Key Terms
The term for Enlightenment thinkers
What are philosophes?
Government in which people vote directly on laws and policies
What is direct democracy?
He believed every person had natural rights, and these should not be taken away
Who was John Locke?
The division of government into three branches
What is the separation of powers?
A document inspired by Enlightenment thinkers that changed the United States and impacted England
What was the Declaration of Independence and/or Bill of Rights?
Believed in separation of powers in a government so that one branch didn't become stronger
Who was Baron de Montesquieu?
Rights with which we are born; rights we have just by being human: life, liberty, and property
What are natural rights?
A feature of the criminal justice system that many countries do not use due to Cesare Beccaria's viewpoints
What is cruel and unusual punishment?
Fought for freedom of religion and freedom of speech
Who was Voltaire?
Each branch of government limits the powers of the other branches to ensure no one branch gets too much power.
What are checks and balances?
Revolutions that were inspired by Enlightenment ideas. (DAILY DOUBLE if you can name both!)
The American and French Revolutions
Thought that people were being punished too harshly, didn't get a fair trial, and there should be change to the criminal justice system
Who was Cesare Beccaria?
Agreement between the people and the government in which the people agree to give up some of their freedoms and in exchange the government must protect their natural rights
What is the social contract?
John Locke believed that if the government was no longer protecting the rights of the people, the people had the right to do this.
What is overthrow the government?
Thought most people were born good, put forth the idea of a social contract in which people would give up some rights for government protection
Who was Jean-Jacques Rousseau?