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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Four Enlightenment Thinkers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine lives, philosophies, and political beliefs of four Enlightenment Thinkers: Baron de Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. Students then work with partner to write short speech from...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Unit 12: Enlightenment and French Revolution

For Students 8th - 12th
For this Enlightenment lesson, students respond to 34 short answer questions about John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Baron de Montesquieu, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, Denis Diderot, and Mary Wollstonecraft.
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Unit Plan
CPALMS

Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Enlightenment Ideas and the Founding Fathers

For Students 7th - 8th
A tutorial that looks at the ideas from the Enlightenment that influenced the Founding Fathers, particularly those of John Locke and Montesquieu. A PDF file of the tutorial is available.
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Article
Internet History Sourcebooks Project

Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: "The Spirit of Laws" (Excerpts) (1748)

For Students 9th - 10th
Fordham University provides excerpts from the 1748 book of political philosophy by Montesquieu; "The Spirit of Laws".
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Handout
Oregon State University

Oregon State University: Montesquieu Timeline

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a timeline of the significant events in the life of Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, author of "The Spirits of the Laws." There are also links to a bibliography.
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Primary
McMaster University

Mc Master University: Charles De Secondat Montesquieu

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the McMaster University provides a full French edition of De l'Espirit des lois of Charles de Secondat Montesquieu, provided by Paulette Taieb. The information is accessible by clicking on the corresponding link.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Montesquieu Mini Lesson

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Meet the Baron de Montesquieu, one of the great thinkers of the 18th century. He spent a lot of time thinking about how governments should be created and maintained. These ideas guided the Founding Fathers when they wrote the...