WH_L14, Section 4: The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that applied scientific principles to the study of society and government, believing that _________was the key to progress?

• reason

• religion

• monarchy

• political freedom

Which Enlightenment thinker argued that people were naturally selfish and needed strong rulers to maintain order?

• Thomas Hobbes

• John Locke

• Baron de Montesquieu

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau

John Locke's idea of a social contract states that the basis of government is an agreement in which:

• People agree to be ruled in exchange for protection of their natural rights

• People agree to obey a monarch no matter what

• The government has the right to take away personal freedoms

• Kings rule by divine right

According to Locke, which of the following is a natural right that all people possess?

• The right to life, liberty, and property

• The right to power

Which of the following Enlightenment thinkers proposed the separation of powers into three branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial?

• Baron de Montesquieu

• Adam Smith

• John Locke

• Thomas Hobbes

What major historical event influenced the Enlightenment, encouraging thinkers to apply reason and scientific methods to understand human society?

• The Scientific Revolution

• The Renaissance

• The Reformation

• The French Revolution

Which concept is central to the Enlightenment and suggests that society can be understood and improved through reason?

• Natural laws

• Absolute monarchy

• Divine right of kings

• The social contract

What effect did the Enlightenment have on political thought in Europe and the Americas?

• It inspired ideas of liberty, natural rights, and republican government

• It encouraged absolute monarchies to tighten their control over people

Which Enlightenment thinker is associated with the belief that government power should be divided into separate branches to prevent tyranny?

• Baron de Montesquieu

• Voltaire

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Thomas Hobbes

Which of the following is a key legacy of the Enlightenment, especially in relation to religion and knowledge?

• Support for secular attitudes, religious toleration, and individual rights

• Emphasis on religious authority as the ultimate source of knowledge

• Encouragement of strict adherence to traditional religious practices

• Advocacy for government control over scientific discovery