Age of ReasonAge of Reason1600s-1800s1600s-1800s

Revolution and ReasonRevolution and Reason• The Scientific Revolution convinced many The Scientific Revolution convinced many

Europeans of the power of human reason. Europeans of the power of human reason.

• Enlightenment philosophers admired scientists’ Enlightenment philosophers admired scientists’ use of reason to understand the natural world.use of reason to understand the natural world.

Philosophers began ask, “ Why not use Philosophers began ask, “ Why not use reason to discover the reason to discover the natural laws natural laws (laws (laws that governed) of that governed) of human nature human nature?” ?”

Many philosophers began to believe that if Many philosophers began to believe that if

people used reason to find laws that people used reason to find laws that governed the physical world (science)… governed the physical world (science)… then answers to society’s problems could then answers to society’s problems could also be found. also be found.

•

Center of the Movement…FranceCenter of the Movement…France

• By the mid-1700s-France was the By the mid-1700s-France was the “headquarters” “headquarters”

• Paris became the meeting place for Paris became the meeting place for some of the world’s greatest some of the world’s greatest thinkers, “thinkers, “philosophes” philosophes” the lovers the lovers of wisdom of wisdom

• Salons started up all over Europe. Salons started up all over Europe. -They were informal social -They were informal social gatherings here intellectual gatherings here intellectual discussion was considered discussion was considered

fun! fun!

Hobbes Explores GovernmentHobbes Explores Government

• Thomas Hobbes used Thomas Hobbes used the idea of natural the idea of natural law to argue that law to argue that absolute monarchy absolute monarchy was the best form of was the best form of government, why?government, why?

Hobbes Explores GovernmentHobbes Explores Government

• People are naturally cruel, greedy, and People are naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish. selfish.

• Without it chaos would occur Without it chaos would occur • People formed a social contract, an People formed a social contract, an

agreement to give up their freedom and live agreement to give up their freedom and live obediently under a ruler who would protect obediently under a ruler who would protect them them

• Key Focus: Support for Monarchs and the Key Focus: Support for Monarchs and the social contract social contract

John Locke Offers: A radical viewJohn Locke Offers: A radical view

• Locke believed people were Locke believed people were inherently good and that inherently good and that government was based on a government was based on a social contract too BUT… social contract too BUT…

• Unlike Hobbes he believed Unlike Hobbes he believed that people were that people were

governed by governed by consentconsent based on natural based on natural rights or lawsrights or laws

• Rights to life, liberty and Rights to life, liberty and propertyproperty

Fuel for revolution• Locke believed people created Locke believed people created

government to protect natural government to protect natural rights, if a government failed rights, if a government failed in this duty, people had the in this duty, people had the right to overthrow the right to overthrow the government! government!

• This idea influenced This idea influenced American colonists including American colonists including Thomas Jefferson in the Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence Declaration of Independence

• Locke’s writings helped to Locke’s writings helped to provided the “fuel” for the provided the “fuel” for the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution

Other philosophers

• Voltaire – most important freedom of speech

• Montesquieu – focused on separation of checks and balances

• Rousseau – community is more important than the individual– Government by general will ( majority) – Direct democracy

Women and the EnlightenmentWomen and the Enlightenment• Enlightenment ideas about Enlightenment ideas about

equality and freedom spread equality and freedom spread throughout Europe, but were throughout Europe, but were not applied to womennot applied to women

• Instrumental in dissemination Instrumental in dissemination of new political ideasof new political ideas– Brought together thinkers in Brought together thinkers in

homes and salonshomes and salons

– Purchased and discussed booksPurchased and discussed books

– Became writers and Became writers and commentatorscommentators

Women and the EnlightenmentWomen and the Enlightenment

• In A Vindication of the Rights of In A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecraft Women, Mary Wollstonecraft favored equal education for favored equal education for women and men so that both women and men so that both genders could contribute equally genders could contribute equally to society to society

• Key Focus: Access to education Key Focus: Access to education for girls; education for allfor girls; education for all

New Economic ThinkingNew Economic Thinking

• rejected mercantilism in favor of a rejected mercantilism in favor of a policy called laissez faire or policy called laissez faire or allowing businesses to run with allowing businesses to run with little or no government little or no government interference. interference.

