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Standard 5 : Analyze the causes, events, and effects of the Enlightenment and its impact on the American, French and other Revolutions.
Cluster Standards

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Visit the specific benchmark webpage to find related instructional resources.

  • SS.912.W.5.1 : Compare the causes and effects of the development of constitutional monarchy in England with those of the development of absolute monarchy in France, Spain, and Russia.
  • SS.912.W.5.2 : Identify major causes of the Enlightenment.
  • SS.912.W.5.3 : Summarize the major ideas of Enlightenment philosophers.
  • SS.912.W.5.4 : Evaluate the impact of Enlightenment ideals on the development of economic, political, and religious structures in the Western world.
  • SS.912.W.5.5 : Analyze the extent to which the Enlightenment impacted the American and French Revolutions.
  • SS.912.W.5.6 : Summarize the important causes, events, and effects of the French Revolution including the rise and rule of Napoleon.
  • SS.912.W.5.7 : Describe the causes and effects of 19th Latin American and Caribbean independence movements led by people including Bolivar, de San Martin, and L' Ouverture.
Cluster Information
Number:
SS.912.W.5
Title:
Analyze the causes, events, and effects of the Enlightenment and its impact on the American, French and other Revolutions.
Type:
Standard
Subject:
Social Studies
Grade:
912
Strand
World History
Cluster Access Points

This cluster includes the following Access Points.

  • SS.912.W.5.AP.1 : Compare the causes and effects of the development of constitutional monarchy in England with those of the development of absolute monarchy in France, Spain, and Russia.
  • SS.912.W.5.AP.2 : Compare influences of the Enlightenment, such as the Renaissance, Scientific Revolution, and Reformation.
  • SS.912.W.5.AP.3 : Recognize major ideas of Enlightenment philosophers, such as the importance of a government and natural rights.
  • SS.912.W.5.AP.4 : Identify ways the Enlightenment influenced development in the Western World, such as the spread of democracy and equality in politics and religious freedom.
  • SS.912.W.5.AP.5 : Identify how the Enlightenment impacted the American and French Revolutions.
  • SS.912.W.5.AP.6 : Recognize effects of the French Revolution, including the rise and rule of Napoleon.
  • SS.912.W.5.AP.7 : Describe the causes and effects of 19th Century Latin American and Caribbean independence movements led by people including Bolivar, de San Martin, and L' Ouverture.
Cluster Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Lesson Plans
  • The Bill of Rights : Students will analyze the first 10 amendments of the Constitution and note the influence of Enlightenment philosophers and the importance of them in government and our daily lives. 

  • Enlightenment and the American Revolution: Students will look at excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, Common Sense, the Social Contract, and the Second Treatise of Government to analyze the Enlightenment's influence on the American Revolution. 

  • The Enlightenment Thinkers Lesson 3 - The Declaration of Independence: Students will participate in a reading and writing activity.  They will mark up the text of the Declaration of Independence, making sure to indicate any passages which demonstrate the ideas indicative of the influence of the Enlightenment thinkers.

    The teacher will pass out the grievances portion of the Declaration of Independence and have the students highlight, in different colors, the passages they think are from the Enlightenment thinkers. 

  • The Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta and Common Sense: In this lesson plan, students will analyze excerpts from the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, and Common Sense. 

    The main purpose of this lesson is to have students gain an understanding of the important documents that led to the American Revolution.

  • Enlightenment Influences on American Foundational Documents: This lesson will draw a connection between the Enlightenment ideas of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes and the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the French Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen.

    This lesson includes guided notes for students to complete during the lesson, built in review questions, and a guided practice for students to complete that contains primary source text from the documents.

  • Declarations During the Age of Revolutions - Lesson 2 of 3: In this lesson, students will analyze the Declaration of the Rights of Man to identify examples of Enlightenment ideals and civic participation.

    This is lesson 2 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating Social Studies and Civics.

  • Declarations During the Age of Revolutions - Lesson 3 of 3: In this lesson, students will analyze the Haitian Declaration of Independence for Enlightenment influence and civic participation.

    This is lesson 3 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating Social Studies and Civics.

  • Enlightenment Ideals, Revolutionary Influence?: This will include specific Enlightenment thinkers with an emphasis on the ideals that influenced the Declaration of Independence and both the American Revolution.

  • Declarations During the Age of Revolutions - Lesson 1 of 3: In this lesson, students will analyze the Declaration of Independence to identify examples of Enlightenment ideals and civic participation.

    This is lesson 1 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating Social Studies and Civics.

  • Enlightened Thinkers: What Were They Thinking?: In this lesson, students will review the key ideas of several Enlightenment thinkers and explore their influence on Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence.

  • Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, and the Declaration of Independence: This lesson will be used to introduce or review the Declaration of Independence, a founding document of America. This lesson will familiarize students with one of the Founders, Thomas Jefferson, and his influence on the American government by incorporating ideas from the European Enlightenment era.

  • The Enlightenment Influences on the Declaration of Independence: Students will become familiar with important Enlightenment philosphers, their ideas, and how they influenced the creation of the Declaration of Independence.

  • The Enlightenment and The Declaration of Independence: Students will compare and contrast Enlightenment philosophers John Locke and Thomas Hobbes to Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence.

  • Enlightenment and the American Government: In this lesson, students will be able to identify philosophies of the Enlightenment era in the foundation of the American government. They will create a booklet to take notes on Enlightenment philosophers and their ideas.

  • Enlightened Influences : In this lesson, students will examine how intellectual influences contributed to the ideas in the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution by analyzing the major ideas of Enlightenment philosophers.

  • Enlightenment to Revolutions : In this lesson plan, students will analyze documents from major Enlightenment thinkers. Students will compare and contrast the Declaration of Independence to the Declaration of Rights of Man to evaluate the impact of the Enlightenment influenced both the American and French Revolutions. Students will use documents to make an argument about whether the Enlightenment was the strongest influence of the Revolutions.

  • The Enlightenment and The Declaration: In this lesson, students review the major ideas of Enlightenment philosophers to evaluate their impact on the Declaration of Independence.

  • Intellectual Influences on the U.S. Constitution: In this lesson students will learn to evaluate how ideas from the past influenced the political thinking of the Framers when writing both the Declaration of Independence and in reforming the country under the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

  • Enlightenment's Influence on the Declaration of Independence : In this lesson plan, students will analyze the grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence and identify an Enlightenment ideal that justified the grievance.

  • Analyzing French Revolution Documents: This lesson will expose students to a collection of primary and secondary sources from the French Revolution and as a culminating assignment, students will draft an expository essay linking the documents to the causes and events of the French Revolution.

Video/Audio/Animation
  • Portraits in Patriotism - Francisco Márquez: Secondary School: Francisco Márquez was born in Venezuela and spent his childhood in both Venezuela and the U.S. He studied political science and law in Venezuela and earned his MBA in the United States. After receiving his MBA, Francisco returned to Venezuela. Under the authoritarian Nicolás Maduro regime, Francisco was arrested as a political prisoner and spent time in a Venezuelan prison. Eventually, Francisco was released and is now a political rights activist.