Lesson 4: The Enlightenment

Key Idea

Before the Enlightenment, major shifts in thinking occurred. The Renaissance celebrated human potential, and the Reformation encouraged people to question authority. These movements promoted individualism and new ways of seeing the world.

Then, the Scientific Revolution showed that the universe followed predictable rules, or natural laws. Thinkers used reason and logic to understand the physical world. This inspired a new question: could reason also be used to discover the laws that governed human society and government?

Key Idea

Enlightenment thinkers challenged the idea that kings should have total power. John Locke argued that all people are born with natural rights, including life, liberty, and property. He believed a government's main purpose was to protect these rights.

To prevent government from becoming too powerful, Montesquieu proposed a separation of powers. This idea divides government into different branches. Each branch checks the power of the others, creating a balance.

Key Idea

Enlightenment thinkers used reason to challenge more than just government. The writer Voltaire argued for religious tolerance and freedom of speech. He believed people should not be punished for their personal beliefs.

Other thinkers questioned social rules. Mary Wollstonecraft pushed for equal rights and education for women. She argued that women could contribute to society just as much as men if given the same opportunities.

Key Idea

Enlightenment ideas about government and rights traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to the American colonies. Leaders like Thomas Jefferson read these new philosophies and grew inspired. They believed that people had natural rights that the British government was not protecting.

When American colonists decided to form a new nation, they used these principles as a blueprint. The Declaration of Independence reflects John Locke’s ideas on natural rights. Later, the U.S. Constitution organized the government based on Montesquieu’s concept of separating powers.