The Impact of the Enlightenment

1. The Impact of the Enlightenment

2. The Arts • Architecture and Art: Many rulers build grand castles to mimic Louis XIV’s Palace at Versailles • unique architectural style is created • Rococo: new artistic style is created as well • Emphasizes grace, charm and gentle action • Highly secular: focused on the pursuit of pleasure, happiness and love • Sense of enchantment and enthusiasm

3. Johann Sebastian Bach One of the greatest composers of all time German Mass in B Minor George Frederick Handel Messiah German, but lived in England With Bach, perfected the baroque musical style Music:Perfecting Baroque

4. Haydn Wanted to play public concerts rather than serve only princely patrons The desire to play for everyone leads him to write his two great works Mozart Child prodigy Along with Haydn, helps to found what we know as classical music One of the greatest composers of all time Music: Creation of Classical

5. Literature • 18th century= development of the European novel

6. Enlightenment and Enlightened Absolutism • What role does Enlightenment thought play in politics? • Who believes in natural rights for all people? • “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” • How were these natural rights to be preserved? • Governed under an enlightened ruler • Enlightened absolutism: rulers try to govern by Enlightenment principles while maintaining their royal powers

7. Frederick the Great

8. Frederick the Great of Prussia • Enlightened despot • Made enlightened reforms • Abolished the use of torture except in treason and murder cases • Granted limited freedom of speech and the press, as well as complete religious toleration • On the other hand… • Kept Prussia’s serfdom and rigid social structure intact and avoided any additional reforms

9. The Austrian Empire • Joseph II succeeds Maria Theresa and starts to call for enlightened change • Swept away anything standing in the path of reason • Abolishes serfdom, eliminates the death penalty, equality before the law, enacts religious reforms. • Joseph’s reform program largely fails • Why?

10. Russia under Catherine the Great • Rules Russia from 1762-1796 • Assumes the throne after her husband is murdered by a group of nobles • German • Favored the ideas of the philosophes and wanted to implement reform, but does not • Why? • Need support of nobility

11. Philosophes Condemn war as foolish Want all to have equality under the law Monarchs Use war to expand empires Concerned with the balance of power, that each state should have equal power Really, each want to gain more power Philosophes v. 18th Century Monarchs

12. War • War of Austrian Succession • Maria Theresa succeeds her father on the Austrian throne • King Frederick of Prussia invades Austrian Silesia • France enters war vs. Austria, its traditional enemy • Treaty agreed to in 1748 • Prussia refuses to return Silesia to Austria= another war

13. War

14. The Seven Years’ War 1756-1763 Maria Theresa rebuilds army and takes France as an ally from Prussia Russia joins France and Austria Sees Prussia as a threat Britain allies itself with Prussia War fought in 3 locations: Europe, India, and North America War in Europe: Prussia holds its ground against Austria, Russia, and France Once Russia withdraws, there is a stalemate Agree to end war and Prussia keeps Silesia; all other occupied territories are returned to their original owner War in India Britain vs. France Seeking to expand their empire India falls to Britain War in North America Great Britain is victorious overall and becomes one of the greatest colonial powers War