Enlightenment and Revolution Flashcards
John Locke
Social Contract supporter. Believed in Natural rights (Life, Liberty, Property). Believed in Consent of the Governed and right to rebel.
Montesquieu
Identified the Three Branches of Government (Executive, Legislative, Judicial). Believed there should be Checks and Balances between the branches.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Social Contract supporter. Believed all men are born free, equal.
Cesare Beccaria
Social Contract supporter who opposed “Cruel and Unusual Punishment.”
Thomas Hobbes
Social Contract Supporter. Believed that humans are evil and so governments must be strong to keep people in check.
Consent of the Governed
The idea that governments get their power from the people- when the people disapprove of the government they have the right to change it or rebel.
Social Contract
The idea that citizens give up some freedoms they may have had in nature (like stealing and killing), so the government can protect our rights (life, liberty, property.)
Enlightenment
After the Renaissance, people developed NEW ideas about human life (Government, science, art, etc.)
Natural Law
The belief in unchanging rights and rules for all humans
Natural Rights
The belief that humans are born with certain rights (life liberty, property) that can never be taken away
Due Process
A guarantee of fairness in the legal process. Law enforcers (police, lawyer, judge) have rules to follow.
Separation of Power
The Three Branches of Government (Legislative, Executive, Judicial) need to have separate roles and powers.
Republic
A government system where the people choose who represents them in Government
Direct Democracy
A government where all voters can vote on all issues and the majority wins.
Scientific revolution
A time when math and science advanced very quickly and helped humans understand our place in society and nature.
Salon
A gathering of enlightenment thinkers/artists where they could discuss and debate enlightenment ideas.
Scientific Method
Made famous by Sir Francis Bacon. A specific process for properly conducting scientific discovery: observation, hypothesis, experiment, data analysis, conclusion
Declaration of Independence
Document created by American colonists to officially announce their separation from Britain. (AKA: they declared their independence!)
Thomas Jefferson
Enlightenment thinker- used John Locke’s view of the Social Contract to justify the American Revolution/separation from Great Britain.
Bill of Rights
Created by America’s Founding Fathers to limit the power of the government to protect our most basic Natural Rights.
Checks and Balances
The idea that the Three Branches of Government need to be able to limit each other’s power. (Ex. The President can “veto” a law passed by Congress)
American Revolution (1785-1783)
The American Colonies fought against British soldiers to obtain political independence- and established the US as an independent nation
Glorious Revolution (1688)
Overthrow of the English king who was replaced by William of Orange and Mary. This lead to the English Bill of Rights, which influenced the American Founding.
