The Enlightenment

Which ideas of the Enlightenment were inspired by the Scientific Revolution?

• revolution and war

• tolerance and individualism

• independence and human rights

• reason and logic

Based on your knowledge of social studies, which of the following came to be valued more highly as a result of Enlightenment thinking?

• the idea that there is only one true religion, and all others are blasphemous

• the idea that aristocrats should have more power because they are rich

• the right of individuals to speak freely and not be censored

• the right of governments to enact strict laws and harsh punishments

Enlightenment ideas affected the way citizens were governed all over the Western world. Which of the following statements is an illustration of this?

• The French Philosophes spoke out against oppression and were threatened with imprisonment.

• In the United States, large corporations were abandoned in favor of small business enterprises

• Church influence grew weaker and was seen as separate from civil laws and government.

• The power of monarchies increased, and the republican form of government was abolished.

• Government is legitimate only if the people consent to its authority.

• If consent is not given to government by the people, the people have the right to rebel.

• Government must protect natural rights (rights all people are born with).

The ideas above are attributed to which of these people?

• Benjamin Franklin

• John Locke

• Thomas Hobbes

• Niccolò Machiavelli

Charles-Louis Montesquieu was an Enlightenment thinker. He argued against one large government structure and instead proposed the idea of separate branches. This idea was influenced by the ancient

• Greeks.

• Romans.

• Sumerians.

• Chinese.

John Locke was an English philosopher who lived in the 17th century. Locke's ideas had the most influence over

• the development of industry and big business, especially the steel industry in the United States.

• the divine right of kings and the belief that the right to rule should be based on heredity.

• the rights and freedoms of the individual written into the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

• the belief by the British monarchy that it had the right to collect taxes from American colonists.

Many Enlightenment thinkers wrote and spoke passionately against tyranny and oppression. Based on your knowledge of social studies, which of the following historical events was most likely inspired by this language?

• the 1920s Prohibition against alcohol

• the internment of Japanese Americans in WWII

• the American Revolutionary War

• the invention of the airplane by the Wright brothers

The Enlightenment and the Government of Britain

For many centuries, Britain was ruled by a monarch. But the people came to feel that the monarch had too much power, so a parliament was formed to advise the king or queen on political matters. Gradually, the parliament came to have more and more power, and the monarch less and less. Today, the queen of England does not have the right to create or enact laws. She is merely a "figurehead"—a symbol of authority with no real power. The country is run by an elected parliament and a prime minister.

The progression described above reflects which of the following ideas from the Enlightenment?

• beliefs of any sort should be accepted only on the basis of reason

• rejection of the Divine Right of Kings and hereditary authority

• different cultures, beliefs, ideas, and value systems have equal merit

• separation of church and state—denial of church authority

Charles-Louis Montesquieu was a French political thinker known for his

• support of the freedom of speech and thought.

• criticism of French political institutions.

• important contributions to economic theory.

• theory of separation of powers.

Many countries passed laws protecting free speech in the 18th century. How do these actions reflect Enlightenment thought?

• The laws assert the importance of individual rights and freedoms.

• The laws reflect the belief that the church is the only source of truth.

• The laws were influenced by the idea that all beliefs should be based on reason.

• The laws support the idea that scientific advancements will improve our lives.