Introduction
The Enlightenment, sometimes called the Age of Reason, sought to shine the "light" of reason on traditional ideas about government and society. Enlightenment thinkers promoted goals of material well-being, social justice, and worldly happiness. Their ideas about government and society stood in sharp contrast to the old principles of divine-right rule, a rigid social hierarchy, and the promise of a better life in heaven. Since the 1700s, Enlightenment ideas have spread, creating upheaval as they challenge established traditions around the world.
Task
TASK: What was life like before the Enlightenment? How did the great thinkers of the 1700's spur on an intellectual revolution that still impacts you today? How would the world today and your life be different if the Enlightenment never took place? By the end of class, you will need to be able to write a two paragraph response that addresses these questions. Your search begins now.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Make sure your group is clear on the task posted above.
View as many of the resources I posted in the "Process" section as possible, but begin with the video. Some resources may be more helpful and easier to understand than others. Use what works best for you.
Take notes so that you can use them during today's evaluation.
Discuss the Focus Questions I listed in the "Process" section but devote most of your thought to today's task.
Process
FOCUS QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN VIEWING TODAY'S RESOURCES
- What type of government did most Europeans have before the Enlightenment and what do you think life was like living under that type of government? (PRIOR KNOWLEDGE)
- What was the Enlightenment?
- Who were the Enlightenment philosophers and what did they believe? How were their beliefs revolutionary or different that what people previously believed about government?
TODAY'S RESOURCES
VIDEO BREAKDOWN OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHERS (12 MINUTES)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bze0fsppLprVWE13LTg5cjJyZ2s/view?usp=sharing
OVERVIEW OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/122IN3TVWy0W1j1T_ES87KLecfgrV_mMJR1j3PHg0mv0/edit?usp=sharing
SIMPLIFIED OVERVIEW OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT PERIOD
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RcdXN-yhv81anJ_ALF1Nw9-FofVvPkPeAaXdCqE3EVU/edit?usp=sharing
ADVANCED OVERVIEW OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT PERIOD
http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/enlightenment/context.html
IMPACTS AND LONG TERM EFFECTS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT
http://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/impact-age-of-enlightenment.htm
Evaluation
On a clean sheet of looseleaf, place a proper heading. Write a two paragraph response to the following question. You may use the outline below to help you get started.
QUESTION: How would the world today and your life be different if the Enlightenment never took place?
PARAGRAPH 1: Define the Enlightenment. Discuss what the world was like for Europeans before the Enlightenment.
PARAGRAPH 2: Discuss three ways that the world today and your life is different due to the Enlightenment.
Conclusion
The American and French Revolutions were directly inspired by Enlightenment ideals and respectively marked the peak of its influence and the beginning of its decline. The Enlightenment ultimately gave way to 19th-century Romanticism.
Credits
Creator and Author: John Ciano
Date: 2/28/17