Effects of the Enlightenment

The “Republic of Letters”

A. URBAN –-- gathering of elites in the cities (salons)

B. URBANE --– cosmopolitan, worldly
- music, art, literature, politics
- read newspapers & the latest
books
C. POLITENESS –-- proper behavior
- self-governed
Reading During the Enlightenment

► Literacy:
- 80 % for men, 60 % women
► Books were expensive (one day’s wages)

► Many readers for each book

►- novels, plays & other literature

- journals, memoirs, “private lives”
- philosophy, history, theology
- newspapers, political pamphlets
► - often censored by governments
Toleration & Religious Minorities
• out of political necessity, toleration of certain creeds began by 17th cent.
• Louis XIV turned back the clock, persecuting Huguenots in the early 18th
cent.
• Austria - Toleration Patent of 1781 recognized Catholic public practice &
granted right to private worship for Lutherans, Calvinists, & Greek Orthodox
– in all other ways, Austrians were equal

Toleration of the Jews

• remained the despised religious minority of Europe
• largest # of Ashkenazic Jews lived in Eastern Europe
– restricted in movement
– forbidden to own land or hold jobs
– pay special taxes
– subject to periodic popular wrath
• Sephardic Jews - had been expelled from Spain in 15th cent.
– settled in Turkish lands, also cities such as Amsterdam, Venice, London,
& Frankfurt where they were free to work in banking & commercial
activities
– many philosophes denounced persecution, but still ridiculed Jewish
customs
– Austria: eased restrictions on Jews, but still own land or worship publicly
 Impact/ Effects of the Enlightenment
• The Enlightenment birthed two revolutions
imperative to Western Civilization:
– American Revolution
– French Revolution
• The Enlightenment created an outlet for
intellectuals/educated to openly debate issues w/in
society
• This era allowed for a greater sense of
‘universalism’ where peoples did not live for their
own sake, but sought betterment for others
England v. France
• The English and French Enlightenments
exchanged influences through many
channels.
– Because England had gotten its
revolution out of the way early, it was
able to proceed more smoothly down
the road to democracy.
– But English liberty was dynamite
when transported to France, where
resistance by church and state was
fierce.
Progression Timeline
 Enlightenment in America
• Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, many
of the intellectual leaders of the
American colonies were drawn to the
Enlightenment.
– Jefferson, Washington, Franklin,
and Paine were powerfully
influenced by Enlightenment
thought.
– The God who underwrites the
concept of equality in the
Declaration of Independence is
the same Deist God Rousseau
worshipped.
 Why should we care?
• Because Thomas Jefferson
totally ripped off of these guys!
• You remember that little paper
he wrote? It was called The
Declaration of Independence
and signed on July 4, 1776.
• This paper summarized how
the Enlightenment ideas
influenced our American
forefathers (Thomas Jefferson,
Benjamin Franklin, John
Adams, James Madison).
American Revolution
• The language of natural law,
of inherent freedoms, of self-
determination which seeped
so deeply into the American
grain was the language of the
Enlightenment.
• Separated geographically
from most of the aristocrats
against whom they were
rebelling, their revolution was
to be far less corrosive than
that in France.
Montesquieu’s 3 branches in Action
 Enlightenment Ideas in
America
• Natural Rights –life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness
• Separation of Power – legislative, judicial, & executive
branches
• Social Contract
• Freedom of speech, press, and religion
• Purpose of Gov’t to serve the people
• System of Checks and Balances
• Capitalism
• Importance of Education
• Belief that science and eventually technology will solve most
or all problems
• Idea of Human Rights
• Helping others---social services, etc….
 Pair Share Activity
• Complete the Sum It Up Activity that is the
last page of the graphic organizer packet.
• Some pairs will be sharing them as
closure to the lesson.