This document summarizes key figures and ideas from the Enlightenment period. It profiles scientists like Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, and Newton, who made important discoveries about astronomy, physics, and mathematics that changed views of humanity's place in the universe. Philosophers such as Locke, Rousseau, and Voltaire advocated new social contract theories and expanding individual freedoms and rights. The document also outlines several enlightened despots, including Frederick the Great, Maria Theresa, and Catherine the Great, who instituted reforms in Prussia, Austria, and Russia to modernize governments and societies.

1. The Enlightment

2. Scientists

3. GALILEO

4. GALILEO ORIGIN: Italy ACTIVE YEARS: (1564-1642) 78 years DISCOVERIES: The Sun is in the the centre of the Universe and earth and other planets revolve around it INVENTIONS: Telescope

5. JohannesKepler

6. Johannes Kepler ORIGIN: Germany. ACTIVE YEARS: (1571-1630) 59 years. DISCOVERIES: The planets obey natural mathematical laws in their movements around the Sun, and they don’t move randomly.

7. Rene Descartes

8. Rene Descartes ORIGIN: France. ACTIVE YEARS: (1596-1650) 54 years. DISCOVERY: Living things such as humans and animals are just a complicated machine. In the Universe, everything can be explained and reduced to mathematical principals.

9. Isaac Newton

10. ORIGIN: England. ACTIVE YEARS: (1642-1727) years. DISCOVERIES: Things also obey fixed natural laws of science. When things fell to ground they are obeying law of the force of gravity. Isaac Newton

11. PHILOSOPHERS

12. John Locke

13. John Locke ORIGIN: England. ACTIVE YEARS: (1632-1704) 72 years. HIS ARGUMENTS: There should be a contract between the rulers and the people. The King should be loyal, but if the king is unjust, the people should have the full authority to depose him.

14. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

15. Jean-Jacques Rousseau ORIGIN: France. ACTIVE YEARS: (1712-1778) 66 years. HIS ARGUMENTS: There should be a social contract between the government and the people. The ‘General Will’ , the will of the Majority should be given importance. If someone disagrees with the majority, they are wrong. People can share their personal freedoms.

16. Voltaire

17. Voltaire ORIGIN: France ACTIVE YEARS: (1694-1778) 84 years. HIS ARGUMENTS: Everyone should be given the right of free speech. He wanted his country to adopt the similar system of government like England.

18. The Enlightened Despots

19. Frederick the Great

20. Frederick the Great ORIGIN: Prussia. RULING TIME: (1740-1786) 46 years. ACHIEVEMENTS: Made Prussia one of the leading states in Europe. Made a strong Army. Released his own serfs and made everyone equal under the law.

21. Maria Theresa

22. ORIGIN: Maria Theresa. RULING TIME: (1740-1780) 40 years. CONTRIBUTION: Taxation, so everyone from higher class to lower class paid taxes. The wealth of the monasteries and the tax money were used to build many school. Courts and Government were fair. Maria Theresa

23. Catherine the Great

24. Catherine the Great ORIGIN: Russia RULING TIME: (1762-1796) 34 years CONTRIBUTIONS: Reduced the power of the church by taking their land. Set up schools and universities. Wanted the to free the serfs, but didn’t because much of the Russian economy depended upon them at that time.