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Period: to
Enlightenment Era Events
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Invention of Logarithms
Scott John Napier discovers logarithms. Mathmatics up until this time did not gain near the fame or progress as science. This event helped to boost mathematics and spured rapid development within the subject. -
Thirty Years War
The Thirty Years War caused reprecussions far greater than expected for Europe. Widespread population depleation, internal and external turmoil for countries, bankrupcy, and loss of power and territory are just some to name a few. -
"Advancement of Learning" By Bacon
Literary work based on the concept that true knowledge is useful knowledge. Part of early enlightenment ideals that eventually led to basis of some of the great works of high enlightenement thinkers -
"Discourse on Method" Descartes
Priciple of systematic doubt - begin by doubting everything and then arrive at conclusion - Cartesian Dualism
Early enlightenment work, provided information and new methods of thought for enlightenmnet era intellectuals to come. -
Louis XIV rises to power in France
- French Golden Age
- Absolutist form of governement
- Cultural, social, political center of Europe
- Expanded French monarchy and territory
- One of the greates monarchs of France and of Europe
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Thomas Hobbes: "Leviathan"
Lead secular exponent of absolutism and one of the principal theorists of the unlimited sovereignty of the state.
Social contract- people give up all their liberties to the government. Common wealth
Basis for governmental reform from high enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau and his concept of General Will -
Royal Society of London
Orginized institutons posessing equipment and funds, were engaged in scientific study and advancement. Key point/factor in the scientific revolution and instrumental for students of science.
Many principle of the enlightenment were built off of things from the scientific revolution. -
Royal Academy of Science - France
Similar in aspects to Royal Society of London but things to come out of here were spread further across the continent of Europe because France was considered a center of science and enlightenment. -
Law of Nature and Nations By: Samuel Pufendorf
Sovereign states should work together for the common good. An instrumental peice favoring reason as the way to determine right and wrong. Still subordinate to natural reason and justice. -
Overthrow of James II
William of Orange and Mary Stuart come to power in England. Symbol of new beginings and new reign in England.
Early pre-enlightenment "reform". Principle of the enlightenment that a corrupt government had the right to be overthrown (Locke) -
Letter on Toleration - John Locke
Argues for a new understanding between the government and religion. More religious groups prevent civil unrest-caused by confrontations of magistrate trying to prevent different religions from being practiced.
Ideas from this carried over to enlightenment in ideals of liberty, equality, and religiouse toleration -
Two Treatises on Government - Locke
Beginings of thought of democratic government and monarchial reforms in Europe
Social Contract- The government should act on behalf of people and if it does not then the people have the right to rebel and overthrow. -
Seriouse Proposal to The Ladies - Mary Estell
Encouraged women seek education and equal opportunity. Written by a woman during the enlightenment (rare!)
Advocation for equality in education, society, and politics (principle key to enlightenment reforms and works) -
Invention of the stem engine
Moving force behind Industrial Revolution towards progress in agriculture and machine industry that revolutionized economic systems of Europe -
Louis XV rise to power
*Marked the fall of France
*Annulled all progress and gains previously acheived by great french monarchs
*Unsucessful new parlements that attempted reform - Good intentions but weak support and strong backlash of aristocracy -
Persian Letters - Montesqiue
Reason used to liberate the mind
Enlightenment ideal that inspired great works and studies of other intellectals -
Philosophical Letters on English - Voltaire
*Voltaire admired England highly
*Freedom of thought as a basic right of all
*Used new scientific ideas
-Inductive reasoning
-Physics
-Psycology Great work of enlightenment period praised England and became popularized with much of Europe through print, presentaion, and word of mouth -
Maria Theresa and Fredrick the Great rose to power
*Maria Theresa of Austria and Fredrick the Great (Fred II) of Prussia rose up to comand their empires
*Enlightened despotism
*Maria's rule came about by the Pragmatic Sanction of Charels VI
*Fredrick's came about by hereditary monarchy in the prussian state
*Both advanced and reformed society and culture in ther countries and added sizable boosts of power like the Partirions of Poland -
Encyclopedie - Diderot
*Subscription based book of knowlege known by intellectuals up till that point in time
*Edited regularly
*17 volumes produced
*It was not the first encyclopedia, but it was the first to have a distinguished list of contributors or to be conceived as a positive force for social progress.
*Banned in some countries due to harsh censorship -
Social Contract - Rousseau
- Introduction of idea of General Will or sacrificing individual liberties to one sovreign for the good and collective benefit of overall society. *State of nature was brutal condition without law or morality Largly popular idea in enlightenment era Europe, widely debated over between intellectuls and heads of state
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Wealth of Nations - Smith
- Advocated economic principle of Laissez - Faire meaning limited government role in politics and economics *Invisible hand / suppy and demand theories *cornerstone of US economic policy *Basis for capitalism
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French Revoution
*After years of back and forth reforms and repeals of weak monarchial attempts to improve society while appeasing aristocratic ideals, the people of France (largely middle-class and lower) had enough and a full scale revolution fueled by radical enlightenment ideals of governemnt, economics, and society broke out and ravaged France
*Major turning point in french national history and modern european history