The Enlightenment occurred during the 1700s. It was after the Renaissance and Reformation and before the American and French Revolution. The Enlightenment was the application of science and reason to the world. Before the Enlightenment people used laws of nature to government science. These ideas lead Enlightenment thinkers to consider there might be laws that also government "human" nature. The Enlightenment Thinkers are Thomas Hobbes (Social Contract), John Locke (natural rights), Voltaire (freedom of thought) Baron de Montesquieu (separation of powers) and Jean Jaques Rousseau (Socialism for the good of the community). The Enlightenment Thinkers accepted Social Contract theory and rejected Divine Right Kings. Divine Right Kings governed without the consent of the people. The Enlightenment Thinkers laid the foundation for American political thought. They inspired Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and consent of the governed) and James Madison to write the Constitution (separation of powers and "We the people...")
Or log in to play for credit.
This activity is tracked by Mrs. Tiffany. If you are in Mrs. Tiffany's class, please log in for credit:
