The Enlightenment & Scientific Revolution AP World History

Scientific Revolution Middle Ages to the 1600s – scientific thought was based on ancient thinkers like Aristotle, Ptolemy, and Galen Catholic Church doctrine was also important -earth was the center of the universe, dissection of human bodies was forbidden

An Experiment on a Bird in an Air PumpAn Experiment on a Bird in an Air Pump by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1768Joseph Wright

Enlightenment The Enlightenment was a cultural and philosophical movement that grew out of new methods of inquiry. The basic premise of the Enlightenment was the superiority of reason

Political Science Absolutism is questioned by political philosophers who believed in natural law or the principle that universal truth that can be found with reason Thomas Hobbes & John Locke

Enlightened Despots European monarchs who were eager to bring political and social change to their countries Sought to govern by Enlightenment principles while maintaining royal powers Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine II of Russia, & Maria Theresa of Austria

Basic Principles of the Enlightenment Humans behave according to natural laws based on reason Human beings are naturally good and can be educated to do better Religions that relied on faith or refused to tolerate diversity were wrong Society’s goals should center on improvements in material and social life

Enlightenment Thinkers Believed earth was round & sun was center of the universe Copernicus Published his theories on gravity; wrote Principia; developed calculus Newton Newton Believed Copernicus; published his ideas & was threatened with torture and death by the Catholic Church Galileo Believed state of nature of man was reasonable; wrote that people created govt. ergo, people had the right to overthrow the government Locke Locke

…more Enlightenment Thinkers English philosopher who helped develop the scientific method Bacon that violence and disorder came natural to human beings; believed in the “social contract” Hobbes Hobbes individuals surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the ruler in exchange for protection of their remaining rights

Such then is the human condition, that to wish greatness for one's country is to wish harm to one's neighbors. Wrote Candide; challenged idea that everything happens for the best; admired English ideal of religious liberty & freedom of the press Voltaire Voltaire Promoted idea of separation of powers; Montesquieu Enlightenment Philosophers