Lesson 4: The Enlightenment

Key Idea

The Scientific Revolution showed that people could use reason and observation to understand the natural world. This new confidence, building on the questioning spirit of the Renaissance and Reformation, sparked a new movement in 18th-century Europe.

This movement was the Enlightenment. Thinkers applied scientific principles to human society, government, and rights. They challenged the traditional authority of absolute monarchs and the Church, believing that logic could lead to human progress and a better world.

Key Idea

English thinkers began to debate the best way to govern people. Thomas Hobbes believed that humans were naturally selfish and needed a strong ruler to keep order. He argued that people should give up their freedom to an absolute monarch in exchange for safety and security.

In contrast, John Locke had a more positive view. He argued that all people were born with natural rights, including life, liberty, and property. For Locke, the purpose of government was not to control people, but to protect these rights. If a government failed, the people could change it.