Lesson 21 ! The Enlightenment: The Best Of All Pos iible Worlds Objective • To understand the transformation of so cial and political thought under the in fluence ofthe Enlightenment Notes to the Teacher The trend to view society in rational and materialistic ways commenced during the Re naissance and culminated in the Enlighten ment. People became increasingly concerned with the world about them as perceived through the senses. The SCientific Revolution made it possible to analyze, understand, and question human institutions by introducing the concept of universal laws. The Old Order of eighteenth-century Eu rope had evolved through the centuries. New institutions came into existence, but very little of the old was discarded. SOCiety admitted a privileged class and a punishable class. It lacked logical uniformity. The philosophes popularized a view of the world based on rea son, which became the new faith. Armed with reason, man could go in search of the laws of nature governing human activity. Once discov ered, the natural laws would supersede human laws. The result would be a uniform and egali tarian SOCiety that operated like"clock work... This criticism of the Old Order and the proposals for a new society became stylish and sophisticated among intellectuals and some French aristocrats. This thinking undermined the French establishment. It was a factor in causing the French Revolution and furnished the basis for modern egalitarian society. In this lesson, students complete a chart contrasting enlightened ideas with the Old Or der of society for homework. In class, they dis cuss the differences and describe the transfor mation in thought by constructing the hypothetical musings of a French butler who witnessed an "enlightened discussion" at a Parisian salon in the reign of Louis XV. 13' Advanced Placement European History I Lesson 21, Handout 21 (page I) Name ____________~-----------------Date ____________~------------------- The Enlightenment: The Best of all Poss!·ble Worlds Part A. The following chart contrasts the Old Order of France with t e New Order proposed by eighteenth-century enlightened thinkers, The basic concepts of he Old Order are pro vided. Complete the chart by identifying and explaining the cont1ibUtionS of the philo sophes in criticizing established custom and thought. I NE 'NORDER OLD ORDER Philosophical Political Based on traditions and customs founded in Medieval times: the Three Estates, the guild system and feudal dues Diderot: New National Divine Right Monarchy Montesqu eu: 1 I I Voltaire: Rouseau: Economic National mercantile laws, Five Great Farms, guild towns, provincial laws, internal tariffs Quesnay: DuPont: Turgot: Social Three Estates Diderot: Voltaire: Religion Established church Voltaire: , 141 , I Advanced Placement European History I LessOn 21. Handout 21 (page 2) ~\--------------~~ --------tl--------- Name ____________ Date i Part B. Answer the following questions based on the chart in Part A. I 1. Why did the Old Order come under attack? 2. Why were there divergent views for the construction of a New orFer? I I 3. What features for a proposed New Order were held in common ~y most of the philo sophes? : I I 4. What features of the Scientific Revolution influenced the En~ightenment? I i 5. From your knowledge of European history, what expianatio can you give for the domination of the seventeenth century by English thinkers hile the French pre vailed in the eighteenth century?