• In In The Wealth of Nations, The Wealth of Nations, Adam Adam Smith (1776) argued that the Smith (1776) argued that the laissez-faire or free market should laissez-faire or free market should be allowed to regulate business be allowed to regulate business activity.activity.

Adam Smith referred to Adam Smith referred to “an invisible “an invisible hand,”hand,” which kept the economy in which kept the economy in check check

In order for the “invisible hand” to In order for the “invisible hand” to work, there can be no external laws work, there can be no external laws or rules interrupt the natural or rules interrupt the natural economic cycle of boom and bust.economic cycle of boom and bust.

Smith’s Invisible Smith’s Invisible HandHand

Smith arguedSmith argued that a free, that a free, unregulated economic competition unregulated economic competition or or laissez-faire bringslaissez-faire brings: :

1.1.Maximum profits Maximum profits

2.2.Quality productsQuality products

3.3.Creative innovation Creative innovation

4.4.Competitive pricesCompetitive prices

Smith’s Invisible Smith’s Invisible HandHand

Enlightenment Influences Enlightenment Influences Classical Style Classical Style

Late 1700sLate 1700s

• Musical composers also stressed classical elements such as balance, contrast, and refined expression of emotion, baroque (define) became the style of music for the era.

• New instruments such as the piano and violin allowed a greater range of sounds

• Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mozart were among the great musicians of the era

Some Enlightened Some Enlightened DespotsDespots

Enlightened despots were Enlightened despots were absolute rulers who used absolute rulers who used their power to bring about their power to bring about political and social change.political and social change.

Frederick the Great

Catherine the Great

Enlightened DespotsEnlightened Despots

FREDERICK

THE GREAT

CATHERINE II CATHERINE THE

GREAT

JOSEPH II

Exerted tight control over subjects, but saw himself as a “servant of the state.”

Tolerated religious differences.

Distributed seeds and tools to peasants.

Was interested in Enlightenment ideas but intended to give up no power.

Made some limited reforms in law and government.

Granted nobles a charter of rights.

Criticized the institution of serfdom.

Most radical of enlightened despots.

Granted toleration to Protestants and Jews.

Ended censorship and tried to control the Catholic Church.

Sold church property to build hospitals.

Abolished serfdom.

The Challenge to AbsolutismThe Challenge to Absolutism::American RevolutionAmerican Revolution

French RevolutionFrench RevolutionNapoleonNapoleon

United Kingdom of Great BritainUnited Kingdom of Great BritainThe Great Power in Europe!The Great Power in Europe!

The American Revolution

• French and Indian War costs Britain big bucks

• Britain engages in mercantilism• Britain feels colonists should pay

for war• Colonists think not

“no taxation without representation”

• Britain passes “acts” that tax colonists– Stamp, sugar

• Stamp Act of 1765– Tax everything

printed on paper

March of 1770• Boston “massacre” –

Brits kill 5 colonists

• Radicalized public opinion

• Boston Tea party – Colonists dump British tea

• England gets stricter

Britain Colonists

• They already have a lot of freedom

• This is our colony, they should do what we say

• We do not have representation in British govt. so we shouldn’t pay

• Taxes too high• Independence is the

only way

Common Sense• Written by Thomas Paine • Published on January 10, 1776• Was used to stir-up anti-British

sentiment• “we have every opportunity

and every encouragement before us, to form the noblest purest constitution on the face of the earth. We have it in our power to begin the world over again.”

