The Enlightenment and

Democratic Revolutions

Prologue Sec 4

I Enlightenment thinkers and Ideas

A. Apply reason and science to all aspects of life

B. Combined ideas of:

1. Ancient Greece – Natural Laws

2. Christianity/Judaism – Equality of People

3. Renaissance – Worldly Concerns

4. Scientific Revolution – rational thought over

traditional Beliefs (Scientific Method)

C. Hobbes (Leviathan) the social contract – People give up rights for Safety—a neg. view of humanity

D. Locke – (Two treatise on Government) – Natural Rights – absolute right to overthrow bad government—he had a more optimistic view

E. Voltaire – Free Speech and Religion--tolerance

F. Rousseau – Free individuals create a government that responds to people’s will, Wrote The Social Contract

G. Montesquieu –Separation of Powers

1. Legislature – Make laws

2. Executive – Enforce Laws

3. Courts – To interpret laws

Any person or group inpower will try to increase its power.

II. Beginnings of Democracy in America

A. Americans Protest British Policies after French and Indian War. England

1. put tax burden on colonies for cost of war

2. put more soldiers in colonies

3 would not let colonists settle west of Appalachian Mountains

4. did not let colonies have representation in Parliament--Taxation w/out representation

B. Americans Win Independence (1775 – 1781)

C. Enlightenment Ideas shape the Constitution (1789)

1. Representative Govt.

2. Federal system – Central, State and Local Govt.

3. 3 branches of govt.

III. The French Revolution

A. Causes of Revolution

1. Louis XVI was a

weak leader

2. Unfair tax burden

on Poor

3. Peasants thought

govt. did not care

about them

B. Early Reforms of

the Revolution

1. Declaration of

Rights of Man –

Citizens basic rights

2. Reformed Courts

3. Constitution

calling for Limited

Monarchy

C. Reforms Undone

1. Outside monarchies

went to war with

France

2. Reign of Terror

3. Eventually becomes

a dictatorship to

control chaos due to

lack of leadership

III. Struggle for Democracy Continues

A. United Nations promotes democracy – set

worldwide standard for how humans should

be treated (1948)

B. New Movements toward democracy

1. Former Soviet Union (15 new Nations)

2. South Africa