The Enlightenment (Chapter 17) Historical Overview: During the age of Enlightenment, philosophes (intellectuals) attempted to make all

of the problems of society fall into and correspond with the scientific method. They believed that this would result in an improvement of the human being. Newton had begun to discover natural laws and Lock believed that we are affected by our environment, not birth. These philosophes believed that reason and sense could be used to benefit society. In The Spirit of the Laws, by Montesquieu, he claimed that checks and balances and separation of powers were necessary to any political system. Religious intolerance was criticized by Voltaire. Many philosophes believed in Deism- the idea that the universe is like a clock, God created it but now allows it to run. Diderot wrote and combined many ideas into one Encyclopedia. A science of man, or social science, was created by David Hume. Mercantilism was rejected by many philosophes who believed in laissez-faire- the idea that government should not be involved in economics. Adam Smith addressed the idea of laissez-faire in his book, Wealth of Nations. Rousseau believe in Lockes idea of a social contract theory. He also claimed that children should be taught to follow their instincts as well as to use reason. Mary Anstell and Mary Wollstonecraft fought for the rights of women and for equality between genders. Rococo, with its curves and light features, replaced the prior Baroque style in art. Operas, oratorios, concertos, sonatas, and symphonies were created during this time by Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart. Bach was famous for Air on the G string, the Brandenburg Concerto, and the Goldberg Variations. Messiah was the well-known piece by Handel. Haydn composed The Creation, and The Seasons. Public books, magazines, and newspapers were read more frequently during this time period. New public schools addressed modern language and skills relevant to everyday life. Private schools addressed these subjects as well as Greek and Latin. Beccaria spoke out against capital punishment and the use of torture in prisons. Literacy was becoming more available to the whole public but there was still an ever growing gap between the rich and the poor. The Jews received more religious tolerance from other churches. Religion was more widely accepted by the poor than the elite.