Learning Goal:
I will be able to…
Identify and analyze Philosophers’ important ideas from the Enlightenment
Date: _____________
Philosopher Match-Up
Directions: Below are 12 statements that express the most important ideas of the Enlightenment. First,
read each statement and decide whether you agree or disagree with it. Then, match each philosopher –
Voltaire, Locke, Montesquieu, Hobbes, Rousseau, or Wollstonecraft – with the statement they are
responsible for. Answer the reflection questions on the back of the page when finished.
1) People are born greedy and selfish and will
constantly be at war with each other
2) Governmental power should be separated
into equal branches
3) Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and
4) People should not be punished for their
religious beliefs
5) Government is an agreement or contract
between ruler & people
6) A strong monarch is needed to impose order
and structure on society
7) Women and men can contribute equally to
8) People are born good but are corrupted by
9) People should enter a Social Contract with the
government in exchange for safety and order
10) The purpose of the government is to protect
people’s natural rights
11) Freedom of speech is the best weapon
against a bad government
12) The purpose of the government is to work
for the common good
1. Which three of the ideas expressed above do you think are the most essential to a successful
society? Please explain a reason for each idea you choose.
2. Which philosopher do you think was the most influential during the Enlightenment? Why?
(3 sentences)
3. Which philosopher’s ideas about government appeal to you the most? Why? (3 sentences)