Overview of The Enlightenment Essay - 949 Words

The Enlightenment was a period of history throughout the mid-decades of the seventeenth century and during the course of the eighteenth century, in which intense revolutions in science, philosophy, society and politics occurred. This part of history was important because it was an enormous departure from the Middle Ages. Seldom before and after this time, did the Church have as much power as it did during the Enlightenment. There were three main eras of the Enlightenment: The Early Enlightenment, The High Enlightenment, and The Late Enlightenment and Beyond. Each era had a few important people related to the movement. There were also other factors contributing to the Enlightenment. These include Rationalism, Empiricism, and†¦show more content†¦A lot of the action happened in Parisian salons, where people would gather and complain about the state of their country. This brought new groups of â€Å"nontraditional thinkers that championed personal liberties and the work of Locke and Newton, denounced Christianity, and actively opposed the abusive governments found throughout Europe at the time.† (Bristow 2010). The Scottish Enlightenment was the period in 18th century Scotland characterized by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Seventeenth-century England endured a pair of tense struggles for political power that had a profound impact on the philosophers of the English Enlightenment. â€Å"The political, social, and cultural layout of Germany in the eighteenth century inhibited much of the Enlightenment advancements that took place in France.† (Henry Sage 2012). In Switzerland the most important parts of their Enlightenment included all of the people contributing to making Switzerland a better country. A few of these people include Johann Sebastian Bach, Denis Diderot, and Benjamin Franklin. Another important time was the American Enlightenmnet. â€Å"The American Enlightenment is generally discussed in terms of Americas political evolution, the thinking that led to the fomenting of a revolution against Great Britain and the creation of a modern republic.† (Henry Sage 2012). Both the periods known as the EuropeanShow MoreRelatedThe Enlightment and the French Revolution1263 Words   |  6 Pagesproblems that couldn’t be fixed. (French Revolution Overview 6) Below the king came the first estate which was made of 100,000 nobles. Then came the second estate was made of 300,000 clergy. Finally came the third estate which was made of the rest of France, which was 23.5 million people. 90 percent of that 23.5 million were peasants. The third estate’s taxes ensured the financial well-being of the state, clergy and nobles. 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