Download Chapter 17 REVOLUTION AND ENLIGHTENMENT

Chapter 17
REVOLUTION
AND
ENLIGHTENMENT
Background to the Revolution
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In the 15th and 16th centuries, natural
philosophers began to give up their old views
and developed new ones. They would no longer
rely on Aristotle for their scientific knowledge
The invention of new instruments, such as the
telescope and the microscope, made new
scientific discoveries possible.
The printing press helped to spread the ideas
more quickly.
The new theories of Nicholas Copernicus,
Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and Isaac
Newton became the foundation of the Scientific
Revolution.
A Revolution in Astronomy
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Discoveries in astronomy changed how
Westerners viewed the universe.
During the Middle Ages they believed in a
Ptolemaic system after Ptolemy. This system
is called geocentric because it places the
Earth at the center of the universe.
The Earth is fixed, motionless, at the center
of these spheres, which rotate around the
Earth.
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Nicolas Copernicus believed in a
heliocentric, or sun-centered, model of the
universe. The planets including the Earth
revolved around the sun.
Johannes Kepler created the laws of
planetary motion. His observations
confirmed that the Sun was the center of the
universe and that the orbits of the planet
were elliptical not circular.
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Galileo Galilei discovered mountains on the
moon, four moons revolving around Jupiter,
and sunspots with the telescope. After
publishing “The Starry Messenger”, the
Church asked him to abandon the
Copernican system. This new system
threatened the Church’s view of the universe
and seemed to contradict the Bible.
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Isaac Newton is considered the greatest
genius of the Scientific Revolution. He
defined his 3 laws of motion that govern
both the planetary bodies and objects on
Earth.
The universal law of gravitation explains
why the planetary bodies do not go off in
straight lines but continue in elliptical orbits
around the Sun. The law states that every
object in the universe is attracted to every
other object by a force called gravity. He
created a new picture of the universe.
Breakthroughs in medicine and
Chemistry
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Andreas Vesalius presented a careful and
accurate examination of human organs and
the general structure of the human body.
William Harvey showed that the heart was
the beginning point for the circulation of
blood in the body. Proved that the blood
flows through both veins and arteries in a
complete circuit.
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Robert Boyle was one of the first scientists to
conduct controlled experiments. Boyle’s
Law which states that the volume of a gas
varies with the pressure exerted on it.
Antoine Lavoisier invented a system of
naming the chemical elements. Considered
by many to be the founder of modern
chemistry.
Women and the Orgins of
Modern Science
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Margaret Cavendish one of the most prominent
female scientists. She was critical of the belief
that humans, through science, were masters of
nature.
Maria Winkelmann discovered a comet. Denied
a position at the Berlin Academy because of
being a woman.
Scientific work was considered to be men’s work.
Descartes and Reason
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Rene Descartes, a French philosopher wrote
“Discourse on Method”. His 1st principle was
“I think, therefore I am”. His 2nd principle
was “the mind cannot be doubted but the
body and material world can, the two must
be radically different”. Known as the Father
of Modern Rationalism- system of thought
that is based on the belief that reason is the
chief source of knowledge.
The Scientific Method
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Francis Bacon developed the scientific
method is a systematic procedure for
collecting and analyzing evidence. He
believed that you should use inductive
reasoning to learn about nature.
Systematic observations and carefully
organized experiments to test hypotheses
would lead to general principles.
Section 2
Path to the Enlightenment
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The Enlightenment was an 18th century
philosophical movement of intellectuals that hoped
that they could make progress towards a better
society.
Believed that they could discover natural laws that
govern human society.
John Locke believed that people were born with
blank minds and were molded by the experiences
that came through their senses from the
surrounding world. He believed that if
environments were changed and people were
exposed to the right influences, people could be
changed and a new society could be created.
Philosophes and Their Ideas
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Philosophes were intellectuals of the
Enlightenment. The purpose of philosophy was to
change the world.
Montesquieu Tried to find natural laws that govern
the social and political relationships of human
beings. Discussed how the English monarchy
functioned on a separation of powers which
prevented one person from gaining too much
power and provided the greatest freedom and
security for the state. Influenced the U.S.
Constitution.
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Francois-Marie Arouet (Voltaire) well known
for his criticism of Christianity and his strong
belief in religious tolerance. Believed in
deism based on reason and natural law. In
their view, a mechanic (God) created the
universe, set it in motion, and allowed it run
without his interference, according to its own
natural laws.
Denis Diderot helped spread the ideas of the
Enlightenment through the “Encyclopedia”, a
collection of knowledge on many subjects.
Called for social, legal, and political
improvements that could lead to a more
tolerant and humane society.
Toward a New Social Science
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The Physiocrats believed in laissez-faire
meaning “let the people do what they want”.
all society would ultimately benefit.
Adam Smith wrote “The Wealth of Nations”.
Believed that government should not
interfere in economic matters. Government
should protect society from invasion, defend
citizens from injustice, and keep up certain
public works (roads & canals).
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By the 18th century, most European states
had developed a system of courts.
Punishments were cruel with the thought
that it would deter crime.
Cesare Beccaria believed that punishments
should not be cruel and that it did not deter
people from committing crimes.
The Later Enlightenment
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Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that people
adopted laws and government in order to
protect their property. Wrote “The Social
Contract” which says that an entire society
agrees to be govern by its general will.
Sought a balance between emotions and
reason.
