Question

in europe, in the mid-1600s to late 1700s scholars inspired by the scientific revolution started to ask questions like, \what is the purpose of government?\, \what is the best way for a government to rule its people?\, and \are people born with rights? if so, should they be protected by a government?\ the philosophers writing about these questions were part of the enlightenment.

the enlightenment
a period of time (mid-1600s to the late 1700s) in western europe when philosophers and writers applied the scientific idea of reason to answer political questions. the enlightenment is sometimes known as the age of reason.

the writers who took part in the enlightenment are called enlightenment thinkers, sometimes known as philosophes, the french word for philosophers. just as scientists challenged the claims of the catholic church, enlightenment thinkers often challenged the claims of absolute monarchs. we study them because of the actions that their ideas inspired later in history.

transcript:
the age of enlightenment began in europe in the late 17th century. it would bring about fundamental changes in the way the world was understood and how societies were organized. until then, the church had dictated told people what to think and how to live. disagreeing with those in power was punished even by death. but with the enlightenment, people began to embrace new ideas about freedom of expression and new rational methods to investigate the world.

in england, newton made the foundations of science as we know it by showing that the universe was governed by physical laws that could be discovered using observation and reason. in philosophy, enlightenment thinkers like voltaire argued that man, not god, was at the center of the world. ideas were beginning to change, but in the 18th century most of europe was still ruled by absolute monarchs. empowered by enlightenment thinking in both europe and america, people began to demand real change.

1. based on the transcript, what organization had the most influence on how people in europe lived and what they thought?

1. what changes came about as a result of the enlightenment?

Explanation:

Question 1

From the transcript, it says "Until then, the church had dictated [told people] what to think and how to live". This shows the church had a major influence on people's lives and thoughts in Europe before the Enlightenment, and the Enlightenment was a response to that influence as well.

• From the text: "It would bring about fundamental changes in the way the world was understood and how societies were organized."
• "people began to embrace new ideas about freedom of expression and new rational methods to investigate the world."
• "Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire argued that man, not God, was at the center of the world."
• "Empowered by Enlightenment thinking... people began to demand real change." Also, the shift from church - dominated thought to more rational, human - centered ideas, and challenges to absolute monarchs and church authority are part of the changes.

Answer:

The Catholic Church (or "the church") had the most influence on how people in Europe lived and what they thought (before the Enlightenment, and its influence was challenged during the Enlightenment).

Question 2