Enlightenment Flashcards
what type of movement was the enlightenment?
a cultural movement
what series of events led to the enlightenment?
- the renaissance
- the protestant reformation
- the scientific revolution
- the enlightenment
empiricism
belief that knowledge comes from observations and experiences
what was the goal of the enlightenment?
to understand the universal laws of society
what did people use to fulfill the enlightenment goals?
empiricism and logic + reasoning
social contract
an agreement between the government and its people saying that you give up some of your rights from law
voltaire
religion shouldn’t play a big role in public life
Adam Smith
- economics
- free market should guide the economy
- the government should not control the economy so much
natural rights
rights that all people are born with
- life, liberty, and the pursuit of private property
what did the enlightenment question
absolute monarchy
montesquieu
each role of government should be done separately
popular sovereignty
rule by the people
what do the enlightenment ideas come to form?
western democracy
what do people with a national identity have in common?
language, cuisine, customs, territory
what was the downfall of nationalism?
it broke apart empires
nationalism
a strong sense of patriotism
what might people with nationalism desire?
their own state ruled by their own people
nation-state
everyone has the same ethnicity
reform movements
movements for change
expansion of suffrage
spread suffrage for males in britain
abolition movement
abolishing slavery
end of serfdom
czar feared losing power of serfs rebelling and revolutions, so he ended serfdom
feminism
equality of men and women
mary wollstonecraft
wanted equal education rights
olympe de gouges
fights in french revolution, doesn’t recieve equality, writes rights of women and of the female citizen
Enlightened Despot
Absolute ruler who used his or her power to bring about political and social change
John Locke
17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
Baron de Montesquieu
French aristocrat who wanted to limit royal absolutism; Wrote The Spirit of Laws, urging that power be separated between executive, legislative, and judicial branches, each balancing out the others, thus preventing despotism and preserving freedom. This greatly influenced writers of the US Constitution. He greatly admired British form of government.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
A French man who believed that Human beings are naturally good & free & can rely on their instincts. Government should exist to protect common good, and be a democracy
Thomas Hobbes
English materialist and political philosopher who advocated absolute sovereignty as the only kind of government that could resolve problems caused by the selfishness of human beings (1588-1679)
Leviathan (Hobbes)
- Treatise concerning the structure of society and legitimate government; stated that humans are naturally evil and can only be controlled by an absolute monarch; mankind must cede his natural right.
- One of the most influential works concerning the social contract.
Two Treatises of Civil Government
This book, published by John Locke in 1689, attacks the divine right of kings (using scripture) in the “First Treatise”. The “Second Treatise” contains ideas that were somewhat radical at the time, but are essentially what the United States were founded on: all people are created equal, and any government depends on the consent of the governed, who have a right to overthrow and unjust government.
Deitism
has concern and compassionate care for people
Louis XIV
(1638-1715) Known as the Sun King, he was an absolute monarch that completely controlled France. One of his greatest accomplishments was the building of the palace at Versailles.
Absolutism
A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)
Constitutionalism
Basic principle that government and those who govern must obey the law; the rule of law
Maria Theresa of Austria
(r. 1740-80) Daughter of Charles XI of the Austrian Habsburgs, she was to succeed him after his death by way of the Pragmatic Sanction. When Frederick II seizes Silesia out of her grasp, she fails to return the province to the Austrians, but successfully manages to preserve Habsburg power. She won support from her subjects, as well as the Magyar nobility in supporting her in the war.
Catherine the Great
Empress of Russia who greatly increased the territory of the empire (1729-1796)
Ferderick the Great
Prussian king of the 18th century; attempted to introduce Enlightenment reforms into Germany; built on military and bureaucratic foundations of his predecessors; introduced freedom of religion; introduced freedom of religion; increased sate control of economy (1740-1786)
Peter I (the Great)
Tsar from 1689 to 1725; continued growth of absolutism and conquest; sought to change selected aspects of the economy and culture through imitation of western European models.
Charles I of England
English King during the English Civil War is executed by Oliver Cromwell
Glorious Revolution (1688)
The bloodless coup in 1688 in England when James II (a Catholic) gave up the throne and his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange (of the Netherlands) - both Protestants - replaced James II to reign jointly. No Catholic monarch has reigned in England since.
English Bill of Rights (1689)
Established freedom from taxation without representation, outlawed cruel and unusual punishment, guaranteed the right to bear arms, and many other rights.
Many of these same rights are included in the U.S. Constitution.
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658)
Puritan general who helped lead parliamentary forces during the English Civil War, and ruled England as Lord Protector from 1653 until his death in 1658.
English Civil War
Conflict from 1640 to 1660; featured religious disputes mixed with constitutional issues concerning the powers of the monarchy; ended with restoration of the monarchy in 1660 following execution of previous king
War of Spanish Succession
a conflict, lasting from 1701 to 1713, in which a number of European states fought to prevent the Bourbon family from controlling Spain as well as France.
War of Austrian Succession
This war was over the inheritance of the throne by Maria Theresa, for the Salic law prevented a woman from solely ruling the state
Treaty of Westphalia (1648)
Ended the thirty years war, it was written in French and stated that the ruler of a land would determine the lands official religion of that land. It also gave Calvanists legal recognition.
League of Augsburg (1686)
created to resist French expansion into Germany, grew by 1689 to include Eng., Spain, Sweden, United Provinces, Bavaria, Saxony, and Palatirate, also had support of Austrian emperor Leopold
Charles II (1660-1685)
Stuart king during the Restoration, following Cromwell’s Interregnum.
James I of England
Divine right of kings, absolutist, Abandons the parliament, and alienates the puritans
Divine Right Rule (Absolutism)
Belief that a king/queen receives their power from God and only has to answer to God. No person can question the king/queen’s authority.
Philip II
Inherited Spain, Spanish Netherlands, and the American colonies. He was shy, serious, and paranoid.
Absolute Monarch
Rulers wanted to hold all of the power within their states’ boundaries.
