1. The Enlightenment Spreads

2. Setting the Stage Many of the philosophes in trouble for their views about society  Illegal to criticize the Catholic Church or French Gov’t  Jailed or Exiled But the Enlightenment spread regardless  word of mouth, books, mags  Influenced everything from art to royal courts

3. A World of Ideas Paris was the epicenter for Enlightenment discussion!  Salons: rooms in mansions of wealthy women in Paris used for regular social gatherings  Most common topic discussed: Enlightenment ideas!  Who? Philosophers Scientists Writers Artists

5. Diderot’s Encyclopedia Marie-Therese Geoffrin Salon was frequented by Denis Diderot  He published the first set of books called Encyclopedia  Writers and scholars added articles and essays Banned by the French gov’t & Catholic Church  Claimed it encouraged a spirit of revolt + undermined royal authority  What were these ideas??! Encyclopedias helped spread Enlightenment ideas

6. Neoclassical Style of Art Emerges 1600s and 1700s European art dominated by baroque: grand and ornate design Neoclassical: simple and elegant style that borrowed themes from classical Greek and Roman art  “new” classical

7. Changes in Music and Literature Music Bach and Handel (pre Enlightenment musicians) wrote dramatic music Mozart and Beethoven wrote lighter, more elegant music known as classical music Let’s listen!!! Literature Authors began writing stories with carefully crafted elements  Plots, used suspense, and explored characters thoughts and feelings  Very popular with the middle class  Everyday language & entertaining stories

8. Enlightenment and Monarchy Many philosophes believed the best gov’t was a monarch that ruled justly and one that protected the people’s rights They tried to convince monarchs to do this  Monarchs that embraced some of the new Enlightenment ideas became known as enlightened despots. Despot – absolute ruler  Still had no intention of giving up any power though!  Had 2 goals: 1. make their countries strong 2. make their own rule more effective

9. Enlightened Despot #1 Frederick the Great  King of Prussia from 1740-1786  Committed to reforming Prussia  Granted religious freedoms  Reduced censorship  Improved education  Reformed the justice system & abolished the use of torture  Improved education  He disagreed w/ serfdom but did not try to reform it b/c it supported the wealthy landowners  Who he needed to keep a strong economy  Class order stayed the same  The “first servant of the state”  what he called himself  Goal was to “serve and strengthen the country” Made this known to his constinuents

10. Enlightened Despot #2 Joseph II of Austria who ruled from 1780-1790  Legal reforms  Freedom of the press  Freedom of religion  Abolished serfdom and ordered that peasants be paid for their labor with cash $$$  Strong resisted by the nobles  As soon as he died these changes were revoked

11. Enlightened Despot #3 Catherine the Great, ruled Russia from 1762-1796  She was an absolute monarch that initiated refore She was the ruler most admired by the philosophes  Why?  Read works from the philosophes & exchanged letters w/Voltaire  Organized a commission to review the laws of Russia Presented them with the ideas of Montesquieu and Beccaria Allow religious freedom Abolish torture and capital punishment The commission did not accomplish these goals but she initiated limited reform After a peasant revolt in 1773 (which she crushed with brutal force) she rescinded many of her reform ideas Took away all power of the serfs and gave the nobles complete control over them

12. Catherine the Great

13. Catherine Expands Russia