The Enlightenment Lesson

​The Enlightenment

​Terms & Names

absolute monarch King or queen with complete control

divine right Idea that a ruler receives the right to rule from God

English Civil War War fought from 1642 to 1649 between the Royalists, or Cavaliers, and the Puritan supporters of Parliament

Glorious Revolution Bloodless overthrow of King James II

constitutional (limited) monarchy Government in which laws limit the monarch’s power

Enlightenment Age of Reason

social contract According to Thomas Hobbes, an agreement people make with government

John Locke Philosopher who wrote about government

Voltaire Writer who fought for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech

Montesquieu French writer concerned with government and political liberty

Rousseau Enlightenment thinker who championed freedom

Thomas Hobbes English philosopher, considered to be one of the founders of modern political philosophy; best known for his 1651 book Leviathan, in which he expounds an influential formulation of social contract theory.

Mary Wollstonecraft Author who wrote about women’s rights

​What was the Restoration?

Soon after Cromwell’s death, the government collapsed. Parliament asked Charles’s older son to restore the monarchy. Charles II’s rule beginning in 1660 is called the Restoration.

After Charles II’s death in 1685, his brother became King James II. His pro-Catholic policies angered the English. They feared that he would restore Catholicism. In 1688, seven members of Parliament contacted James’s older daughter, Mary, and her husband, William of Orange, prince of the Netherlands. Both were Protestants. The members of Parliament wanted William and Mary to replace James II on the throne. James was forced to flee to France. When that took place, the bloodless revolution was called the Glorious Revolution.

​What were the views of Hobbes and Locke?

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement. Enlightenment thinkers tried to apply reason and the scientific method to laws that shaped human actions. They hoped to build a society founded on ideas of the Scientific Revolution. Two English writers—Thomas Hobbes and John Locke—were important to this movement. They came to very different conclusions about government and human nature.

Hobbes wrote that there would be a war of “every man against every man” if there were no government. To avoid this war, Hobbes said, people formed a social contract. It was an agreement between people and their government. People gave up their rights to the government so they could live in a safe and orderly way. The best government, he said, is that of a strong king who can force all people to obey.

John Locke believed that people have three natural rights. They are life, liberty, and property. The purpose of government is to protect these rights. When it fails to do so, he said, people have a right to overthrow the government. 

Multiple Choice

This philosopher firmly believed that life, liberty and property were natural rights of all people. He inspired the Declaration of Independence

• Thomas Hobbes

• Voltaire

• John Locke

• Baron de Montesquieu

Multiple Choice

This philosopher had a negative view of human nature, believing that people were generally greedy and selfish.

• John Locke

• Voltaire

• Cesare Beccaria

• Thomas Hobbes

Multiple Choice

What was the time period called after King Charles II was crowned and the Monarchy restored?

• The Restoration

• The Inquisition

• The Middle Ages

• The Golden Era

​Who were the philosophes?

French thinkers called philosophers had five main beliefs: (1) thinkers can find the truth by using reason; (2) what is natural is good and reasonable, and human actions are shaped by natural laws; (3) acting according to nature can bring happiness; (4) by taking a scientific view, people and society can make progress and advance to a better life; and (5) by using reason, people can gain freedom.

The most brilliant of the philosophes was the writer Voltaire. He stood for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech. Baron de Montesquieu wrote about separation of powers—dividing power among the separate branches of government. The third great philosophe was Jean Jacques Rousseau. He wrote in favor of human freedom. He wanted a society in which all people were equal. Cesare Beccaria was an Italian philosphe. He spoke out against abuses of justice. 

​What were Enlightenment views about individuals?

Many Enlightenment thinkers held traditional views about women’s place in society. They wanted equal rights for all men but paid no attention to the fact that women did not have such rights. Some women protested this unfair situation. “If all men are born free,” stated British writer Mary Wollstonecraft, “how is it that all women are born slaves?”

Enlightenment ideas strongly influenced the American and French revolutions. Enlightenment thinkers also helped spread the idea of progress. By using reason, they said, it is possible to make society better. Enlightenment thinkers helped make the world less religious and more worldly. They also stressed the importance of the individual.

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