AQA A-Level History 7042
1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204
1B Spain in the Age of Discovery, 1469–1598
1C The Tudors: England, 1485–1603
1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702
1E Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682–1796
1F Industrialisation and the People: Britain, c1783–1885
1G Challenge and Transformation: Britain, c1851–1964
1H Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855–1964
1J The British Empire, c1857–1967
1K The Making of a Superpower: USA, 1865–1975
1L The Quest for Political Stability: Germany, 1871–1991
2A Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216
2B The Wars of the Roses, 1450–1499
2C The Reformation in Europe, c1500–1564
2D Religious Conflict and the Church in England, c1529–c1570
2E The English Revolution, 1625–1660
2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643–1715
2G The Birth of the USA, 1760–1801
2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815
2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877
2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941
2L Italy and Fascism, c1900–1945
2M Wars and Welfare: Britain in Transition, 1906–1957
2N Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953
2O Democracy and Nazism: Germany, 1918–1945
2P The Transformation of China, 1936–1997
2Q The American Dream: Reality and Illusion, 1945–1980
2R The Cold War, c1945–1991
2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
2T The Crisis of Communism: The USSR and the Soviet Empire, 1953–2000
2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815
The Philosophes and the Enlightenment
- 3 things to know
- Component 2
Overview
Recall questions on who the philosophes were and on the arguments of Voltaire, Montesquieu and Rousseau.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
What Enlightenment principles did the American Revolution demonstrate in practice?
How did France's intervention in the American War of Independence spread revolutionary ideas?
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
Who were the philosophes?
Model answer
The philosophes were Enlightenment thinkers who applied reason and critical inquiry to traditional institutions, customs, and beliefs, challenging the intellectual foundations of absolutism and privilege.
- 2
What did Voltaire criticise and advocate?
Model answer
Voltaire criticised religious intolerance, superstition, and the power of the Catholic Church, advocating freedom of thought and expression, though he did not oppose monarchy itself.
- 3
What key political principle did Montesquieu advocate in 'The Spirit of the Laws'?
Model answer
Montesquieu advocated the separation of powers between executive, legislative, and judicial branches as a safeguard against tyranny.
- 4
What did Rousseau argue about the basis of legitimate government in 'The Social Contract'?
Model answer
Rousseau argued that legitimate government rested on the general will of the people and that sovereignty belonged to the nation, not the monarch.
- 5
What was the Encyclopédie and who edited it?
Model answer
The Encyclopédie was a comprehensive compilation of human knowledge edited by Diderot and d'Alembert (1751-1772) that spread Enlightenment ideas by subjecting traditional beliefs to rational scrutiny.
- 6
Why is the extent of Enlightenment influence in France debated?
Model answer
While Enlightenment ideas circulated among educated elites, they had limited direct reach among the illiterate peasant majority.
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Every question in 2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815, on a schedule.
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