Enlightenment and Enlightenment and the American the American

RevolutionRevolutionWorld History B – Seminar 2World History B – Seminar 2

Warm Up: Define the following terms on Warm Up: Define the following terms on your illustrated dictionary definitions sheet your illustrated dictionary definitions sheet 1. Philosophe 2. Natural rights 1. Philosophe 2. Natural rights

DefinitionsDefinitions• Philosophe Philosophe • Member of a group of Enlightenment thinkers who Member of a group of Enlightenment thinkers who

tried to apply the methods of science to the tried to apply the methods of science to the improvement of societyimprovement of society

• Natural LawNatural Law• Rule or law that governs human natureRule or law that governs human nature• Natural RightNatural Right• Right that belongs to all humans from birthRight that belongs to all humans from birth• EnlightenmentEnlightenment• Revolution in thinking. Through the use of reason, Revolution in thinking. Through the use of reason,

people and governments could solve every social, people and governments could solve every social, political and economic problem.political and economic problem.

Enlightenment Enlightenment and the American Revolutionand the American Revolution

• Natural right • Right that belongs to all humans from birthRight that belongs to all humans from birth• Rule of LawRule of Law• Government by Law. Government by Law.

The The rule of law rule of law implies implies that government authority that government authority may only be exercised in may only be exercised in accordance with written accordance with written laws, which were adopted laws, which were adopted through an established procedure.through an established procedure.

The Philosophy of Unalienable The Philosophy of Unalienable Rights AdvancesRights Advances

• John LockeJohn Locke• 16901690• People first lived in anarchyPeople first lived in anarchy• Needed a Needed a “social contract”“social contract”• An entire society agrees to be An entire society agrees to be

governed by its general will, and all governed by its general will, and all individuals should be forced to abide individuals should be forced to abide by the general will since it by the general will since it represents what is best for the entire represents what is best for the entire community.community.

• People gave up only SOME of their People gave up only SOME of their individual rights.individual rights.

• Kept the right to:Kept the right to: - Live - Live - Enjoy Liberty - Enjoy Liberty - Own Property - Own Property

• Rulers who violated these “natural” rights Rulers who violated these “natural” rights broke the social contract and could be broke the social contract and could be overthrown.overthrown.

Enlightenment and the Enlightenment and the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution

From Wrongs to Rights!From Wrongs to Rights!One great concept which drove the American Revolution against Great Britain in 1776 and defined the creation of the United States of America is the idea of obtaining “natural rights” for Americans.

Warm Up: Create a bubble map using the term “natural rights.”

Enlightenment Enlightenment and the American Revolutionand the American Revolution

Create a bubble map.Create a bubble map.

Rights Rights from Birthfrom Birth

Natural Natural RightsRights

The PhilosophesThe Philosophes• Denis Diderot – put together a collection of the writings

of the major philosophes. Was an intellectual “best seller.”

• Montesquieu – Described the “perfect” government. Power provided evenly over three branches of government - SEPARATION OF POWERS

a. Legislative – Made laws (Congress)

b. Executive – Administered laws (President, army, etc.)

c. Judicial – Interpreted and applied laws.

(Supreme Court and lesser courts.)

Montesquieu believed each branch should be subject to checks and balances.

Separation of PowersMontesquieu’s idea was

used in the United States Constitution.

Draw a triangle like the one here.

Separation of Powers

Legislative Branch

Lawmaking

Congress

Exec

utiv

e B

ranc

hP

resi

dent

Judiciary Branch

Suprem

e Court

Montesquieu’s idea was used in the United States Constitution.

Checks and BalancesChecks and Balances

Philosophes, cont.Philosophes, cont.

• Voltaire – Used public Voltaire – Used public opinion to fight opinion to fight injustice. “I do not injustice. “I do not agree with a word you agree with a word you say, but I will fight to the say, but I will fight to the death for your right to death for your right to say it.” Believed the say it.” Believed the perfect government perfect government needed freedom of needed freedom of speech and of religion.speech and of religion.

Philosophes, cont.Philosophes, cont.• Rousseau – Wrote the Rousseau – Wrote the

“Social Contract.” “Social Contract.” Believed that people Believed that people were born good, but were born good, but corrupted by the corrupted by the environment, bad environment, bad government, and laws. government, and laws. He believed the best He believed the best government used government used POPULAR POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY or a SOVEREIGNTY or a vote by all of the people.vote by all of the people.

Women and the EnlightenmentWomen and the Enlightenment

• ““Free and equal” did Free and equal” did not apply to womennot apply to women

• Mary Wollstonecraft – Mary Wollstonecraft – 1792 – argued in “A 1792 – argued in “A Vindication of the Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” that Rights of Woman,” that a woman should be a woman should be able to decide what able to decide what was in her own best was in her own best interest – not her interest – not her husband or father.husband or father.

BeccariaBeccaria• Argued that Argued that

punishments should punishments should not be cruel or brutalnot be cruel or brutal

• Opposed capital Opposed capital punishment punishment (death penalty)(death penalty)

• ““Is is not absurd, that Is is not absurd, that the laws, which punish the laws, which punish murder, should, in order murder, should, in order to prevent murder, to prevent murder, publicly commit murder publicly commit murder themselves.”themselves.”

Growth of Constitutional Growth of Constitutional GovernmentGovernment

• ““Constitutional government”Constitutional government”• Government whose power is defined and Government whose power is defined and

limited by law.limited by law.• British Constitution = Magna Carta, English Bill British Constitution = Magna Carta, English Bill

of Rights, all Acts of Parliament and unwritten of Rights, all Acts of Parliament and unwritten traditions that protect citizens’ rights.traditions that protect citizens’ rights.

• British government not totally democratic.British government not totally democratic.• OligarchyOligarchy• Government in which the ruling power belongs Government in which the ruling power belongs

to a few people.to a few people.

Causes of the American RevolutionCauses of the American Revolution• SEVEN YEARS WAR

(French and Indian War)• Conflict between the British

and the French in their North American colonies

• Fought over Ohio River Valley and Gulf of St. Lawrence.

• Native Americans fought on the French side.

• American colonists fought on the British side.

• British win. War EXPENSIVE!• All French territory in Canada

transferred to the British.

Causes of the American RevolutionCauses of the American Revolution(page 539)(page 539)

The American Revolution

The War Begins Foreign Support and British Defeat.

Causes of the American RevolutionCauses of the American Revolution(page 539)(page 539)

The American Revolution

The War Begins Foreign Support and British Defeat

• French and Indian War drained British treasury.• Stamp Act: Britain passed and enforced new tax law on the colonists• “No taxation without representation.”• Colonists felt entitled to the rights of English citizens.

• First Continental Congress meets in 1774 with 13 colonies• Fighting begins at Lexington and Concord in 1775.• George Washington Commander in Chief• Second Continental Congress signs the Declaration of Independence: July 4, 1776. Writer =• Thomas Jefferson

• French supplied arms, officers and money to rebels• Spain and Dutch Republic entered the war against Great Britain.•British surrender in 1781 with Treaty of Paris• Recognized American independence• Americans gain control of western territory from Appalachians to Mississippi River.

Causes of the American RevolutionCauses of the American Revolution

• British taxed colonies to pay for French and Indian War.

• Stamp Act (1765) – required that certain printed materials such as legal documents, newspapers and playing cards, carry a stamp saying that a tax had been paid to Britain.

• Tea Act – Tea could be purchased only from British merchants and was also taxed.

• Boston Tea Party• Intolerable Acts – closed Boston

Harbor, rescinded Massachusetts charter, quartered troops in private homes.

• Declaration of Independence

Common Sense and the Declaration of

Independence In January of 1776 an

Englishman named Thomas Paine published a small book called Common Sense. The book said all kings in general, especially George III of England, were bad. The book also stated that America must be free. This book became a best-seller. It made Americans believe that America should be a free and independent nation.

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence• Drafted by Thomas

Jefferson• People had the right to

“alter or abolish unjust governments.”

• (Locke)• Popular sovereignty All

government power comes from the people.

• King had trampled the peoples’ natural rights.

• Colonists now had the right to rebel

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence• Unalienable Rights• From the “Declaration of Independence”

written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776.

“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness; that to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.”

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of IndependenceGrievances against Grievances against England listed in the England listed in the Declaration of Declaration of Independence.Independence.

1. Define unalienable rights.2. What is one example of such a right?3. Create a Circle Map of some of the Grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence. Be sure to include the date that the Declaration was signed!

Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence• Text of the Declaration of

Independence – • http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-

bin/query/r?ammem/bdsdcc:@field(DOCID+@lit(bdsdcc02101))

• Paraphrase of the Paraphrase of the Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence

• http://http://www.mrsrobertson.com/www.mrsrobertson.com/moderndecofind.htmmoderndecofind.htm

Articles of Confederation

Why did the Articles of

Confederation Fail?

The ConstitutionThe Constitution• Used ideas of Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau and

Voltaire• Created a Federal Republic• Government in which power is

divided between the national, or federal government, and the states.

• Separation of powers• Bill of Rights added later.• Federalist PapersFederalist Papers – Writing

campaign to convince American citizens to ratify the new Constitution

• George WashingtonGeorge Washington – first President of the United States of America.

Popular SovereigntyPopular Sovereignty

People Rule

The people hold supreme rule – elected officials

Limited GovernmentLimited Government• The power of the

government is limited by the Constitution.

• The process of creating laws is set forth in the Constitution.

• The powers and duties of all government branches are determined by the Constitution.

RepublicanismRepublicanism• A republic is a nation

governed by elected representatives.

• These representatives may be removed from office by a vote if they abuse their powers.

FederalismFederalism

State: local education, licenses, safety, state taxation, etc.

Federal: national defense, immigration, foreign policy, national issues.

Federalism: Power shared between national and state governments. National government takes the lead in running the country.

Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers• The main

powers of the government are divided.

• There are three branches of government.

Federalist PapersFederalist Papers• The Federalist

Papers were a writing campaign to convince American citizens to ratify the new Constitution.

Bill of RightsBill of Rights• In a number of states,

Federalists won the battle over ratification only because they had offered to support several amendments to the Constitution designed to promote citizen’s rights. These 10 amendments came to be called the Bill of Rights.