The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment Chase Beach

How it started • Reason • People started to question the teachings of the church • Natural Law • Hope • Progress

John Locke • Wrote Essay Concerning Human Understanding • Argued that every person is born with a blank mind. • Thought that if people were introduced to new and better influences then there could be a better society.

John Locke • Has major influence on the development of epistemology and political philosophy • Thought of as the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers

Isaac Newton • Wrote PhilosophiaeNaturalis Principia Mathematica • Described Universal Gravitation and the three laws of motion • Built the first practical reflecting telescope • Helped invent calculus

Isaac Newton • Worked on the Biblical Hermeneutics • He was a very religious man • Heand John Locke were good friends • Member of Parliament of England • From 1689-1690

Baron De Montesquieu • Born January 10, 1755 in Bordeaux • Studied at the Catholic College of Juilly • Most Famous for his book The Spirit of the Laws • Came up with the separation of powers

Baron De Montesquieu • He used the scientific method to find natural laws that govern the social and political relationships of humans • He identified 3 kinds of governments: • Republics • Despotism • Monarchies

Baron De Montesquieu • Republics were suitable for small states • Despotism was suitable for large states • Monarchies were ideal for mid-sized states • He also came up with the idea of the system of checks and balances

Voltaire • Born François-Marie Arouet • Born into a noble family • Went to a prestigious college • He was fluent in French, English, and Spanish • First used the name Voltaire as a pen name

Voltaire • He was a popular writer • Wrote Plays, Poetry, Novels, Essays, historical and scientific books, and much more • Known for his criticism of Christianity and belief in religious tolerance

Denis Diderot • Born October 5, 1713 • Went to the University of Paris • Father wanted him to become a lawyer • Instead he became a writer • Most famous for writing the Encyclopedia • Changed the way people thought of things.

Adam Smith • Wrote The Wealth of Nations • The book talked about how the state should not interfere with the economy • He gave the government 3 basic rules • It should protect society from invasion

Adam Smith • The government should defend citizens from injustice • It should deal with some public works such as roads, schools, and canals • He has been called the founder of the social science of economics

CesareBeccaria • Wrote On Crimes and Punishment • Stated that punishment should not be exercises in brutality • Also said there should be no capital punishment • Was the first work of penology

Jean Jacques Rousseau • Most famous philosopher of the late enlightenment • Switched jobs a lot until he came to Paris and became a philosopher • Did not like the city and remained in solitude most of his time

Jean Jacques Rousseau • In his book The Social Contract he introduced the Social Contract • The book stated in a social contract, an entire society governs itself by its general will. • People who oppose have to be forced to agree to the government

Mary Wollstonecraft • One of the first women to speak out about the rights of women • She is called the founder of the modern movement for women • She wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women • Talked about 2 problems that the enlightenment thinkers had

John Wesley • Founder of Methodism • Had an encounter with God that caused him to become a missionary • Many Anglican churches were closed to him so he preached outside or in halls • He traveled a lot and preached around 2 or 3 times a day • After hearing his sermons many people converted to the Methodist society • The Methodists helped in the abolition of slavery in the U.S

Impact of Enlightenment Art

Balthasar Neumann • 2 most famous pieces of art were: • The Church of Fourteen Saints • The Residence • Neumann started to use new ideas and styles rather than the traditional ones • Rococo was the new artistic style that became popular

Antoine Watteau • The new art style Rococo was found in a lot of Antoine Watteau’s pieces • He depicted a nice dinner party where men and women dressed up and looked very happy • He tries to hide the sadness that was going on at the time

Impact of Enlightenment Music

Johann Sebastian Bach • Music director at the church of Saint Thomas in Leipzig • Most famous for his Mass in B Minor • More known for being an organist than a composer • His style on the piano was so different than anyone else’s that people were drawn to him

George Frederic Handel • Known for his religious music • His work, Messiah, was his best work • Used the Baroque musical style • At the age of 52, he had a stroke • Made his right arm temporarily paralyzed

Franz Joseph Haydn • Was the director for Hungarian princes for the majority of his life • When he went to England he started to perform more for public places than private parties • His 2 greatest works of music were The Creation and The Four Seasons

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart • Was a child prodigy • He traveled around at a young age with his family performing • Later went on to write around 600 pieces of music • His inability to get a sponsor led to his downfall • He composed 3 of the greatest operas of all time • The Marriage of Figaro • The Magic Flute • Don Giovanni

The Enlightenment