Rights of Women
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Mary Wollstonecraft viewed as the founder of
the movement of women’s rights. She argued
that if government based on the arbitrary
power of monarch was wrong, the power of
men over women was equally wrong.
Religion in the Enlightenment
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Most European in the 18th century were
Christians.
People sought a deeper personal devotion to
God.
John Wesley converted people to the faith of
Methodist. Gave middle and lower class
sense of purpose and community.
Section 3
The Arts
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New artistic style called rococo which
emphasized grace, charm, and gentle action.
Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frederick
Handel were two musical geniuses who
composed music in the baroque style.
Franz Joseph Haydn and Wofgang Amadeus
composed classical music.
Enlightenment and Enlightened
Absolutism
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The philosophes believed in natural rights for
all people: equality before the law, freedom
of religious worship, speech, press, right to
assemble, hold property, and pursue
happiness.
Enlightened Absolutism meant that rulers
tried to govern by Enlightenment principles
while maintaining their royal powers.
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Prussian Kings made them into a major
European power in the 18th century.
Frederick William I maintained a highly
efficient bureaucracy of civil service workers
and doubled the size of the army.
Frederick William II (Frederick the Great)
abolished the use of torture, except in
murder and treason. Granted limited
freedom of speech and press as well as
complete religious toleration. Kept serfdom
and the social structure of Prussia.
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The Austrian Empire had been one of the
great European states. Difficult to rule due
to different nationalities, languages,
religions, and cultures. Reforms upset many.
Catherine the Great ruled Russia from 17621796. Extends the Russian empire toward
the Black Sea.
The Seven Years’ War
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The French-Austrian rivalry was replaced by the
rivalry of France and Britain over colonial empires
and the rivalry of Austria and Prussia over Silesia.
There were now 2 major alliances in Europe:
France, Austria, and Russia against Britain and
Prussia.
The war in Europe eventually ended in a stalemate
when Russia withdrew from the conflict. The war in
Europe ended in 1763.
The war continued in India and North America.
Became known as the Great War for Empire.
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The war in India ended when the French withdrew
and left India to the British.
The greatest battles occurred in North America.
The French gained the support of the Indians,
because they were traders, not settlers. They also
had more troops on land, but not enough naval
support.
The British defeated the French fleets and gave
them the advantage. They forced the French to
make peace.
The Treaty of Paris 1763, transferred the Canada
and lands east of the Mississippi to England. The
Spanish transferred Florida to British control.
Britain becomes the world’s greatest colonial
power.
Section 4
Colonial Empires in Latin
America
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Portugal and Spain explored and settled parts
of North America, Central America, and South
America
A new civilization arose called Latin America.
It was a multiracial society.
Mestizos- offspring of Europeans and Native
Americans.
Mulattoes- offspring of Africans and
Europeans.
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The Portuguese and Spanish profited from
gold, silver, sugar, tobacco, diamonds, and
animal hides.
Native Americans either worked on estates
or as poor marginal farmers.
Monarchs were unable to rule effectively due
to communication and travel difficulties.
They sought to convert the Native Americans
to Christianity. They hoped to teach them
trades and encouraged them to grow crops.
Britain and British North America
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain came into
existence in 1707 when England and Scotland
united.
British refers to both the English and the Scots.
The 18th century saw the monarch and Parliament
sharing power. Parliament gained more power as
time went on.
The colonies were suppose to be governed by the
British Board of Trade, the Royal Council and the
Parliament. But in reality, the colonies had
legislatures that tended to act on their own.
The American Revolution
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The British needed new revenues to cover
war costs of the Seven Years’ war and to pay
for the expenses of maintaining an army to
defend the colonies.
Stamp Act of 1765 was a tax paid on legal
documents and papers. Repealed in 1766.
The colonies organized the First Continental
Congress and they met in Philadelphia in
1774.
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Fighting between the colonists and the
British began in 1775 in Lexington and
Concord, Massachusetts.
The Second Continental Congress met and
formed the Continental Army naming George
Washington as commander in chief.
July 4, 1776, the Second Continental
Congress approved the Declaration of
Independence written by Thomas Jefferson.
The French supplied arms and money to the
colonists and even troops.
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In 1781, the army of General Cornwallis was
forced to surrender to American and French
forces under Washington at Yorktown.
The British ended the war and signed the
Treaty of Paris in 1783. It recognized the
independence of the American colonies and
gave them control of the western territory
from the Appalachians to the Mississippi
River.
The Birth of a New Nation
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After the American colonies gained their
independence, they were more focused on
their own interests and not the others.
The Articles of Confederation was approved
in 1781. It did not provide for a strong
centralized government and it lacked the
power to deal with the nation’s problems. In
1787, 55 delegates decided to scrap the
Articles and write a new plan.
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The delegates created a federal system
which shared the power between the
national and state governments.
The national government could levy taxes,
raise an army, regulate trade, and create a
national currency.
The federal government was divided into 3
branches: Executive (President), Legislative
(Senate and House of Representatives), and
the Judicial (Supreme and lower courts).
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In 1789, the new Congress proposed 12
amendments to be added to the
Constitution. 10 were approved by the
states and called the Bill of Rights.
It gave people the freedom of religion,
speech, press, petition, and assembly, the
right to bear arms, protection from
unreasonable searches and arrests,
guaranteed trial by jury, due process of law,
and protection of property rights.