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Enlightenment to Revolution Exit Ticket
Quiz by S Woods
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Enlightenment and French Revolution - up to National Assembly
During the Scientific Revolution, scientists used reason to explain the world around them. This led to the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a time period of new ideas about government. Enlightenment thinkers challenged the power of absolute monarchs. Absolute monarchs are kings and queens with total power. One Enlightenment thinker was John Locke. Locke believed that people were born with natural rights. These rights are Life, Liberty and Land. Locke believed that governments should protect people's natural rights and that if a government does not then the people have a right to overthrow it. Another Enlightenment thinker was Baron de Montesquieu. Montesquieu believed that the powers of government should be separated into 3 branches. This separation of powers would stop anyone from becoming too powerful. Montesquieu believed that governments ruled with the consent of the governed. That means that governments get their power from the people.
France was ruled by an Absolute Monarch named King Louis XVI. Everyone in France belonged to one of three social classes called estates. The clergy were the First Estate; the nobles were in the Second Estate. These two estates were very wealthy and did not have to pay taxes. The Third Estate made up most of French society. The Third Estate paid heavy taxes and had few rights. Enlightenment ideas led many French people to question the way things were done. As life grew worse in France, demands for reforms increased. In 1789, King Louis XVI called the Estates General. The Estates General was a meeting of all 3 Estates. The Third Estate made up the National Assembly after their demands were ignored by the other Estates. The National Assembly voted to write a new constitution. The Declaration of the Rights of Man was a document that said all men have natural rights and be treated equally. In 1792, radicals took control of the Assembly. Their slogan was “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”. The next year, King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine. This was the beginning of the Reign of Terror. The Reign of Terror was led by Maximilien Robespierre. Over 10,000 people were killed or jailed for not supporting the revolution. The Reign of Terror ended when Robespierre was executed. Napoleon took control in 1799. He organized a new government and put himself in charge with absolute power. Napoleon conquered most of Europe replacing monarchs with his friends and family. Napoleon’s empire began to crumble when he invaded Russia. Most of Napoleon’s army was lost during the long Russian winter.
Excerpts: How Enlightenment Let to a Limited Government
The background to the Enlightenment
Enlightenment, French Rev. up to National Assembly
Long ago, people from different cultures had stories about how the world began and how humans came to be. These stories are called creation stories. Even though these cultures were different, their creation stories often had similar ideas. Two creation stories that we will explore are one from Native Americans in North America and one from ancient Greece. Both stories talk about bringing light and fire to people. They also have something called archetypes, which are important in creation stories. Archetypes are things that show up a lot in different stories from different times and places. They can be symbols, patterns, or types of characters. Archetypes help us understand that even though cultures are different, they have some things in common. In these creation stories, there are two archetypal figures - the Raven and Prometheus. They represent things like wanting to learn, make progress, and find enlightenment. Both stories show how these figures go against higher powers to give people something good. The Raven and Prometheus are smart, resourceful, and want to make life better for humans. Understanding archetypes helps us see that cultures have things in common. The Raven and Prometheus are symbols that show what it means to be human. By studying and comparing these symbols, we can learn more about what people believe and want, no matter where they come from. The Raven and Prometheus remind us that people always want to learn, make progress, and find enlightenment. In the Native American creation story, the Raven brings light to the world. Long ago, the world was very dark and people had a hard time finding their way. But then, a clever bird called the Raven decided to help. The Raven stole a box that held the sun, moon, and stars from a powerful being. As the Raven flew across the sky, the box opened and filled the world with light. This light helped guide and teach humans. The Raven is seen as smart, resourceful, and a symbol of light. In the ancient Greek story, Prometheus steals fire from the gods on Mount Olympus. Prometheus cared a lot about humans and wanted to help them. Fire was something special that only the gods had, and it represented knowledge, creativity, and civilization. Prometheus brought fire down to Earth secretly because he knew it would make life better for humans. With fire, they could stay warm, cook food, and protect themselves. Prometheus was brave and kind, and he wanted to help humanity. Both the Raven and Prometheus stories have similarities. They are both about giving humans something important that helps them learn and progress. The Raven gave light, while Prometheus gave fire. The Raven and Prometheus are both very smart and clever. They wanted to make life better for people. These stories show us that no matter where people come from, they all have a desire to learn, make progress, and find enlightenment.
Enlightenment