Crash Course European History: The Enlightenment

Overview

• Host: John Green
• Focus on political change and warfare in the 17th century.
• Enlightenment: Shift in perception of everyday events, linking phenomena like earthquakes to human events.

Key Events and Changes

• 1648 Istanbul Earthquake seen as an omen of a sultan's death.
• 1755 Lisbon Earthquake led to debates over divine punishment vs. natural events.

Enlightenment and Rationality

• Enlightenment = Age of Light.
• Emphasized rational investigation into traditional beliefs.
• Philosophers like Voltaire and Montesquieu critiqued society.
  • Voltaire’s response to Lisbon earthquake: Critique of divine rationale.
  • Montesquieu's "Persian Letters" mocked both Eastern and European traditions.

Social and Cultural Changes

• Introduction of commodities like coffee and tea brought changes in lifestyle.
• New foods from the Americas increased calories and reduced famine.
• European exposure to non-hierarchical societies across the world.

Key Enlightenment Figures and Ideas

• Voltaire:
  • Criticized rulers and corruption.
  • Advocated honesty and simplicity ("Candide").
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau:
  • Focused on natural upbringing and education reforms ("Emil").
  • Promoted middle-class values.
• Denis Diderot:
  • Edited the "Encyclopédie" advocating examination of all things.
• David Hume:
  • Promoted reason over religion.

Enlightenment and Reform Movements

• Movements against slavery in Europe.
• Adam Smith:
  • Criticized mercantilism; advocated for free markets and trade ("Wealth of Nations").
• Rousseau's The Social Contract:
  • Introduced ideas on state and general will.
• Immanuel Kant:
  • Emphasized individual reason ("Dare to know").

Cultural Impact

• Salons established by upper-class women promoted Enlightenment ideas.
• Moses Mendelssohn's optimism for Jewish tolerance, though persecution persisted.

Enlightenment Criticism and Legacy

• Enlightenment blamed for rationalizing structural inequalities.
• Nonetheless, it was transformative, promoting worldly explanations and challenging the status quo.

Conclusion

• Enlightenment helped move towards better understanding and improvement in living conditions, despite ongoing imperfections.