The Enlightenment Dbq Essay

The Enlightenment was a very transforming period of time during the seventeenth and eighteenth century in Europe. Following the successes of the Scientific Revolution, the continent, as a whole, experienced stimulation in new ideas, technology, and methods, inspiring many to think more logically and challenge the intellectual abilities of man. The Enlightenment was a very liberal time, focusing on logic, reason, and individualism in order to oppose intolerances and abuses in both the Church and states of Europe. New convictions spread about economic and social reform and grew over time. Traditional ideas from the Catholic Church were untrusted, as people began to disprove them through science. Social sciences branched off and the idea of intellectual

The Enlightenment thinkers brought many new political ideas and reforms to Europe. Philosophers such as John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all had different ideas that contributed to political reforms. Before this time, politics were typically run based on an absolute monarchy, with a single ruler making all choices themselves. People during the Enlightenment started realizing the flaws in this system, and believed the people should have more say. For example, in a list of grievances from the Third Estate of the French city of Dourdan, the people demanded many things to support their rights, one including equal taxation on citizens (document 8). John Locke was an English philosopher who developed the idea of republicanism. He believed all people were born with the natural rights of life, liberty, and property. If theses rights were taken away by a government, then people had the right to rebel. He also believed that people should elect officials to represent them and make decisions on their behalf. These officials would be educated and would represent ideas parallel to those best for the public. Baron de Montesquieu was a French philosopher who believed that there were three main types of government: republic, monarchy

People began discussing ideas, exchanging knowledge, and observing the many natural wonders of man. This time was a large transition in European history, though many did not realize it at the time, it was an era of change. People were able to express ideas about mankind and have them no longer be seen as a minority (document 7). Observation was a very key component to the many discoveries brought forth by the Scientific Revolution and carried through to the Enlightenment. Document 2 states that the proper study of mankind is man and one should observe man in order to understand it. People of this time were beginning to distrust many myths and traditions that were based on speculation rather than observation. They were beginning to understand that seeing something yourself overpowered what anyone else could assume. Philosopher, John Locke, discusses in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding that experience and observation is the key to building knowledge and the best way to improve mankind and society is by obtaining as much knowledge as possible (source 1). All knowledge was considered valuable and all ideas can connect and form value. As d’Ambert expresses in document 6, “the discovery of the compass is no less advantageous to the human race than the explanation of the compass needle is to physics.” People were beginning