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Enlightenment (Galileo Galilei)
XVII century.
In 1609, Galileo Galilei was the first person to use a telescope to observe the sky.
He also believed in the Heliocentrism which stated that planets revolve around the sun, not around Earth.
This lead to a series of discoveries that upset the church but also lit the spark of Enlightenment. Image description: Galileo Galilei
Tamaro, E. (n.d.). Galileo Galilei. Retrieved from https://www.biografiasyvidas.com/monografia/galileo/ -
Newton's Laws (Isaac Newton)
Isaac Newton published in his " Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica" the three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation.
These four laws helped humanity understand how things work on Earth, and how the Universe functions. Image description: Isaac Newton in 1689 by Godfrey Kneller
Isaac Newton. (2006, August 31). Retrieved from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Sir_Isaac_Newton_%281643-1727%29.jpg -
Tabula Rasa (John Locke)
XVII century.
Before the idea of the "tabula rasa" it was believed that humans are already born with certain sins, ideas, and traits.
John Locke's "tabula rasa" states that when people are born, they are a blank canvas. Experiences shape the human mind. -
A Serious Proposal to the Ladies (Mary Astell)
Mary Astell was an advocate for women's education. She published this book anonymously, in which she urged women to aspire to a greater education. This work had some of the principles of what we now know as feminism. Image description: Front page of "A Serious Proposal to the Ladies"
Mary Astell. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.projectcontinua.org/mary-astell/ -
The Spirit of the Laws (Baron de Montesquieu)
"The Spirit of the Laws" was published anonymously at first.
It was a political treatise where he stated his belief in the separation of powers into legislative, executive, and judicial. -
L'Encyclopédie (Denis Diderot)
Diderot, along with Jean Le Rond d’Alembert as co-editor, started translating Ephraim Chambers’ "Cyclopaedia", but he soon transformed this publication into a compilation of revolutionary knowledge from scientists, priest and litterateurs that would spread Enlightenment. This work went against church's beliefs and would encourage people to do so. Image description: Cover of L'Encyclopédie
Encyclopédie. (2004, January 16). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A9die -
Period: to
Seven Years War
British vs French with help from the Native Americans to both sides.
The British wanted more land than what the 13 colonies had. In the end, Britain took all the territory France had in North America. -
Candide (Voltaire)
It was published under the pseudonym of "Monsieur le docteur Ralph".
In this work, Voltaire expresses his discontent with Christian regimes, but also criticizes certain aspects of the Enlightenment. Image description: Cover of Candide by Voltaire
T. S. (2015, December 1). Recommended Reads (1/3): Candide. Retrieved from http://blairoracle.com/recommended-reads-13-candide/1 -
Boston Tea Party
People were fed up with the excessive taxation.
Boxes of tea were thrown into the ocean by disgruntled Americans. This sent a message to England: "We're not British anymore". Image description: Illustration of the Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party. (1998, July 20). Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/event/Boston-Tea-Party -
Period: to
American Revolutionary War
The 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain and formed the United States of America.
It showed that independence outside of Europe was possible.
