The Enlightenment AP European History Unit 4: Changes of the 18 th Century.

The Enlightenment

AP European History

Unit 4: Changes of the 18th Century

Brief Overview of 18th Century

Political Changes – focus on reform and increasing participation of the people

Intellectual Changes – Scientific revolution, the Enlightenment, Increasing Education

Cultural Changes – even more focus on the individual

Economic Changes – Shift from Mercantilism to Capitalism

Social Changes: Increased changes; rise of the gentry

Centers of the Enlightenment

Characteristics of the Enlightenment

1. Rationalism

2. Cosmology – man and his role on earth and universe

3. Secularism

4. Scientific Method

5. Utilitarianism

6. Tolerance

7. Optimism and Self-Confidence

8. Freedom of thought and expression

9. Education of the Masses

10. Constitutionalism

Causes of the Enlightenment

Increased Literacy Increased

Educational Opportunities

Increased wealth from international trade

Absolutism Scientific Revolution

The Philosophes

Committed to fundamental reform in society

Popularized ideas of the Enlightenment

Not professional philosophers Progress through laws Critical of the “Old Regime” Main themes: Progress,

Reason, Science and Civilization

The enlightenment and religion

Deism

Religious aspect of Enlightenment Existence of God was rational explanation

for universe God as clockmaker Natural law, not God’s law Rational approach to religion

Early Enlightenment Thinkers

Pierre Bayle (1647-1706) Critical and Historical

Dictionary (1697) Complete toleration for all

ideas Freedom of religious

worship Skeptic of all things

beyond rational thought It is thus tolerance that is

the source of peace, and intolerance that is the source of disorder and squabbling.

Voltaire (1694-1778)

Most influential philosopher

Challenged authority of Church

Deist; emphasis on human reason

Religious toleration Strong emphasis on

social change

Voltaire

“Ecracsez l’infame” – “crush the infamous thing”

Enlightened Despotism (Similar to Hobbes) Equality of opportunity, not equality of

condition Most famous work: Candide

Famous Voltaire Quips

“Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.”

“It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong”

“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.”

“The man who persecutes another because he is not of the same opinion is nothing less than a monster.”

David Hume (1711-1776)

English The Natural History of

Religion (1775) Argued against faith in

natural law Human ideas a result of

sensory experiences Atheistic; undermined

much of what the Enlightenment tried to achieve

Belief in God rested on superstition and fear rather than on reason

The enlightenment and politics/government

The Early Enlightenment

John Locke (1632-1704) Two Treatises on

Government (1689) State of Nature, Natural

Rights Social Contract Theory

Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690) Environment and

education are key Tabula Rasa Knowledge through

senses

Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755)

French noble who opposed absolutism

Different systems for different people

Spirit of the Laws (1748) Separation of powers Checks and balances 13 parlements to check

power of king

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-

1778) Born in Geneva Social Contract (1762)

Consider people, not property, in order to eradicate social injustice

General will: consensus of majority should control a nation

Individual as member of society

“Noble Savage” Emilie (1762) As civilizations progress, they

move away from morality

Edward Gibbon (1737- 1794)

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (6 vol., 1787)

Critical of English government; religion

Considered one of first modern historians

“History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.”

The Enlightenment Moves to the Americas

Thomas Paine Common Sense

(1776) The Rights of Man

(1791) Thomas Jefferson Ben Franklin John Adams

Denis Diderot (1713-1784)

The Encyclopedia (1765) Political and social

critiques Popularizes views of

Philosophes Science and Reason

over injustice and intolerance

Critical thought emphasized

Co-authored by Jean le Rond d’Alembert

Pages from Diderot’s Encyclopedia

Pages from Diderot’s Encyclopedia

Pages from Diderot’s Encyclopedia

Subscriptions to Diderot’s Encyclopedia

Women in the Enlightenment

The Salon movement Women organize salons and take part in them

(Madame de Geoffren; Madame de Staël)

Women in the Enlightenment Mary Astell (1666-1731)

A Serious Proposal to the Ladies (1697) Women need a better education

than currently afforded Equality of sexes in marriage “If absolute sovereignty be not

necessary in a state, how comes it to be so in a family? For if arbitrary power is evil in itself, and an improper method of governing rational and free agents, it ought not be practiced anywhere….If all men are born free, how is it that all women are born slaves?”

Women in the Enlightenment

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) Founder of modern European

feminism Vindication of the Rights of Women

(1792) “Would men but generously snap our

chains, and be content with the rational fellowship instead of slavish obedience, they would find us more observant daughters, more affectionate sisters, more faithful wives, and more reasonable mothers – in a word, better citizens.”

