Enlightenment DBQ

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Enlightenment took place in Europe. This era was also known as the "Age of Reason". It was a new intellectual movement that consisted of reason and the power of individual thought brought up by philosophers: John Locke, Voltaire (Francois-Marie Arouet), and Mary Wollstonecraft. Since every philosopher had a main idea, what was theirs'? The three philosophers' main idea was to improve society by bringing forward the ideas of freedom in government, religion, and gender roles. John Locke, a philosopher during the Enlightenment, believed in improving society

- life, liberty, and property. The purpose of government,...,is to protect these rights. If a government fails to do so, citizens have

Looking back at the Royal Exchange in London, "...where the representatives of all nations meet for the benefit of mankind. There the Jew, the Mahometan (Muslim), and the Christian transact together as tho' they all professed the same religion" (Doc B). People were free to interact with others from different religions. There was not one authorized person at the trade center to say that the cultures could not communicate with one another. To further reflect on his experience at the Royal Exchange, Voltaire states, "If one religion only were allowed in England, the government would very possibly become arbitrary; if there were but two, the people would cut one another's throats; but as there are such a multitude, they all live happy and in peace" (Doc B). With one religion, a country would become tyrannical; with two religions, a country would become divided and people would fall into peer pressure; but with multiple religions, a country would become diverse and people would have their choice of free will. In short, Voltaire's belief of freedom in religion not only allowed a country to live peacefully, but also encouraged a country to prosper in

In Wollstonecraft's opinion "The most perfect education,..., is ... to enable the individual to attain such habits of virtue as will render (her)independent" (Doc D). The purpose of education allows an individual to achieve their full potential. Education permits independent freedom for women who are unable to be self-reliant. In Wollstonecraft's essay, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, her belief was "that women, like men, need education to become virtuous and useful" (Beck, Black, and Krieger 1254). Like men, women have rights to equal education opportunities. Equal education enables women to freely feel ambitious and utilitarian. To conclude, Mary Wollstonecraft's promotion of freedom for gender roles improved society by equal educational rights of the