Name _______________________ Date _____________ Per____ Enlightened Thought Introduction

Notes

Enlightenment- The time period about the 1700s when

intellectuals began to question the way the government worked and
brainstormed the idea of natural rights.

Essential Questions for this unit:

(1) Why did people begin to question the government in the 1700s?
(2) What is the purpose of law and government?
(3) Are we born with certain rights? What are they and why do we have
them? How do we best protect them?
(4) How do we prevent a government from becoming corrupt?

Why did this happen only in the 1700s?

• Observing the corruption of these ABSOLUTE MONARCHS, yet appreciating the
stability and end to religious violence they bring to a country.
• Glorious Revolution occurred which
• Scientific Revolution encourages people to think about the world RATIONALLY
using their own REASON

Cause 1: Protestant Reformation and Cause 2: New discoveries from the

the growth of secular thinking. New World
Explain how this will cause a scientific Explain how this will cause a scientific
revolution: revolution:
 Background: The Scientific Revolution spread to much more than science. It taught
people to question everything. How will this change old ideas?

(1) Earlier Idea: People should accept suffering in this world in return for joy in Heaven
after death.

New Idea: ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

(2) Earlier idea: True knowledge about the world comes from the Bible, church
teachings, and
Scientific Revolution ancient writers.
(1500s-1600s )- Define:

New idea: ____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
Copernicus Galileo Newton
(3)discovered:
Earlier idea: A legitimate monarch has
discovered:divine, God-given right to rule.
discovered
:
New Idea: ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

(4) Earlier idea: The people’s role is to serve and obey the monarch and the state.

New Idea: ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
Major Effect 1: Major Effect 2:
Widespread acceptance of the Scientific The idea that humans are born with natural
(5) Earlier idea: The government may allow just one religion and persecute members of
Method. rights (such as life, liberty, and property).
any other religion.
To obtain truth, you should…

New Idea: ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
p.
(6) Earlier idea: Society is correctly structured into unequal social classes.
1
New idea:______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

(7) Earlier idea: The purpose of law is to avenge crime and extract confessions of
accused people.

New idea:______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

(8) Earlier idea: Women are naturally – and therefore legally – subordinate to men. p.
New idea: ______________________________________________________________________ 2
______________________________________________________________________________