Lecture 4 Flashcards
what is the Trial of Jean Calas
Jean Calas, (born March 19, 1698, Lacabarède, Fr.—died March 10, 1762, Toulouse), Huguenot cloth merchant whose execution caused the philosopher Voltaire to lead a campaign for religious toleration and reform of the French criminal code.
On Oct. 13, 1761, Calas’s eldest son, MarcAntoine, was found hanged in his father’s textile shop in Toulouse. Anti-Huguenot hysteria broke out among the local Roman Catholic populace, and Calas was arrested and charged with having murdered his son to prevent or punish his conversion to Catholicism. At first he attributed the crime to an unknown intruder, but he later insisted that his son had committed suicide. Found guilty by the local magistrates, he was condemned to death by the Parlement (appellate court) of Toulouse on March 9, 1762. The following day he was publicly broken on the wheel, strangled, and then burned to ashes. His son was buried as a martyr to the Catholic faith
when did the Trial of Jean Calas happen
1762
who tortured and executed Jean Calas
Parlement of Toulouse
what did the Parlement of Toulouse do
believed the hostile witnesses that came forward and ordered that Calas be tortured 2 times to admit he was guilty and name his alleged helpers
but he protested his innocence the entire time but was beheaded
what is François Marie Arouet also known as
Voltaire
what is Voltaire know for in terms of the Jean Calas situation
most famous enlightenment thinker in europe
he was appalled at the verdict and punishment so he took the case int his own hands and wrote an article.
The trial was done over again at the request of the king, he was found innocent and the family was compescated
Voltaire said that this was a prime example of how arbitrary rule was unjust; the use of torture, trials behind closed doors, etc… this stuff defied reasons and humanity to him
what did Voltaire write
Treatise on Tolerance on the Occasion of the Death of Jean Calas from the Judgment Rendered in Toulouse (1763)
and this influenced the king to right the family
who are key figures in the Enlightenment
Immanuel Kant Voltaire Nicholas Copernicus Sir Isaac Newton Montesquieu Denis Diderot Jean-Jacques Rousseau Cesare Beccaria Scottish Enlightenment figures as well
where did the enlightenment primarily occur
europe
what does Sapere aude mean
latin expression used by Roman poet, then picked up by Immanuel Kant in his essay
this means, “Dare to know” or “think for yourselves”
above all else, enlightenment thinkers shared a belief in universal human progress. It was reason that should be the primary source of power, it should not be monarchy or the church or old ways
what does Écrasez l’infâme mean
to crush innocence
people should be able to think and speak, and truth would be revealed through debate
belief in reason and progress against superstition, intolerance and arbitrary power
who said Écrasez l’infâme
voltaire
what did the enlightenment create
the scientific revolution
what three major changes; did the scientific revolution bring about
(i) Heliocentric view of universe . (ii) New physics . (iii) Scientific method of inquiry.
who is associated with the Heliocentric view of universe
(Nicholas Copernicus, De Revolutionibus, 1543)
who is associated with new physics
(Sir Isaac Newton, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, 1687)
what is the Heliocentric view
the earth moves around the sun, the earth is not the centre of the universe
what is new physics
development of a new physics that fit the new heliocentric view
in his work, he formulated the laws of motion and gravitation hat lay the foundation of classical physics that came to dominate the views of the scientific world
who did enlightenment thinkers admire and what did they try to do
hailed men like Newton as heroes and thought this was the greatest step yet for humanity
they tried to broaden the application of the new scientific method to the moral and human scientists
collected and spread views through education— to abolish religion (superstition and irrational custom)
what are Enlightenment thinkers also known as
philosophes
Enlightenment thinkers did what
sought to apply scientific methods to “moral” or “human” sciences
who was Immanuel Kant
philosophe
german philosopher, gave best definition of what the enlightenment is all about
people often forget to think for themselves and get stuck in a child-like state and obey authority rather than follow reason
was no revolutionary, believed change should happen naturally and with minimal conflict
when did Immanuel Kant live
1724-1804
when did Voltaire live
1694-1778
what is significant about Voltaire
philosophe
writer, historian, philosopher, propagandist for enlightenment
advocated for freedoms of speak, attacked the church
was voltaire religious
believed in supreme being but not one that interfered with the world
what kind of government did voltaire advocate for
favoured English-style govt. and enlightened monarchy
what was voltaires views on authority
but was no revolutionary
wanted to enlighten monarchy more than the illiterate masses
believed we needed authority still and not to be run by the masses
what is an enlightened monarchy
a limited monarchy
when did Montesquieu live
1689-1755
what did Montesquieu do
lawyer, writer, philosopher, french
who wrote De l’esprit des lois (1748)
Montesquieu
why is the De l’esprit des lois important
first sustained attempt to classify and compare the varieties of human societies, and within these to study how the societies worked
what did Montesquieu want
favoured separation of executive, legislative and judicial powers (rather than French-style Estates); looked to an enlightened aristocracy
what is meant by separation of executive, legislative and judicial powers
each separate from, but influenced by each other
so that when one was impacted they were not all impacted
what is the French-style estates
clergy, nobility, people
represented by estates general
3 state-system
what was Montesquieu’s views on authority
not a democrat
looked to an enlightened aristocracy and not a monarchy
who was Denis Diderot
french writer and philosopher
when did Denis Diderot live
1713-84)
who wrote Supplément au voyage de Bougainville (1772)
Denis Diderot
why is Supplément au voyage de Bougainville important
explorer that charted places and came across Tahiti
