Chapter 17 The Enlightenment DBQ Review

Enlightenment Thought

Enlightenment thinkers believed in the possibility of social, political, and economic change. Often critical of society during this time, they were driven by the power of human reason and progress.

Document A

“Common sense is not so common.”

—From Philosophical Dictionary by Voltaire

Document B

“A prince ought not to deem it beneath his dignity to state that he considers it his duty not to dictate anything to his subjects in religious matters, but to leave them complete freedom.”

—From What Is Enlightenment? by Immanuel Kant

Document C

“A strange consequence that necessarily follows from the use of torture is that the innocent person is placed in a condition worse than that of the guilty, for if both are tortured, the circumstances are all against the former. Either he confesses the crime and is condemned, or he is declared innocent and has suffered a punishment he did not deserve.”

—From On Crimes and Punishments by Marchese di Beccaria

Document D

Diderot and Catherine the Great

Document E

Analyzing Documents

Use your knowledge of the Enlightenment and Documents A, B, C, D, and E to answer the questions below.

1. Kant believes in                      based on Document B.

1. freedom of religion
2. freedom of speech
3. the government making a religious choice for its people
4. dignity

2. In Document C, the author condemned

1. capital punishment.
2. religion of any kind.
3. torture.
4. the Inquisition.

3. Catherine the Great and Diderot pictured in Document D are most likely

1. sharing war stories.
2. sharing Enlightenment ideas.
3. planning the American Revolution.
4. discussing population growth in France.

Writing Task

4. Which of the above documents do you think best exemplifies the spirit of the Enlightenment? Why? Use your knowledge of the Enlightenment and specific information from the documents to support your opinion.