Contextualizing the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment

AP European History: Modes of Thought & The Enlightenment - Night Before Review

Hey! Let’s get you prepped for the exam with a super-focused review of the key ideas from the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment. Think of this as your cheat sheet for success! 🚀

1. Renaissance Humanism & The Seeds of Change

From Individualism to Inquiry • Humanism: A Renaissance philosophy emphasizing human potential and achievement. It sparked a new wave of thinking that valued reason and individualism. 💡 • Key Idea: A shift from solely religious focus to broader interests in science, politics, and the natural world. This laid the groundwork for future intellectual movements. • Visual Aid:

Caption: The Renaissance emphasis on human potential fueled intellectual curiosity and exploration.

Challenging Traditional Authority • Science Takes Center Stage: Intellectuals began to revisit classical works (Aristotle, Ptolemy) and challenge traditional beliefs about the universe, human anatomy, and natural phenomena. • Key Figures: Think Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Harvey. These guys were game-changers! They used observation and reason to challenge the status quo. • Empiricism: The idea that knowledge comes from observation and experience, not just faith or tradition. This was a HUGE shift!

Practice Question

{ "multiple_choice": { "question": "Which of the following best represents empiricism?", "options": [ "Accepting knowledge based solely on Church teachings", "Relying on observation and experimentation to form conclusions", "Trusting ancient texts without questioning", "Believing faith should always override evidence" ], "answer": "Relying on observation and experimentation to form conclusions", "explanation": "Empiricism emphasized evidence from observation and experience, a key idea during the Scientific Revolution." } }

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2. The Enlightenment: Reason, Rights, and Reform

From Science to Society • Definition: An 18th-century intellectual and cultural movement emphasizing reason, science, and individual rights. • Philosophes: Thinkers like Voltaire, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Diderot. They promoted rational inquiry, religious tolerance, and political reform. • Connection to Science: The Enlightenment built on the Scientific Revolution, applying empirical reasoning to society, government, and culture.

Core Ideas of the Enlightenment • Natural Rights: Life, liberty, and property (Locke). • Social Contract: Government’s power comes from the consent of the governed (Rousseau). • Separation of Powers: Montesquieu’s idea to prevent tyranny. • Freedom of Thought: Voltaire pushed for free speech, press, and religion.

Practice Question

{ "multiple_choice": { "question": "Which Enlightenment thinker argued for the separation of powers in government?", "options": [ "John Locke", "Voltaire", "Jean-Jacques Rousseau", "Baron de Montesquieu" ], "answer": "Baron de Montesquieu", "explanation": "Montesquieu advocated for dividing power into branches to prevent tyranny." } }

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3. Public Sphere & Popular Impact

Spreading Ideas • Print Culture: Newspapers, journals, and pamphlets helped spread Enlightenment thought widely. • Public Venues: Coffeehouses, salons, and lecture halls became hubs for debate and intellectual exchange.

Everyday Concerns • Economic Reform: Calls to reduce unfair taxes and address poverty. • Political Reform: Pushes for more balanced government and citizen participation. • Cultural Impact: Rise of novels, new forms of art and architecture.

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🔥 Final Takeaway: The Scientific Revolution introduced new ways of knowing, and the Enlightenment applied those methods to society, politics, and culture. Together, they reshaped how Europeans thought about knowledge, authority, and human potential.