This document provides an overview of the Enlightenment period in Europe, including its key ideas, figures, and impact. The Enlightenment was a philosophical and intellectual movement that promoted reason, science, and individualism over tradition. Major players who helped spread Enlightenment values included Voltaire, Diderot, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Adam Smith. However, not all accepted Enlightenment thinking, as figures like Kant and Wesley emphasized other approaches like faith and experience. The Enlightenment had influence across fields like politics, education, science, and art during the 17th-18th centuries.

1. Enlightenment
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
AND GOD SAID, “LET THERE BE LIGHT”?
WHAT COMES BEFORE THE LIGHT?

2. The Dark Ages
Medieval Period (from fall of Rome c.500BC to
Renaissance c.1380s AD)
 Catholic Church dominated people’s hearts and minds—and
was heavily involved in politics
 Education was limited as civilization fought to come back from
the chaos following the decline of the Roman Empire
 Lots of ritual in medieval Catholicism, emphasis on saints,
miracles, mystery
 Monty Python's Take

3. Reformations
People arguing over the reality of flesh and blood in
bread and wine
 Arguing religious wars
 Devastated much of Europe, particularly Holy Roman Empire

4. Reformations
Intolerance of other viewpoints, even among
Protestants
 Despised Anabaptists
 Louis XIV persecuted Huguenots (Fr. Calvinists) as well as
Jansenists (Catholics who accepted some of Luther’s points)
 Cromwell’s Puritan Republic
 Persecuted Catholics and denied them participation in govt.

5. Scientific Revolution
New explanatory modes—observe nature to explain
how things work rather than looking to God or the
Bible
These scientists still largely religious people who
were exploring God’s world
Much of this happening during the Reformations
and Wars of Religion

6. Enlightenment
What are its values?
What is it reacting against?
Who are the major players?
Who is being impacted by this “light”?

7. Enlightenment Values
Application of scientific method to the
understanding of all life
Buzz words—reason, natural law, hope progress
Unofficial motto—Dare to know! (Immanuel Kant)

8. Major Players-Montesquieu
Separation of power his big
contribution
Admired the English system
Used it to criticize French

9. Major Players-Voltaire
Big contribution-religious toleration
 Felt religion was necessary for most people

10. Major Players-Diderot
Big contribution-Encyclopedia
 Idea that they could gather all their knowledge in one work,
even if it were 28 volumes
 Optimism

11. Major Players-Hume
Careful examination of common life
experiencesknowledge of human nature

12. Major Players-Adam Smith
Disliked mercantilism; favored free markets
 Anti-tariff
 State should stay out of the economy
 Labor is the true wealth of a nation
 Associated w/physiocratic ideas of supply and demand and
laissez-faire economics (let it alone)

13. Major Players-Rousseau
Two-fold contribution
 Social contract—idea that we give up our individual freedom to
be governed and maintain civility
 Government a necessary evil
 Parachute metaphor
 Education idea—leave children alone to explore; don’t stick
them in desks in classrooms
 Not so enlightened re:gender

14. Major Players-Mary Astell
Women need to be better educated
 Used arguments of Enlightened men against them

15. Major Players-Mary Wollstonecraft
Like Astell, pointed out hypocrisy of Enlightened
men’s arguments vs. monarchy and for freedom
when they were subjugating their wives

16. Major Players-Salons
Gathering place for Enlightened thinkers
 Run by women (in the home, food, hospitality, so no challenge
to tradition in that way)
 Madame Geoffrin mentioned in text

17. Limits of Enlightenment
Kant—Reason can only take you so far
 Guy who coined the unofficial motto also pointed out the
limitations
 Famous quotes:
 To be is to do.
 Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.
 Live your life as though your every act were to become a universal
law.
 You can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.

18. Limits of Enlightenment-Wesley
Founder of Methodism
 Trying to revive Anglican church
 Mystical experience of God
 Opposed to rationalistic approach of orthodox Lutherans

19. Limits of Enlightenment-Rococo
Over-the-top style that blended well with Baroque
 Emphasized grace and gentle action
 Fondness for curves

20. In Line with Enlightenment Values-
NeoClassicism
Going back, again, to simplicity and dignity of
ancient Greece and Rome
 (interesting that they’re arguing for greater participation in
government along the lines of democracy and representative
republics—hmmmmm……)

21. Music and Order, Reason
Bach, Handel--Baroque
Mozart part of the Classical music trend