The Renaissance & Democratic Thinking

❖ Renaissance (1350-1600)= rebirth of culture, thought, and art ➡ Individualism

- Importance of the individual - Civic duty - Politics as a science

➡ Humanism - The importance of man - Education would lead to a better life

➡ Secularism - Concern for worldly goods not just focusing on the

afterlife

Renaissance Art

Enthroned Madonna and Child 1285

Portrait of a Man in a Turban Jan Van Eyke

1433

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The Reformation & Democratic Thinking

❖ Reformation (16th century)= An emergence of new thought amongst Christians that led to new Protestant Religions ➡ Backlash against a corrupt Catholic Church

- Practice of indulgences (forgiveness of sins through pilgrimages, prayers, or donations)

- Clerical abuses ➡ Martin Luther & John Calvin were central

figures - Luther’s 3 Key Ideas:

‣ Faith alone brings salvation ‣ Faith comes through knowledge of scripture ‣ All believers are equal

➡ Importance of the individual in religion

Reformation Architecture

St. Peter’s Basilica Vatican City

Kandersteg Calvanist Church Switzerland

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Discuss!

How did the Renaissance and

Reformation change the way people thought about their own life?

Figures of the Scientific Rev.

Built a telescope to prove Copernican universe

Formulated mathematical physical laws

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Discuss!

How did the Scientific Revolution change the way

people think? What do people use instead of relying

solely on the Bible?

What is the Enlightenment? ❖ Social critics, called philosophes, began

to question the way that society was run as well as the nature of man

❖ Period lasted from 1680-1800 CE

❖ Scientific Revolution showed that all things could be figured out through reason

- Progress to better societies through reason

❖ Enlightenment led to a shift in political thinking in Western Europe and America...

Absolutism to Constitutionalism

❖ Absolutism

- King or Queen has absolute and total power over a land and all of its people

❖ Constitutionalism

- Government whose power is constrained by a constitution and the monarch shares power

Magna Carta, 1215 Set limits on the King’s Power

Discuss!

1.What were philosophes arguing about?

2.What is the difference between Absolutism and Constitutionalism? Name four core values that you think are important to Enlightenment thinkers.

❖ How did the concepts of natural law and human reason guide enlightenment thought? “That the pretended power of suspending of laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, without the consent of parliament, is illegal... That the election of members of parliament ought to be free... That the freedom of speech, and debates or proceedings in parliament, ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament.” —English Bill of Rights, passed by Parliament, 1689

Hobbes vs. Locke ❖ Hobbes and Locke had opposite views on human nature,

yet they both relied on Enlightenment thought to reach their conclusions. Working as a group, read about Thomas Hobbes and John Locke in the textbook to get a sense of their views, and answer these questions:

❖ What did Hobbes believe about human nature?

❖ How did this belief affect his views on government?

❖ What did Locke believe about human nature?

❖ How did this belief affect his views on government?

❖ Even though their views are different, how did both men use Enlightenment thought to reach their conclusions?

Reason Progress

Individualism Secularism Humanism Freedom Equality