How Did The Enlightenment Influence The French Revolution

These new scientific discoveries and ideas made people find the idea of thinking in much more rational and scientifically explainable ways very fascinating and it began to replace the blind faith people had in religion and the decline of their unassuming acceptance. During the 18th century, people were heavily taxed by the monarchy and the poor conditions suffered by the commoners bred tension amongst the people. France was also still in the midst of a feudal like system, while other countries had left that lifestyle and begun to progress in technology and government. England was starting its Industrial Revolution, and a parliament had been formed, but France still had peasants working the land while the aristocrats reaped the benefits of their work. The heavy Catholic nature of France, following the religious persecution of the Protestants starting in the mid-16th century, also soured relationships between the people and the monarchy. The inability to practise their own faith, instead forced to practise Catholicism through fear, only served to further the discontent. The scientific revolution, poor economic situation, antiquated feudal system and religious persecution and suppression were all leading factors in the outbreak of the French Revolution however, the Enlightenment brought together all of those factors, criticising the established systems and introducing the promise of rights for ordinary people. Without the ideas from the Enlightenment period, the French people may have spent many more years dissatisfied with their country but without the ability or motivation to do something. The Enlightenment provided the spark necessary to bring the people together and bring about a

The Enlightenment was a period of mass introduction of new ideas, high in intellect, for the purpose of social growth. People’s views on issues were greatly influenced by the philosophes of that time. People started believing that all men were equal, and thus deserved equal treatment. Some of the philosophes who greatly influenced this period were Voltaire, Denis Diderot, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. These men were critical thinkers who analyzed how society was run, and proposed better ways in which the world could operate. Though these men were high on intellect, they had similar world changing views, and all believed that man was free and this freedom should not be taken away. They still had some ideas that differed, but never diminished their

The Enlightenment was a time of change in Europe. There were many new ideas, and various influential thinkers that inspired new invention and also inspired revolutions. All of these thinkers had different views on people and government and different views of people and how they act. Many of these authoritative individuals thoughts still influence us even today. Many of their ideas are used in government and also as guidelines for people to live their lives by.

-Enlightenment focused more on the roles of religion and divine rights and believing in the theory of science. As well caused colonists to believe that if they could understand the workings of the universe, then they could control their earthly destinies; they invested more time in learning.

As the Enlightenment began in the middle of the 17th century, people began to use reason rather than stick to tradition. New Enlightenment ideas spread throughout Europe such as ideas on government. Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousenan believed that the best government was one formed with the general consent of the people. Other Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire and Montesquieu believed in freedom of speech and a separation of power within the government. All of these ideas led to the French revolution. During the time period France was still an absolute monarchy under King Louis XVI, causing people to want change by implying new Enlightenment ideas. The revolution in France broke out in 1789 do to social, economical, and political issues including the growth of bourgeoisies, taxes were paid unevenly throughout the three Estates of France, and the Third Estate’s desire for a representative government.

The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement during the 17th and 18th century when the philosophers and scientists started examining the world through human intellect and reason. It is a new way of thinking which allowed human improvement. Generally, the enlightenment thinkers thought without prejudice. This cultural movement led to many new developments, ideas, and inventions in science, art, politics and philosophy. Reason guides human affairs. Science over religion, belief in freedom, liberty, and progress that it will get better. The new attitudes are optimistic, seek practical improvement, and it focused more on liberty. The Enlightenment affected the way people understood the role of government. It changed they way they think about

The time of the Enlightenment was a time of great change, reform, and the emergence of great minds such as Isaac Newton, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and even Copernicus. These men cleared the path to thinking in a new way and brought about the change necessary for the Scientific Revolution. The Enlightenment allowed people to think more critically and even was the time in which the “Experimental Method” was consolidated by Galileo Galilei (1564-1642, Buckler, J., Crowston, p.592 para. 6). It allowed people to begin to think “out of the box” if you will. Monarchies and the power of the king before this time ruled over the general population unthreatened and very rarely did opposition come to stand. Quite often if opposition did stand

The Enlightenment established many new ideas and created different views of the government and the world which didn't exist before. New ideas of society and government were made with inspiration of the Enlightenment ideas of human rights, equality, and democracy by Philosophers like Voltaire, Locke, and Paine. These ideas changed people’s ideals and views of the government's policies. Enlightenment ideas were the reason why people wanted to change, change their government and the way they were treated and how they lived, because they heard of peoples ideas, such as John Locke's belief of equality, Voltaire’s idea of freedom of speech and religion, and Tom Paine’s concept of the right to rebel. People fueled the American Revolution of

Through this, both countries would be changed forever in both a political and social standpoint. The revolutionary ideas of the Enlightenment era brought change to the American and French Revolution by destroying the original system, and creating a new form of leadership for the people.

The enlightenment was an intellectual movement throughout the 17th and 18th centuries involving the natural and social sciences. Four ideas that emerged from the enlightenment were reason, liberty, happiness, and progress. During this movement all areas of scientific thought were challenged. The view of astronomy changed after Copernicus came up with the Heliocentric Theory (the sun was the center of the universe). Before this theory, everyone believed the earth was the center. Also, the law of gravity and three laws of motions were brought about by Newton. The enlightenment thinkers believed in human perfection and human reason. They distrusted monarchy institutions and the church. The criticized religious customs and disliked tradition. The enlightenment had a big impact on the view of the British and French development. It is one of the influences in the French and American revolutions. The enlightenment definitely impacted the view of the

The Enlightenment was a time of rapid growth and realization that sprouted a progressive, rationalistic and humanistic worldview. With the Scientific Revolution already putting doubt in the people’s mind about God and religion, the Enlightenment further pushed people away from religion and to real life. This caused people to really think about what it means to be human and how the world works. The idea of equality and rights for all started a battle that is still going on today. Many of the philosophes who fought for civil rights also had opinions on politics.

They represented an opening to new worlds of human possibility, while carrying away old world of oppression, exploitation, and privilege. Modern revolutionaries acted on the basis of Enlightenment ideas, believing that the structure was not forever set in place by God or tradition and it that did not forever ordain the structure of human society while not only possible, but also necessary to rebuild those societies. It was the constant injustice that made a revolution not only possibly inevitable, but necessary.

The French Revolution was the catalyst for the Enlightenment and was the first of its kind. It had a great impact on society because it changed its’ structure when the power shifted from religion and the feudal system into the hands of the people. “This was the first time people were seen as citizens and not servants” (Lectures). It was a time that challenged the traditional ideologies that were deeply rooted and controlled by religion and carved a new framework of society and the roles that humans played in it. The previous social structure left little to no room for people to exercise their intellect because the

The French revolution began based on a vision for a better future for everyone. The people fought because they remembered, “…the slogan,” Liberty, Equality, Fraternity or Death” embodies revolutions’ vision for a new world…”. Like most revolutions the purpose was to make a change for the better of all, meaning everyone felt there was reason behind the actions taken. One they succeed in gaining the power as a team, the people banded together to revolutionize the community’s laws and ideas in hope of creating peace and organization.

During France in the last years of the 18th Century there was a watershed event in the European nation, the French Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790's with the rise of a general and a political leader Napoleon Bonaparte. During this period the French society redesigned their country's political framework. Such as, uprooting old institutions. The French Revolution was greatly influenced by Enlightenment ideas, particularly sovereignty and inalienable rights. Although the French government failed to achieve all of their goals they sometimes degenerated into a chaotic bloodbath. This movement gave an example to other modern nations by showing the world the power inherent in the will of the