1. Ch. 6 Enlightenment and Revolution
Mr. Curtis
World History

2. The Scientific Revolution
The Roots of Modern Science
The Medieval view- scholars believed the earth was an immovable object at the center of the universe. They also believed that the sun revolved around the earth. (common sense) This view of the universe was known as the Geocentric theory. Aristotle and Ptolemy backed this way of thinking as well as the church. (Why?)
New way of thinking- In the mid 1500’s some scholars published writings that challenged traditional ideas of ancient thinkers and the church. These new theories or ways of thinking were known as the Scientific Revolution- new way of thinking about the natural world. (exploration, printing-press)

3. Challenges in Astronomy
Early challenges to ancient ways of thinking came in Astronomy.
Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus would argue that the stars, earth, and other planets revolved around the sun. This theory was known as the heliocentric theory- (sun-centered) theory.
Copernicus did not publish his findings until the last year of his life. (why?) On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies.
Many astronomers would build on Copernicus’s findings. Tycho Brahe and mathematician Johannes Kepler would conduct studies that proved Copernicus was right.

4. Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei- Italian scientist who would build his own telescope and confirm the ideas of new thinking astronomers before him. The Catholic church made him stand trial in Rome (1633) and read a confession stating that his ideas were false. (under the threat of torture)
Galileo would never be a free man after the trial. He was put under house arrest and died at his home in His books and ideas spread all over Europe.

5. The Scientific Method
The ideas of Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo would lead to a new approach to science. Scientific Method- a logical procedure for gathering and testing ideas

6. Bacon and Descartes
Francis Bacon was an English writer who believed that science would improve peoples lives based on understanding how the world works. In his writings, he attacked medieval scholars and encouraged experimentation to discover new ways of thinking.
Rene Descartes a (mathematician) believed in reason and logic over experiments. Everything should be doubted until proven by reason. The only thing he knew for certain was that he existed– “I think, therefore I am”.

7. Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton- English scientist who established the theories of motion. His ideas revolved around the gravitational pull on physical objects known as universal gravitation.
He published a book called The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. One of the most important scientific books ever written.
He described the universe as a giant clock. Its parts worked together mathematically. He also believed that God was the creator of this universe and the clockmaker who set it in motion.

8. The Scientific Revolution Spreads
New Instruments
Zacharias Janssen- (1590) first microscope.
Anton van Leeuwenhoeck- (1670’s) used the microscope to observe bacteria and red blood cells.
Evangelista Torricelli- (1643) developed the first mercury barometer for atmospheric pressure and predicting weather.
Gabriel Fahrenheit- (1714) developed the first thermometer to use mercury in glass. Anders Celsius would develop a different scale in 1742.

9. Medicine and Chemistry
Andreas Vesalius- (1543) dissected human bodies and published writings and drawings of organs, bones and muscle.
Edward Jenner- late 1700’s developed a vaccine to prevent smallpox.
Robert Boyle- known as the father of chemistry. Challenged Aristotle’s ideas that the world was made up of 4 elements. He believed objects were made up of many particles joined together.

10. Enlightenment in Europe
In the wake of the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Scientific Revolution there were many philosophers who sought new insights on religion, government, economics and education.
Two views on Government
Thomas Hobbes- English philosopher of the 1600’s who believed people were corrupt and that government should be strong. He argued that people needed to hand over their rights to an absolute ruler in exchange for law and order. This agreement by the people would be called the social contract.
John Locke- English philosopher who held a different and more positive view of human nature. He believed people could improve themselves. Lock favored the idea of self-government. He also argued that people were born with basic rights (life, liberty, property) and that the role of the government was to protect these rights. (led to revolution

11. Philosophes in France
In France during the mid-1700’s, Paris became the location for Philosophes- (French word for philosophers) to exchange ideas and new ways of thinking.
Five concepts made up their beliefs:
1. Reason- truth comes from logic and reason
2. Nature- whatever is natural is also good and reasonable
3. Happiness- rejected medieval ideas of happiness in the afterlife but encourage people to find happiness on earth.
4. Progress- stressed that society and humankind could improve.
5. Liberty- called for liberties won by the English during the Glorious Revolution and Bill of Rights

12. Voltaire
Voltaire- (Francois Marie Arouet)( ) one of the most brilliant philosophes in France. He published more than 70 books of political essays, philosophy and drama.
He fought for tolerance, reason, freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
Many of his writings targeted the church and government.(became enemies) He argued against prejudice, superstition and intolerance.
Famous Quote: “I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to the death your right to say it.”

13. Montesquieu and Rousseau
Baron de Montesquieu- French writer who admired Britain’s government and the way power was divided between the King, Parliament and the Courts. He believed in the separation of power within a government. He also believed that “power” should be a “check to power”. This would later be called checks and balances which would heavily influence the US Constitution.
Jean Jacques Rousseau- French writer who believed that the only good government was freely formed by the people and guided by the “general will” of the people. (How did Hobbes and Rousseau differ?)

14. Women and the Enlightenment
Some philosophers of the time stayed away from the subject of women’s rights. Others wrote about the inequalities for women in society.
Mary Wollstonecraft- she published an essay titled A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in She argued that women should be educated equal to men. She also urged women to enter the fields of medicine and politics. (dominated by men)

15. Impact of the Enlightenment
There were three major impacts that the Enlightenment had on Europe:
Belief in Progress- advances in science and new ways of thinking caused people to have confidence that human reason could solve social problems.
More Secular Outlook- People began to question their religious beliefs and teachings of the church. Scientists began to explain mysteries using logic and reason.
Importance of the Individual- as people turned away from the church they looked to themselves for knowledge. Philosophes urged people to use their own reason to develop morals and government.

