Question

Changes that developed during the Enlightenment inspired the American Revolution, French Revolution, and Latin American Revolution. Leaders of these revolutions based their wars for political change which Enlightenment ideas? Select all the apply!

A. Accepting the authority of king as divine right, and absolute government in which the ruler makes decisions for the people.

B. Social contract (consent of the governed), and the common good of the people.

C. Freedom, natural rights, and self-determination

D. The relationships between governments and the people they governed, and limited government.

E. Questioning discoveries of the Scientific Revolution, acceptance of church explanations for origins of the universe, and ignoring the advice of citizens calling for democracy.

Answer 1

Social contract (consent of the governed), and the common good of the people.

Freedom, natural rights, and self-determination

The relationships between governments and the people they governed, and limited government.

Enlightenment brought with it great advances which, together with the Industrial Revolution, made room for the profound political change determined by the French Revolution. The forerunner of this movement was the French mathematician Rene Descartes (1596-1650), considered the father of rationalism. In his book Discourse of Method, he recommends, in order to get to the truth, to doubt everything, even the seemingly true things. From rational doubt one can reach the understanding of the world, and even of God.