S. Constitution. Felt Britain had ideal government because seperated powers. -argued for separate ex., leg., and jud. Branches.

Voltaire Exemplified the spirit of the Enlightenment. “I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Exemplified the spirit of the Enlightenment. Wrote Philosophical Letters and Candide. Highly intolerant of attempts to suppress personal freedoms. Opposed prejudice, bigotry, and oppressive government. Wrote satires on French monarchy, nobility, and religious leaders.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Wrote The Social Contract. People are naturally good but corrupted by environment. People can preserve nature by choosing and controlling selves. (popular sovereignty) . “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains. One thinks himself the master of others, and still remains a greater slave than they” Education and laws corrupted people. Basically a blank slate but corrupted by society.

Mary Wollstonecraft Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). Argued that Enlightenment ideals of equality should be given to women. Sought personal independence socially and economically. Became teacher and governess before a writer. -equality-education, political, and right to vote.

The American Revolution

Background Enlightenment thinkers inspired new ideas about popular sovereignty in the American colonies. Many in the colonies felt that they should be governed by the same laws as citizens of Great Britain. Meanwhile, the French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War) left Britain heavily in debt and they expected the colonists to help pay.

Beginnings of a Conflict In 1765, Parliament passed the Stamp Act which imposed taxes on man different documents. In response, the colonies boycotted British goods and forced Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act. Parliament continued to pass new taxes and the colonists argued “no taxation without representation.” In 1760, King George III came to power and was determined to force the colonies to obey. -Tax on wills, contracts, mortgages, newspapers, and pamphlets. -they felt this taxation was a form of tyranny and went against their natural rights.

The Colonists Take Sides About 1/3 of Americans believed that breaking away from Britain was the only way to guarantee their rights. These were called Patriots. Those who opposed independence were called Loyalists and were about 1/3 of the colonies, as well. The remaining third did not take sides at all.

Boston Tea Party Parliament forced the British East India Tea Company to have a monopoly over the tea trade in the colonies. This angered the colonists so angry colonists threw a shipment of tea overboard. Parliament responded by closing the Boston Port and passing other cruel acts. These came to be known as the Intolerable Acts.

Conflict Begins In April of 1775, British troops tried to seize weapons and gunpowder in the towns of Lexington and Concord and fought groups of armed colonists. The revolution had begun.

The Declaration of Independence On July 4, 1776, the colonists declared their independence from Britain. They sent King George a document called “The Declaration of Independence” written by Thomas Jefferson. The Declaration was heavily influenced by Enlightenment philosophers like John Locke.

Ideas of the Declaration of Independence All men are created equal and have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Government must come from the people and that it cannot exist without the consent of its citizens. Government is created to protect individual rights and if it does not, the citizens have the right to rebel. Locke said property, and Jefferson changed it to pursuit of happiness. Popular sovereignty Revolutionary…no one had attempted to rebel based on these ideas. Most of it was just thought by now. A summary of many of the ideals of the Enlightenment. Quote on p. 307. Originally, proposed to end slavery, but taken out to please southern states.

The War for Independence

Beginnings At first, a lack of unity among the colonies helped the British. Congress was slow to send weapons, supplies, and to appoint officers. Congress had to borrow money and print paper currency to pay for the war. The soldiers were also poorly trained. One advantage the colonists had was good leadership, like George Washington. It was not clear from the beginning who would win the war. The Americans were defending their own homes but were not well- trained. The British had a superior military and the strongest navy in the world. But, they had to bring their supplies across and entire ocean. They also had no allies so they had to hire mercenarries from Hesse, a state in Germany.

European involvement France was eager to oppose British interests internationally, so they sent officers, troops, weapons, ships, and money. Large amounts of troops were not sent until the end of the war, however.

Major Battles Saratoga Much of the fighting took place between 1776 and 1781. Saratoga October 1777. Major turning point in the war when the Americans defeated a British force led by John Burgoyne. After this battle, the Americans seemed to have a reasonable chance of winning so the French formed an alliance with the U.S. Spain and the Netherlands soon joined in.

Map of Battle of Saratoga

Major Battles Yorktown In 1781, the Americans and French allies trapped the main British army and forced the British to surrender the war. Peace negotiations, led by Ben Franklin lasted two years. They ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which gave the colonies their independence. -Americans had been killed after surrender on southern front. At surrender ceremony, British tried to give sword to French and French officer made give sword to officer whose soldiers had been butchered in South.

Map of the Battle of Yorktown

Governing a New Nation Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, whose central government was too weak. Many were unhappy, so each state sent delegates to Philadelphia, PA. There, they wrote the Constitution, which adopted a federal system of government. divided into three branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) Some felt the Constitution did not govern the rights of the individual, so the Bill of Rights was added to protect freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition. Articles-one-house Congress where each state had a single vote. Many feared strong central government would become repressive. Congress could not enforce laws, not levy taxes, or make money.

Effects of American Independence MAJOR event in world history. Put into practice the ideas of the enlightenment. Landmark example of democratic government in world history. Not perfect. Women not allowed to vote and slavery remained.