The Late Enlightenment

Jean de Condorcet (1743-1794) Progress of the Human

Mind Utopian ideals 9 stages of human

progress that already occurred

10th stage: perfection

The Late Enlightenment

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) Transcendentalism Science: describes

nature, not a guide for morality

Categorical Imperative: intuitive instinct placed by God in the human conscience

Reason is a function of the mind and has no content

Why was the Enlightenment Successful?

Literacy rates increased dramatically Growth of educated middle class Increase in newspapers and magazines Writing more accessible and easier to understand

Reactions to the Enlightenment

Religious Reactions – leaders fear decline of Christian spirituality German pietism – spiritual conversion and

experiences Methodism – England; John Wesley; “Born-again” Jansenism – France; Catholic ideas that God is

personal and involved in life Index of Prohibited Books – several philosophes

have works banned by Roman Catholic Church

Impact of the Enlightenment

Emergence of secular world view Enlightened Despotism (Prussia, Russia,

Austria and France) Revolutions Educational reform Capitalism

Enlightened Despotism

AP European HistoryUnit 4: Changes of the Eighteenth Century

What is Enlightened Despotism?

Necessary to have absolutist rulers (Hobbes)

BUT… Absolute rulers should

promote good of the people Religious Toleration Standardized legal

codes Increased Access to

Education Reduction of Torture

and Death Penalty

Major Areas in Eighteenth Century: Prussia Austria Russia France

(eventually) Minor Examples:

Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal

Prussian Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great

(Freddie II; r. 1740-1786)

Son of Frederick William I

Influence of the Enlightenment Focus on French learning Invited Voltaire to live in

court in Berlin Studied music and poetry

Wars of Frederick the Great

War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748) Fred invades Silesia

– owned by Austria Violated Pragmatic

Sanction Treaty of Aix-la-

Chapelle

Wars of Frederick the Great

Seven Years’ War Austria wants Silesia back Diplomatic Revolution of

1756 Becomes a world war –

fighting amongst European powers in Europe and North America

Results: severe loss of Prussian life; disruption of Prussian society; Berlin partially destroyed; Prussia almost defeated… Peter III (Russia) pulls out

war in 1763 Treaty of Paris (1763)

How Successful was FtG?

Influence on the State: Codified laws Civil Service Exam

introduced No capital

punishment Encourage

immigration Encourage industrial

growth

Influence on the People:

Religious toleration (sort of…)

Promoted education (sort of…)

Freed serfs (1763) Reduced censorship

Background - Enlightened Despotism in Austria

Maria Theresa (r. 1740-1780) Pragmatic Sanction

of 1713 Goal: improve

condition of people through absolute rule

Very conservative War of Austrian

Succession

Maria Theresa’s Policies

For the State: Centralized political

control Limited power of

nobility Increased size of

army Improved tax

system Taxes and controls

Catholic Church

For the People: Freed some serfs Reduced feudal dues Reduced use of

torture Promotes economic

development Encouraged

immigration

MT is NOT an Enlightened Despot Because…

Not a fan of the Enlightenment

Did not promote religious toleration as much as the others

Joseph II (r. 1780-1790) Greatest of the

Enlightened despots

Deeply influenced by Enlightenment

Ruled as regent with mother for last ten years of her life

Also served as HRE

The Reforms of Joseph II

For the State Reduced

influence of Church

Reformed judicial system

German as the official language

For the People: Abolished serfdom and

feudal dues (1781) Freedom of religion and

civic rights for P. and J. Freedom of the Press Abolish torture Expanded state schools Funds hospitals, insane

asylums and orphanages Assistance to poor

Problems for Joseph II

Defeated in wars against Ottoman Empire

Revolt of Austrian Netherlands Threats from Russia Revocation of many policies after he

dies under the leadership of Leopold II

Enlightened Despotism in Russia Catherine the

Great (r. 1762-1796) German, married to

a Russian (Peter the III), but focused on French culture

Peter III assassinated during Seven Years’ War

Least “enlightened” of the Enlightened Despots

Problems in Russia

Pugachev Rebellion (1773) Pugachev (Cossack)

led a huge serf uprising

Goals: end serfdom, taxes and army services

Murder landlords and officials

Pugachev eventually killed

Results: Catherine recognizes her need for the support of the nobility

Catherine’s Reforms

For the State Confiscate church

lands Strengthened local

government led by elective council of nobles

Crown is not subject to these councils though

Territorial growth – Partition of Poland (1772, 1793, 1795)

For the People Nobility gain complete

control of the serfs Spreads serfdom to new

areas Freed nobility from taxes Westernization Funds private printing

presses Limited religious

toleration Restricts practice of

torture

Shortcomings of Catherine’s Reforms

Only nobility and state benefitted

Serfdom becomes more severe Hampers

economic and technological development for decades to come