🧠The Enlightenment
What did Enlightenment thinkers believe about the power of reason?
Believed reason could solve social and political problems
What was the purpose of the transatlantic slave trade?
Supply cheap labor for plantations in the Americas
What is one reason enslaved people resisted their condition?
Wanted freedom and dignity
What type of government did France have before the revolution?
An absolute monarchy under the king
What was one major belief that changed during the Scientific Revolution?
Earth revolves around the sun (heliocentrism)
How did Enlightenment ideas challenge traditional authority?
Emphasized individual rights and questioned monarchy and the Church
Why were Africans targeted for enslavement in the Americas?
Africans were accessible through trade networks and seen as less human
What are two forms of resistance enslaved people used?
Sabotage, escape, revolts, cultural preservation
What problems led to the French Revolution?
Debt, inequality, food shortages, Enlightenment ideas
How did the Scientific Revolution challenge religious authority?
Replaced divine explanations with evidence and reason
Why was the Enlightenment a turning point in European thought?
Shifted focus from tradition to rational thought and individual liberty
How did the transatlantic slave trade impact African societies?
Caused population loss, disrupted societies, and led to violence
How did resistance challenge the justifications for slavery?
Proved enslaved people were capable of leadership and self-rule
How did the French Revolution change the idea of who should hold power?
Emphasized power should come from the people, not birth
How were the Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution connected?
Both emphasized observation, evidence, and questioning tradition
How did Enlightenment ideas influence political revolutions?
Inspired revolutions demanding freedom and equality
How did the slave trade shape economies in Europe and the Americas?
Enriched European nations and fueled economic growth through exploitation
How did revolts like the Haitian Revolution reflect Enlightenment ideas?
Enslaved people demanded liberty, equality, and rights
How did the Reign of Terror reflect the contradictions of the revolution?
Used extreme violence in the name of freedom, contradicting its ideals
Why did some rulers support scientific discovery?
Increase their power and prestige through innovation
How did Enlightenment thinking lead to conflict in societies built on inequality, like monarchies or slave societies?
Clashed with systems based on inherited privilege and exploitation
How is the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade still seen today?
Racial inequality, systemic racism, and economic disparities continue today
Why did many European and American leaders fear slave rebellions during the age of revolution?
Threatened their control and exposed the hypocrisy of Enlightenment ideals
How did Napoleon both support and betray the revolution’s goals?
Spread revolutionary ideas but crowned himself emperor and limited freedoms
How did science and reason contribute to both progress and control in the modern world?
Improved life but also supported control, like colonialism or surveillance