The impact of the enlightenment in france

Question 1

Ideas of the enlightened philosophies

Answer 1

• Questioned absolute monarchy, church and the structure of society
• Stressed the importance of reason, logic, criticism and freedom of thought
• Attacked the privileges of the clergy, nobility, guilds and corporations

Question 2

montesquieu

Answer 2

• Defend nobility and privileges
• Separation of power (legislature,executive and judiciary)

Question 3

Voltaire

Answer 3

• Toleration, civil right and right to fair trial
• recognised the importance of religion in holding societies ethics
• Right to free speech

Question 4

rousseau

Answer 4

• Social contract
• believed an absolute monarch was akin to despotism and should be overthrown by the people in the event of totalitarianism
• sovereignty must lie with the people

Question 5

Diderot

Answer 5

• Wrote the encyclopaedia
• Rejected religion

Question 6

Salons

Answer 6

• Ideas of philosophies spread through coffee houses, academics, salons and other social gatherings in Paris
• Robespierre made director of an academic in arras
• Salons took places on the homes of influential society women

Question 7

evaluation of the Salons

Answer 7

• Place where both sexes bourgeoisie and nobility could exchange views
• Spread of enlightenment was confined to the educated
• High literacy rate (60%) meant that some ideas were spread to the lower levels of society

Question 8

spread of ideas via newspapers

Answer 8

• increased from 3 in 1700 to 80 in 1785
• spread ideas to the rest of society

Question 9

American revolution and war of independence

Answer 9

• Declaration of independence (1776) by Jefferson drew on enlightened ideas and implemented Montesquieu idea of a separation of power
• French supplied aid from 1776 and by 1777 over 5 million livres of aid had been sent
• France joined the fight in 1778
• American victory in 1783
• spread of liberty freedom and democracy