How did the Enlightenment influence the American and French Revolutions?
Enlightenment emphasis on Protestant Christianity caused people to rebel against Catholic authority.
Notions of full social equality caused the slave populations to rise up and overthrow their masters in favor of a democratic system.
Enlightenment philosophers published pamphlets in favor of monarchs’ divine right to rule, angering people into revolution.
Ideas about natural rights philosophy caused people to question and overthrow monarchy in favor of representative governments.
D?
Yes, D.
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The answer is D: Ideas about natural rights philosophy caused people to question and overthrow monarchy in favor of representative governments.
To get to this answer, we need to understand the influence of the Enlightenment on the American and French Revolutions.
The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, science, and individual rights. Its thinkers, known as Enlightenment philosophers, developed ideas that challenged traditional authority and promoted ideals of liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty.
In the American Revolution, Enlightenment ideas played a significant role. Influenced by philosophers such as John Locke and his concept of natural rights, American colonists began questioning the authority of the British monarchy. They argued that all individuals were born with certain inherent rights, such as life, liberty, and property, and that a government should exist to protect these rights. This led to the formulation of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which stated that it is the right of the people to alter or abolish any government that violates their natural rights. The Enlightenment's emphasis on individual rights and limited government thus influenced the American Revolution and the establishment of the United States as a republic.
Similarly, in the French Revolution, Enlightenment ideals played a significant role in challenging the authority of the monarchy. French thinkers such as Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau rejected the absolute monarchy and called for a more democratic and egalitarian society. These Enlightenment philosophers advocated for principles such as the separation of powers, freedom of speech, and the social contract between the government and the governed. Their ideas were widely read and discussed among the French population, fueling a growing discontent with the unequal social and political conditions in France. As a result, the French Revolution broke out in 1789, leading to the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic based on principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
In summary, the Enlightenment's emphasis on natural rights philosophy, which included the ideas of individual rights, limited government, and popular sovereignty, influenced both the American and French Revolutions. These ideas sparked the questioning and overthrow of monarchy and the establishment of representative governments.