captured the enlightened european imagination
the paintings and account and such gave insights to non-europeans societies and depicted humanity in its non-restrained state (its natural state)
(impact of Louis-Anne de Bougainville’s and James Cook’s explorations of S. Pacific)
who was a main character in the Encyclopédie
Denis Diderot
what is the Encyclopédie
covered absolutely everything
designed to promote progress by the application of scientific progress
government banned it, yet people still sold it
when did the Encyclopédie come out
1751-72
who was Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Swiss writer and philosopher
what did Jean-Jacques Rousseau want
searched for political and intellectual freedom
believed in the good of humanity, wanted to create a just society
more of a radical thinker; advocated for popular sovereignly and democracy
when did Jean-Jacques Rousseau live
1712-78
who wrote Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
when did the social contract come out
1762
what is a key point in the social contract
man was born free, and everywhere he is in chains
what does the social contract say
more radical; concept of the “general will;
governments and laws represented only the rich and the privileged
wanted to unite people in equality rather than have them separated by privilege
the national community would be united by the “general will”
who would define what the “general will” was could lead to problems
who is Cesare Beccaria
itallian criminologist and philosopher
when did Cesare Beccaria live
1738-94
who wrote On Crimes and Punishments (1764)
Cesare Beccaria
what did the book On Crimes and Punishments basically say
this book argued against the death penalty
the state does not have the right to take lives, and the death penalty does not have an impact
criminal justice procedures be public, punishment in proportion of the crime (also wanted to get rid of torture)
who was part of the Scottish Enlightenment
David Hume (1711-76); Adam Smith (1723-90); Joseph Black (1728-99); Robert Burns (1759-96).
what did the scottish enlightenment think
a group of thinkers (listed before)
asserted he primacy of reason, rejection of authority not justified by reason, optimistic believe in capacity of humanity to bring about progress
where did the scottish enlightenment thinkers come out of
Based esp. in Glasgow/Edinburgh Universities
what was David Hume
writer, historian, legal training
what was Adam Smith
political philosopher
what was Joseph Black
physician and chemist
what was Robert Burns
poet
how did the Dissemination of Enlightenment ideas happen
through expanding C18th print culture and learned societies, academies, salons, masonic lodges and coffeehouses.
what is print culture
printing, publishing and newspapers and books
censor ship was greater in places like Russia, Prussia… even there some publishing was encouraged
what are learned societies, academies, salons, masonic lodges and coffeehouses
provided libraries, meeting places for discussion and journals
these were places where people could mingle and talk about the latest ideas
the 18th century saw the creation of pubic opinion (aka the elite, not the total)
nut governments to some extent felt the need to respond to
what countries are included in Enlightened Absolutism
Prussia
Austria
Russia
what is Enlightened Absolutism also known as
enlightened despotism
who was included int he Enlightened Absolutism of Prussia
Frederick William I, the “Great Elector”, r.1640-88; Frederick I, r.1688-1713; Frederick William I, the “Soldier King”, r.1713-40. –Frederick II
what did Frederick William I do
began build up of Prussian army, established absolute monarchy
what did Frederick William I’s son do
turned Prussia into a kingdom
first guy’s son… named himself when turned it to kingdom
what was Frederick William I known as
Great Elector
when did Frederick William I reign
1640-88
when did Frederick William I’s son reign
1688-1713
when did Frederick William I’s son’s son reign
1713-40.
what was Frederick William I’s son’s sons nick name
Soldier King
what was Frederick II’s nick name
the Great
what did Frederick II do
under him, prussian became a leading military power
what was Frederick II’s first step
to occupy Silesia
when did The Great reign
1740-86
what did The Great do in terms of territorial expansion
territorial expansion (including occupation of Silesia, 1740 (start of War of Austrian Succession) and partition of Poland from 1772)
who was the “first servant of the state” and what does that mean
the Great
considered himself this
service to the goal of strengthening service to authority (eliminating things like the church that limited him)
ended torture, opened up the ranks of judges to non-nobles, promoted education, encouraged religious toleration
on his own lands, he fostered the cultivation of new crops and scientific crops
abolished capital punishment of peasants, etc
this was consistent with the notion of an enlightened monarchy
what is the Great most known for
“enlightened” reforms and modernization in the service of absolutist power
who was key in Austria’s enlightened absolutism
Maria Theresa
who was Maria Theresa
Habsburg ruler, Holy Roman Empress, 1740-80
rocky start to her reign, as Fred the great took some land
response to the setbacks made her reorganize stuff (mentioned started at greater…
what did Maria Theresa do
greater centralization, taxes, army reform in response to War of Austrian Succession; “enlightened” measures under her and Joseph II
who was Joseph II
Maria Theresa’s son
when did Maria and her son reign
joint rule, 1765-80; sole rule of son, 1780-90
when did the ways of Maria and her son revert
reaction under Francis II from 1792 (Joseph’s son)
who was a key figure in the enlightened absolutism of Russia
After death of Peter III, German wife (Catherine the Great)
when did Catherine the Great rule
ruled 1762-96
how did Catherine the Great rule
courted enlightened figures, but reforms were overall modest
minimal reduction of torture for example
couldn’t do anything about the massive rule of nobles
when did the Cossack/peasant rebellion of Emelyan Pugachev happen (in russia)
1773-4
what happened after the Cossack/peasant rebellion of Emelyan Pugachev
brutal suppression, Catherine the Great reverted absolutely everything
