The Age of Reason: “Enlighten Me!”

1. The Age of Reason: “Enlighten Me!” Friday May 2

2. Learning outcome: • I will know what the Enlightenment was and be able to describe significant Enlightenment thinkers • I will be able to distinguish how these people and their ideas shaped the period known as the Enlightenment and how now affects us today.

3. New Ideas in the 18th century (1700’s!) • The French Revolution took place at a time when many new ideas about society were being published and discussed • Many of these ideas came from thinkers known as the “philosphes” (French philosophers)

4. Who were the philosophes? • Women and men who met to discuss society and politics, and solutions to social problems • Many philosophes rejected the idea of an absolute monarchy and wanted democracy (they had seen revolutions in Britain and the U.S.!)

5. Women were particularly important to this movement • Women helped spread these new ideas quickly – they held salons (a meeting of intellectuals to discuss exciting ideas about society, religion and government) • Ideas about the rights of women were circulating throughout Europe • The works of English writers such as Mary Astell and Mary Wollstonecraft had a big influence in France

6. The enlightenment • Although France had been a Catholic country for centuries, many of the philosophes were against any religion that they viewed as old-fashioned or superstitious

7. What did the enlightenment mean? • It meant that science and human intelligence were of the highest importance • If a belief could not stand up to reason (ie. Could not be demonstrated by experiment) then it should be discarded

8. Events in Britain influenced the philosophes • They knew about Isaac Newton who had formulated the law of gravity • Knew the writing of John Locke who had created a new branch of philosophy called “empiricism” (meaning that knowledge was possible only through experience of the world/your senses) • Therefore religious beliefs could not be proven • Therefore who could say that the monarch had a god-given right to power?

9. Philosophes and the church • Many philosophes came into conflict with the church because of these new ideas • The church had given support to the monarchy in France • Philosophes thought that the church and the monarchy were preventing progress in the country

10. YOUR TASK! • You will do some back ground research on the philosophes who were changing Europe at this time • Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Astell, Rousseau, Voltaire, Montesquieu, John Lock, Adam Smith • Who were they? • What were their ideas? • How did these ideas influence society in the 18th century? • How do we still see these ideas today?

11. Your task • You will create a profile for each of these thinkers • You will do in depth research on one individual person, and then you will get into small groups and create a short presentation (PPT) to show the class. • You will send me your PowerPoint to share with the class • 1 class to research and develop your presentation • Presentations are on Monday!

12. Numbers: • Mary Wollstonecraft • Mary Astell • Rousseau • Voltaire • Montesquieu • John Lock • Adam Smith

13. What to put in your powerpoint: • A brief description of who this person was • What this person’s main “Enlightenment Ideas” were • How this person influenced society at this time (aka – How were this person’s ideas special and how did this influence the way people thought at this time) • Major events surrounding this person (ie. This person wrote books about the monarchy during the French Revolution and his/her books were outlawed… etc)