Government & The Enlightenment

Time period in Europe during the 17th & 18th Centuries when Philosophers began applying the concept of reason to the political environment and challenged absolutism (unlimited government).

• Scientific Revolution

• Renaissance

• Enlightenment

• Middle Ages

Philosopher who believed in natural rights and a social contract in order to have government. Believed the job of government was to protect peoples’ natural rights.

• Locke

• Montesquieu

• Rousseau

• Voltaire

Locke's natural rights. Everyone is born with these.

• Life, liberty, property

• Life, liberty, consent of the governed

• money, cars, houses

• work, religion, freedom

The concept that people have to agree to be governed. If the government fails to protect their rights, people can revolt and abolish the government.

• Separation of powers

• Freedom of speech

• Freedom of religion

• Social Contract

Philosopher who believed that government should have separation of powers and checks and balances.

• Locke

• Montesquieu

• Rousseau

• Voltaire

Dividing power between different branches. Each branch as a separate job, and no one branch becomes too powerful.

• Freedom of Religion

• Popular Soverignty

• Separation of powers

• Capitalism

Enlightened thinkers believed that _____ could lead them to the truth.

• feeling

• reason

• experiments

• government

Government or control of a country by its own members rather than by members of a different country.

• dictatorship

• monarchy

• autocracy

• self-government

The first document to limit the powers of the king of England. It was signed in 1215.

• English Bill of Rights

• Bill of Rights

• Magna Carta

• Mayflower Compact

The first document to establish self-government in the colonies. It was signed on the Mayflower before the passengers left the ship.

• English Bill of Rights

• Magna Carta

• Common Sense

• Mayflower Compact