The ENLIGHTENMENT, Explained [AP Euro Review—Unit 4 Topic 3]

Overview of how thinkers like Galileo and Kepler revolutionized humanity's conception of the natural world and how Enlightenment thinkers applied this rational thinking to human institutions.

Explanation of the main emphases of the Enlightenment movement, including the application of rational thinking to improve society and the belief that human life should be guided by reason and scientific discovery.

Overview of key French philosophers of the Enlightenment, such as Montesquieu, who advocated for the separation of powers, and Voltaire, who critiqued the religious oppression in France and promoted the idea of ordinary people governing themselves.

Explanation of the role of the Encyclopedia in cataloging Enlightenment thoughts and how the movement spread through salons and coffeehouses where intellectuals gathered to discuss ideas.

Introduction to the political ideas of Locke and Rousseau, focusing on natural rights, social contract theory, and the role of government in upholding individual rights.

Overview of Adam Smith's ideas on free market economics and the contrasting views of physiocrats like Quesnay and Turgot who advocated for minimal government intervention in the economy.

Explanation of the Enlightenment challenge to Christianity through beliefs such as deism, skepticism, and atheism, including the idea of a distant and non-intervening God and the questioning of traditional religious beliefs.

Overview of religious revival movements like Pietism and the Methodist movement that emphasized personal religious experience and a more emotional connection to God as a response to Enlightenment criticisms of traditional religion.