The Enlightenment Answers: In pairs use your book to fill in what is available from the text. Then divide the research needed to complete any outside research necessary. Fill in the needed information for contextualization, quotes, and main thoughts and beliefs that were not available in the textbook.

Philosopher / Context of Period of Time / Quote / Published Work – date/ Main Thoughts/ Beliefs
Thomas Hobbes
[1588 -1679]born during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I & lived through James I thru Civil War and Restoration in England died before James II was banished to France
Country: England
ID: political philosopher/ son of a vicar who abandoned the family /
  • 1603 – Stuarts rule as absolute monarchs beginning with James I;
  • 1625-1649: Charles I rules as absolute monarch; starts English Civil War in 1642 by invading Parliament and forming his own army; gets beheaded and replaced by Rump Parliament then by dictator Cromwell 1653 -1658
  • Wrote book during the ineffective Rump Parliament/ Cromwell took over in 1653
  • Cromwell son rules 1659 after dad died
  • 1660-1685:English Restoration/ Parliament brings Stuarts back with Charles II
  • 1666 Great Plague- London see Locke
  • 1666:Great Fire of London see Locke
/ “It is not wisdom but authority that makes law.”
The following describes the natural state mankind would be in, were it not for political community:
“In such condition, there is no place for industry; b/c the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no culture of the earth; no navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea; no commodious building; no instruments of moving, and removing, such things as require much force; no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; “ / 1651 Leviathon: it justified the need to have a strong political authority or an absolute ruler or absolute legislative body; Man is …must give up his freedom
Main Ideas: man must forfeit all natural rights to an absolute ruler who promises not to abuse his power
-people must be ruled by a sovereign who enters into a political contract w/ people
-sovereign may be forceful to compel compliance
-tyranny over anarchy
-absolutism is BEST: unlimited power
Beliefs: man promotes self interests and is materialistic; solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, short
Also developed fundamentals of liberal European thought such as: the right of the individual; the natural equality of all men; the view that all legitimate political power must be "representative" and based on the consent of the people; and a liberal interpretation of law which leaves people free to do whatever the law does not explicitly forbid
John Locke
[1632 – 1704] born during the reign of Charles I lived during Civil War & Restoration & William & Mary’s rule
Country: England
ID: Father of Classical Liberalism
Philosophe/ physician/ both parents Puritans/ /
  • 1645: dad in Cromwell’s cavalry
  • 1660-1685:English Restoration/ Cromwell out/ Parliament and Stuarts back
  • 1666 Great Plague- London 15%/ 100K died
  • 1666:Great Fire of London destroyed 70,000 homes of City's 80,000 inhabitants
1688: Glorious Revolution gets rid of James II and puts in William and Mary; British government a constitutional monarchy again with Parliament having more power / “To understand political power aright, and derive from it its original, we must consider what estate all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of Nature, without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other man.”
“I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts.” / 1. 1690 Two Treatises on Government1] All people are born free and equal with natural rightslife, liberty and property; 2] government should protect the rights; 3] if a government does not protect the rights of its citizens then the people have the right to overthrow the government
2. 1689 Letter Concerning Tolerance: Religious tolerance for Christians, not Catholics though b/c pope cannot be trusted; no tolerance for non-Christians and atheists
3. 1690 Essay Concerning Human Understanding All human beings are born with a blank page tabula rasa… only experience shapes one’s character
Main Ideas: man’s natural state is one of prefect freedom and equality
- if a ruler fails in his responsibilities, he violates the social contract and an be replaced
Beliefs: man is born with natural rights: life liberty and property
Sir Isaac Newton
[1642 – 1727]
Country: England
ID: mathematician/ physicist/ father of calculus/ raised by grandma/ hated step dad/ grad Trinity College /
  • born the year the English Civil War starts
/ "Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done." / 1. 1687 Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy or Principia Mathematica
Philosopher / Context of Period of Time / Quote / Published Work – date/ Main Thoughts/ Beliefs
Voltaire
[1694 -1778]
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Montesquieu
[1689 – 1775]
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Jean Jacques Rousseau
[1632 – 1704]
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Philosopher / Context of Period of Time / Quote / Published Work – date/ Main Thoughts/ Beliefs
Mary Wollstonecraft
[1759 – 1797]
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Adam Smith
[1723 – 1790]
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Cesare Beccaria
[1738 – 1794]
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