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Adam Smith
Definition

Adam Smith

Adam Smith (1723-1790) was a Scottish philosopher, economist, and leading Enlightenment figure. In The Wealth of Nations, he advocates free trade and...
Intolerable Acts
Definition

Intolerable Acts

The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were five laws passed by the Parliament of Great Britain in 1774 to punish the Thirteen Colonies...
Tsar
Definition

Tsar

Tsar (also czar) is a Slavic term derived from the Latin caesar. Ivan III (Ivan the Great) (r. 1462-1505) was the first Russian ruler to begin using...
Denis Diderot
Definition

Denis Diderot

Denis Diderot (1713-1784) was a French author and philosopher known for his views which influenced the Enlightenment and his general editorship of the...
Origins of Christian Anti-Semitism in the Gospels
Article

Origins of Christian Anti-Semitism in the Gospels

Anti-Semitism is a modern term that describes prejudice and hostility to Jews and Judaism. The term is derived from the later social scientific categorization...
Thomas Hobbes
Definition

Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an English philosopher who famously summarised his pessimistic view of human nature in his greatest work, Leviathan, published...
Boston Tea Party
Definition

Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was an act of political protest carried out by American colonists on 16 December 1773, in Boston, Massachusetts. Disguised as Mohawk...
Voltaire
Definition

Voltaire

Voltaire (1694-1778) was a French author, historian, and philosopher whose thoughts on religious toleration and moderation of authoritarian power were...
John Locke
Definition

John Locke

John Locke (1632-1704) was an English philosopher responsible for laying the foundation of the European Enlightenment. Locke believed that each branch...
Falling Star
Article

Falling Star

Falling Star is a Cheyenne tale of the great hero Hotoketana'ohtse ("Falling Star") who came from the heavens to stand up for those who could not defend...
Montesquieu
Definition

Montesquieu

Montesquieu (1689-1757) was a French philosopher whose ideas in works like The Spirit of the Laws helped launch the Enlightenment movement in Europe...
Roman Constitution
Definition

Roman Constitution

Roman constitution was an accumulation of laws, legal decisions, and ancient customs. While today 'constitution' usually refers to a single act of legislation...
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