• Colonists prepare for war• War begins- battles of Lexington

and Concord• Declaration of Independence

written July 4, 1776– Thomas Jefferson

Declaration of Independence

• Took ideas from Enlightenment

• Said people had natural rights – Govt. exists to protect the rights of the people –

had right to revolt• Life

• Liberty

• Pursuit of happiness (changed from property)

American Strengths and Weaknesses

• Own territory

• Washington a good leader

• Guerrilla tactics

• Inexperienced troops

• New troops arriving and old going home (too much turnaround)

British Strengths and Weaknesses

• Well equipped, disciplined and trained army

• Best navy in the world• Help from Indians & loyalists

• Not on their land• Old war tactics• British citizens resented paying for the war

France to the Rescue• Battle of Saratoga in 1777

– was a decisive victory resulting in the surrender of an entire British army invading New York

– Brings France into the war

• France helps the revolutionaries– Supplies, soldiers, warships

• Netherlands and Spain add support

• Britain surrenders at the battle of Yorktown, Virginia in 1781

Treaty of Paris (1783)

1. America free

2. England agreed to withdraw troops from America

U.S. Constitution• Articles of Confederation was written in summer

1776 and adopted on November 15, 1777• Weakness• The confederation was capable of making war,

negotiating diplomatic agreements, and resolving issues regarding the western territories, and the ability to print money

• One major weakness was it lacked taxing authority. A second weakness was one-state, one-vote– Its powers were too limited to handle a major crises

• U.S. Constitution was adopted in September 1787– Constitutional convention held in Philadelphia, Penn.

Three fifth compromise

• The three-fifths compromise declared a slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person – purposes regarding distribution of taxes– apportionment of the members of the United States

House of Representatives.

Factors leading up the French Revolution

• Economic factors

• Debts from the 7 Years War

• Inability to tax the nobility and the clergy

• Supporting the colonist in the American Revolution

Begin French Revolution NotesBefore the French Revolution, France was divided into 3 Estates or classes

1st Estate• Clergy(Church People)

• Held 10 % of land in France

• Gave 2% of income to the King as “Free Gift”

2nd Estate• Nobility (Rich People)

• Less than 2% of France’s population

• Held 30% of land

• Paid no taxes to the King

3rd Estate• 98% of France’s population

• Divided into 3 groups– Bourgeoisie-Urban middle class (Doctors,

lawyers)– Urban lower class (butchers, cooks, etc.)– Peasant farmers

• Bourgeoisie wanted equality with nobility- Nobles said no

• Urban lower class often went hungry. Dangerous mood

• Peasants lost ½ income to the taxes

• ALL UNHAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE!!

½

• The King who ruled over all of this was King Louis XVI who came to power in 1774 and his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette

• He was a weak leader and his wife was a lavish spender

• In 1787, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General– make the nobles pay taxes to get out of debt.

• The nobles said no way • The nobles made the king call a meeting of the Estates

General (all three Estates vote)• The Estates General allowed all 3 Estates to vote on any

proposal

• Each Estate got 1 vote, regardless of how many people were in the Estate

• The 1st and 2nd Estates got together and always out voted the 3rd.

• 3rd Estate got mad and left the meeting• Went to a tennis court and swore an oath

to stay together until the country had a constitution (called the Tennis Court Oath)

• Changed their name to the National Assembly

• King supposedly tried to make peace with the National Assembly

• Behind their backs he called in the Swiss guard to put down the rebellion

• National Assembly got mad and stormed the Bastille

• Bastille was a prison that was believed to have stored weapons and gunpowder. (none were found)

• It was a turning point. It marked the beginning of a Revolution

Peasant uprising

In October 1789, 1,000s of women got mad over the rising price of bread.

Went to the palace in Versailles, killed the guards, put their heads on spikes and took

King Louis and his family to Paris

• Peasants were running around the

countryside with weapons terrorizing rich people

• Called the Great Fear

• Once the rebels took over, they made many

changes in the government

• Wanted to create a declaration that was very similar to the U.S. Dec. of Independence

• 1. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen– Natural rights

• Liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression

– Promised free expression of ideas, equality before the law, and representative government

• 2. Created a Constitution

• Put limits on King’s power

• Limited Monarchy!

NO MORE POWER

• 3. Took power away from the church

• Took away church lands

• Clergy were put on state payroll

NO MORE POWER

• The National Assembly changed its name to

the Legislative Assembly

• Legislative Assembly had 3 parts

• 1. Conservatives- wanted no more changes.

