The The EnlightenmentEnlightenment

Unit 1: Notes #2Unit 1: Notes #2

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Mr. WelchMr. Welch

The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment

An intellectual movement during the An intellectual movement during the 18th century that stressed the use of 18th century that stressed the use of reason, logic, and intellectual thought reason, logic, and intellectual thought over emotion and religionover emotion and religion– Goal: to empower common people to use Goal: to empower common people to use

reason to challenge their govreason to challenge their gov’’ts and ts and religions to guarantee their rights as religions to guarantee their rights as human beingshuman beings

Enlightenment thinkers hoped to Enlightenment thinkers hoped to improve society, law and govimprove society, law and gov’’tt

An Influential ThinkerAn Influential Thinker

John LockeJohn Locke was an was an Enlightenment thinker Enlightenment thinker from Englandfrom England

In 1690 he wrote In 1690 he wrote Two Two Treatises of Treatises of GovernmentGovernment where he where he stated it was the duty stated it was the duty of the govof the gov’’t to protect t to protect the citizensthe citizens’’ ““natural natural rightsrights””– According to Locke According to Locke

these natural rights these natural rights were were life, liberty and life, liberty and propertyproperty

Idea of Natural RightsIdea of Natural Rights

Locke felt individuals enter into society with Locke felt individuals enter into society with natural rights and that no govnatural rights and that no gov’’t could deny these t could deny these rights to its citizensrights to its citizens– If a govIf a gov’’t failed in their duty to protect the citizenst failed in their duty to protect the citizens’’

natural rights, natural rights, then the citizens are justified in then the citizens are justified in changing their govchanging their gov’’tt This idea came to be known as the social contractThis idea came to be known as the social contract

The social contract came to justify the American The social contract came to justify the American Revolution and the Revolution and the Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence– The colonists felt that they were unfairly taxed and The colonists felt that they were unfairly taxed and

were not being properly represented in the English were not being properly represented in the English ParliamentParliament

Signing of the Declaration of Signing of the Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers The best form of govThe best form of gov’’t has separate t has separate

branches, each w/ certain powersbranches, each w/ certain powers– One branch must check with other branches in One branch must check with other branches in

order to use their powerorder to use their power– This prevents one branch from overpowering the This prevents one branch from overpowering the

othersothers

This idea was proposed by French This idea was proposed by French Enlightenment think Baron de MontesquieuEnlightenment think Baron de Montesquieu

Thinkers reasoned that this design best Thinkers reasoned that this design best serves the people b/c it keeps the govserves the people b/c it keeps the gov’’t from t from becoming too powerful and crushing the becoming too powerful and crushing the rights of the peoplerights of the people

Enlightenment in AmericaEnlightenment in America

Prior to the Revolution, Prior to the Revolution, great American thinkers great American thinkers became students of the became students of the Enlightenment and Enlightenment and LockeLocke– Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson,

Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, George Washington, James MadisonJames Madison

Americans used the Americans used the ideas of self-rule, ideas of self-rule, natural rights, and the natural rights, and the social contract to justify social contract to justify independenceindependence

Effects of the Effects of the EnlightenmentEnlightenment

May 1776 – The American colonies form May 1776 – The American colonies form their own independent govtheir own independent gov’’ts and move to ts and move to have independence declared from Englandhave independence declared from England

Thomas Jefferson was appointed to be Thomas Jefferson was appointed to be author of a declaration of reasons for author of a declaration of reasons for independenceindependence– Explaining to the king why they have declared Explaining to the king why they have declared

independenceindependence– Jefferson drew heavily from the ideas of John LockeJefferson drew heavily from the ideas of John Locke– He discussed the natural rights of Americans, He discussed the natural rights of Americans,

calling them calling them ““unalienable rightsunalienable rights””

Effects Cont.Effects Cont. LockeLocke’’s natural rights: life, liberty, propertys natural rights: life, liberty, property

– JeffersonJefferson’’s: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of s: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of HappinessHappiness

Jefferson reinforced LockeJefferson reinforced Locke’’s idea that a govs idea that a gov’’t t is formed based on the consent of the is formed based on the consent of the people governedpeople governed– When govWhen gov’’t abuses its power, the people must t abuses its power, the people must

abolish it and form a new one that guarantees abolish it and form a new one that guarantees rightsrights

On July 4, 1776, fifty-seven delegates signed On July 4, 1776, fifty-seven delegates signed the Declaration of Independence the Declaration of Independence – Committing treason against the English kingCommitting treason against the English king

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence

Written on July 4, 1776Written on July 4, 1776