The Enlightenment Dbq Essay

756 Words4 Pages

In the 17th and 18th century the Enlightenment was a period of intellectual movement encompassing reason, individualism, and skepticism. The Scientific Revolution, which came from the enlightenment, resulted in new scientific findings, particularly in astronomy, which changed long-held beliefs about how space affects the natural world. These new revelations led people to doubt the established political and social hierarchies. The Enlightenment challenged traditional notions of hierarchy, including the king's 'divine right' to govern, the nobility's privileges, and the influence of religion on politics. Additionally, it served as an inspiration for the values of choice, equality, and independence as well as the fundamentals of human reason …show more content…

In 1748, Montesquieu, french enlightenment philosoJefferson'sesses that a nation can not run properly when powers are united under one singular person. He claims that everything under the rule of one person would be the end of everything (Doc 2). The enlightenment shared the ideas of opposition to absolute monarchy, which without of Montesquieu might not have gotten this belief about the current, at that time, ruling over France. In 1690, John Locke expressed similar ideas but against Great Britain. Stating that the people shoMontesquieue right to escape a failed government and prevent it from happening (Doc 1). This thinking came from the ideas from the enlightenment and led to America completely leaving Great Britain's nation. Similar to that is Thomas Jeffersons' declaration of independence, which was the final turning point in America’s freedom. He said that they needed to “throw off” the government by instituting new guards for their nation (Doc 3).Jefferson intended this to be shown to Great Britain and made it to finally declare their independence against the oppressive government. Jefferson most likely believed in equality and freedom for all free men and wanted to have fair representation in the government. Montesquieu, Locke, and Jefferson all derived ideas from the enlightenment to create their works and all three of them led to the changing of …show more content…

The declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, written in France, addresses that horrible treatment towards the common people and addresses what they wish for and want (Doc 4). This document was written for the French national assembly with the main purpose of convincing them to give the people more and improved rights. The authors of this document most likely disagreed with the leaders of France at that time and knew it was time for a change. In the Jamaican Letter, written in 1815, Simon Bolivar mentions how the people who are a part of the Spanish system are treated no better than serfs and states how they deserve better than that. (Doc 7). Bolivar likely wrote this to inform them of their wants and needs and what the rulers could do to give them what they wished