16. The Enlightenment Spreads
Paris, France was the cultural and intellectual capital of Europe. The brightest minds of the age gathered here to discuss ideas and new ways of thinking.
Wealthy citizens regularly held social gatherings where philosophers, writers, artists, scientists and other great thinkers met to discuss ideas. These gatherings were called salons.

17. Diderot’s Encyclopedia
One of the most influential salon hostesses was Marie-Therese Geoffrin. She helped finance a philosophe named Denis Diderot who created a large set of books to which many scholars contributed essays and articles. It was called Encyclopedia.
The Catholic church and the government of France banned Diderot’s books in fear of revolt or unbelief. Diderot continued his work in spite of the ban,
Many ideas were spread throughout Europe through books, newspapers, pamphlets and even political songs.

18. New Artistic Styles
The Enlightenment ideas of order and reason were reflected in the arts- music, literature, architecture and painting.
European art in the 1600s and early 1700s had been dominated by the style called baroque- art characterized by grand, ornate design.
Due to the Enlightenment, styles began to change: Artist and architects used a simpler more elegant style that borrowed ideas from classical Greece and Rome. This style was known as neoclassical.

19. Changes in Music and Literature
Music changed from dramatic organ and choral music to a more simple and elegant style known as classical music.
Most well known classical composers are Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Literature: Writers began writing novels which were long books that explored a story and shared characters’ thoughts and feelings. Novels were popular with the middle-class because of the stories and that they were written in everyday language.

20. Enlightenment and Monarchy
Enlightenment ideas led philosophe’s to encourage monarchs to rule justly. They argued that absolute rule was good as long as the monarch was fair to the people.
Monarchs who embraced this idea and treated their subjects justly were known as enlightened despots. (despot means absolute ruler)
Frederick the Great Joseph II Catherine the Great

21. Enlightened Despots
Frederick the Great- king of Prussia who granted many religious freedoms, reduced censorship and improved education. His attitude on being king was that he was “the first servant of the state”.
Joseph II- radical reformer of Austria. He supported freedom of the press, freedom of religion and he abolished serfdom and required land owners to pay workers in cash. Most of his reforms were undone at his death.
Catherine the Great- ruler of Russia who sought reforms to allow religious toleration and abolish torture and capital punishment. She also sought to end serfdom but after a revolt she changed her mind. She also expanded Russia’s territory.

22. The American Revolution
Throughout the 1600s and 1700s the British colonies had formed a large settlement along the east coast of North America. The population was rising rapidly. 250,000 in 1700 compared to 2,150,000 in 1770.
By the mid 1700s colonist had been living in America for nearly 150 years. Most of them identified themselves as Virginians or Pennsylvanians….. The were however, still under British rule.
Britain regulated trade in and out of the colonies. They passed many laws that would affect trade like the Navigation Act which only allowed the colonies to sell goods to Britain.

23. Tension Between Colonist and The King
The French and Indian war was very expensive and caused Britain to have a large amount of war debt. Because the colonists benefited from Britain’s victory, they expected the colonists to help pay off the debt.
The Stamp Act forced colonist to pay a tax for an official stamp to be put on any official document, newspaper and any other printed material.
The colonist were outraged and argued that the tax was violating their natural rights. The claimed it was “taxation without representation” because they had no representative in Parliament.

24. Hostility Leads to War
Over the next decade, Britain would use harsh tactics to make the colonist fall in line. The would impose new taxes and other regulations on the colonist. (Boston Tea Party).
The First Continental Congress (representatives from each colony) met to protest Britain and the new reforms. King George III ignored their protests.
The Second Continental Congress met to discuss their next move. The battle of Lexington and Concord broke out and caused the colonies to go to war with Great Britain.

25. The Declaration of Independence
Colonist argued that King George III had violated the “social contract”. Using Enlightenment ideas, the Second Continental Congress issued the:
Declaration of Independence which declared the colonies independent from Great Britain. Written by Thomas Jefferson. This document reflected the ideas of John Locke and the Enlightenment.
It was an argument for natural rights. “We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with their Creator certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”…….. “The colonies are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown”

26. Success of the Colonists
Americans had a stronger motivation to fight. This was the Americans home and they were going to defend it.
Overconfident British generals made several tactical mistakes.
Time was on the side of the Americans. A long overseas (3,000 miles) war would become very expensive and the British citizens would call for peace.
The French would help the colonists fight the British. Louis XVI was very eager to help weaken his British rivals. In 1781, 9,500 Americans and 7,800 French soldiers trapped a British army under the control of Lord Cornwallis near Yorktown. Cornwallis surrendered and America was won.

27. Americans Create a Republic
The colonists quickly realized they would need to create a national government.
The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government and gave most power to the 13 states.
In 1787, the delegates agreed to revise the Articles of Confederation and write a new Constitution. They debated many topics and ideas on how the government should be set up.
They agreed that the power of the government should be separated and that each branch should have some power over the other branch. This was called checks and balances.

28. America Creates a Republic
The new strong central government did not eliminate the power of the states. Each state would have its own government (Federalism).
The new constitution was signed on Sept 17, It had to be accepted by the states before it would go into effect. (Federalist vs Antifederalist)
The antifederalist demanded a bill of rights to be added to the Constitution before they would accept it. The Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments that were added to the Constitution that guaranteed certain rights to the American people.
Republic- form of government in which the people are represented in government by elected officials.