Limited Monarchy• 2. Moderates- wanted some more change

but not as violent as Radicals• 3. Radicals- wanted a republic or

democracy where common people held the power. Wanted to get rid of the king (NO MONARCHY)

• Just when it looked bad, more trouble for

France

• Austrian and Prussian army in 1791 invaded France in their time of weakness

• By the end of 1792, French armies had gained the upper hand

End of King Louis

• National convention convicted Louis the XVI of treason– Killed by the Guillotine on January 1793

(symbol of the revolution)

• Marie Antoinette– Met the same fate on October 1793

REIGN OF TERROR: Radical phase

• 1793-1794 – COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY TAKES CONTROL• led by Maximilien Robespierre• To protect France from enemies inside and outside

borders• People of all classes killed

– 40,000 people executed or died in prison– 300,000 were thrown in prison

• Drastic changes– Forced priests to marry– New ten day week without Sundays– New religion introduced by Robespierre

• Terror came to end with the death of Robespierre and his radical allies on July of 1794

– Death by guillotine

End of French Revolution Notes

Although the Revolution did not achieve all of its goals, they were

successful in some things

Declaration of the Rights of Man• Declared “men are born and remain free

and equal in rights”

• “preservation of the natural…rights of man”

• “rights are liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression”

• Served to limit the power of the Monarchy, at least a little

Napoleon•Came to power in 1799 under a new government : popular authoritarianism

•Napoleon becomes emperor in 1804

•He begins making changes in France -The changes outlast his reign as emperor

Napoleonic Code• Law Code-

– Equality of all citizens– Limited freedom of speech– Religious toleration– Advancement based on merit- Took away some rights of women

- No political rights

- Limited participation in the economy

- Instilled Nationalism in the French People

Economic Changes

• Made a national bank

• Slowed rising prices and balanced budget.

• France is no longer broke

Social Changes

• Allowed nobles to come back as long as they behaved

• Began to promote people to positions based on merit, or worth, not who they were.

Religious Changes• Said that Catholicism was the “religion of

the majority of Frenchmen”, but allowed people to worship as they pleased.

• Government appointed bishops but parish priests promoted without government interference

Legal Changes• Created Napoleonic Code

– Code based somewhat on the principles of the Revolution

– Abolished 3 Estates– Granted equal rights before law to people of all

classes

• Code did not help everyone

• Gov’t had more power to censor newspapers

• Women lost some rights they had gained in the Revolution

• Restored slavery in the Caribbean

End of Napoleon

• June 1812, Napoleon assembled the largest army ever in Europe (600,000)

• Made the fatal flaw by attacking Russia– Brutal winter and Russian forces destroyed his

army

• Forced to abdicate throne in April 1814– Returned the next year, only to be defeated by

an allied army in Belgium, Waterloo– Was exiled forever and died a broken man in

1821

Failure or Success?• For the immediate citizens of France, a failure.• Went from King Louis to King Louis- No

democracy

• Did not create an enduring form of representative government

• For future generations of France and all of

Europe-Success

• Started new ways of thinking.

• Created 3 political ways of thinking– 1. Conservatism- Keep things the way the are or were (kings)

– 2. Liberals- Give more power to the elected parts of government

– 3. Radicals- Favored violent change. Liked Robespierre. Wanted true democracy

– 3 groups set the stage for many revolutions still to come

What were the causes of the revolution in Saint Domingue?

• Reasons for independence– the inherent racism and brutality of slavery and the plantation system – The number of African-born slaves, as opposed to those born in Haiti– The event that triggered the revolution was the revolutionary turmoil in France.

• Battle for power in Saint Domingue– Produced nearly 1/3 of all French foreign trade– Wealthy planters, poor whites, and the gens de couleur struggled with each

other for control and eventually violence broke out. – Violence first divided gens de couleur and white, and then a separate slave

rebellion broke out in the north.

• Slave rebellion– Slaves gained strength when the radical National Convention in France

outlawed slavery in 1793. – They were led by Toussaint L’ Overture

• In 1804 Toussaint’s successors declared independence – Declared a free republic and became the second independent nation in the

western hemisphere