The Impact of the Enlightenment

Chapter 10, Section 3

The Arts

• Architecture and Art– Royal courts and

cathedrals– New artistic style rococo

• Emphasized grace and charm

• Music– Bach, Handel, Haydn, and

Mozart

• Literature– Development of the first

European novel

Enlightened Absolutism• Enlightened Absolutism

– Rulers tried to govern by Enlightenment principles while maintaining their power

• What were those principles?– Equality under the law– Freedom of worship– Freedom of speech– Freedom of press– Rights to assemble, hold

property, and pursue happiness

• Do you think all leaders follow these principles?

Russia• Peter the Great had

Europeanized Russia– 6 weak successors followed him

until another great leader emerged

• Catherine the Great was the German wife of Peter III– Peter III was killed by a group of

nobles

• Following Peter III’s death, Catherine took control of Russia– Invited Denis Diderot to live in

Russia and help include Enlightenment principles

– Chose not to abide by these principles in fear that she may upset the nobles

Prussia• Frederick William the Great

Elector had established Prussia as a European power– 40,000 man army, 4th largest in

Europe

• Frederick II (Frederick the Great) – Invited Voltaire to live in his

palace– Abolished torture in most

cases, granted some freedom of speech and press

– Still kept the serfdom and social structure of old

Austria• Austria was large, but composed

of many different peoples– Difficult to rule

• Maria Theresa– Didn’t do much to include

Enlightenment principles– Did make life easier for peasants

• Joseph Theresa– Abolished serfdom and the death

penalty– Established equality under the

law and enacted religious toleration

– Too much change for the people meant no success• Joseph was a failure, his successors

undid almost all he had changed

War of the Austrian Succession• When Maria Theresa took control

of Austria, Frederick II of Prussia decided to attack– Thought of female leadership as

weak– Invaded the territory of Silesia

• Both nations quickly rushed for allies– Austria – Great Britain– Prussia – France– War was fought in Europe, Asia, and

North America

• Seven years of fighting (1740-1748) waged until the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was signed– Returned all territories except Silesia

• Would soon influence another war in Europe

The Seven Years’ War• What forced the war:

– Competition over colonial claims (France and Great Britain)

– Silesia never being returned– New alliances being formed

• France, Austria, and Russia• England and Prussia

• What created the new alliances:– France and Great Britain were

competing over colonial land– Austria and Prussia were upset

over Silesia situation– Russia saw Prussia as a threat to

Russian goals in Europe

The War in Europe• All major powers involved

were fighting in Europe– France, Austria, and Russia vs

Great Britain and Prussia

• 1756-1763• France, Austria, and Russia are

winning until Peter III pulls Russian troops from Prussia– Forces a stalemate and the

eventual end to fighting in Europe

• Treaty of Paris of 1763 ends the war

The War in India

• Fought between the British and the French over colonial control

• British win French possessions in India

• Treaty of Paris of 1763 forces France to leave their possessions under British control

The War in America• Another clash between the

British and the French for colonial control

• Also known as the French and Indian War– French and Native Americans vs

British and colonies

• French had more troops, British had more naval resources– Able to cut off French from

supply and trade ships coming to Americas

• Treaty of Paris of 1763 gave Canada and French land east of the Mississippi to England