Lesson 38 of 84 ยท Enlightenment
โญ 30 XPenlightenment: Lesson 38
Enlightenment thinkers also emphasized the importance of reason and scientific thought in governance.
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Mind = Blown
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Then & Now
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Enlightenment thinkers also emphasized the importance of reason and scientific thought in governance. Montesquieu introduced the idea of the separation of powers, which suggested that government should be divided into branches to prevent any one group from gaining too much power. This concept influenced the structure of many modern democracies, including the U.S. Constitution. By advocating for checks and balances, Enlightenment philosophers sought to protect individual liberties and ensure a fair representation of the populace in government.
Key Facts
Montesquieu proposed the separation of powers in government.
The U.S. Constitution was influenced by Enlightenment ideas.
Checks and balances help prevent abuse of power in government.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2What concept did Montesquieu introduce to limit government power?
Why this still matters
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