Voltaire

=Voltaire, (1694-1778)= =//**Dan C. + John R.**//=

//**Social**//
 * As a child Fransois Marie Arouet disliked his parents parenting methods, and stored up his anger for years. While locked in the Bastille, He reflected on his childhood, and decided to rechristen himself. When Fransois rechristened himself he was given the name Arouet de Voltaire. ||
 * Voltaire's first work of art,"Oedipe", was his attempt to test his genius against Sophocles and Pierre Corneille. On November 18, 1718, Voltaire's "Oedipe" opened in Paris and was a great success. ||
 * While in England, Voltaire was said to be a victim of France's injustice. Because of this rumor, Voltaire was supported by many of England's richest and most famous people. His supporters loved his works of art, and paid large quantities of money for the production of his plays. ||
 * In the mid-1700s as the royal historiographer for the Prussian King Fredrick. It was only after he pleaded with the King, that he was allowed to leave. Voltaire decided he would live at the "Ferney" on the shore of Lake Geneva where he could work in peace. ||
 * After writing his final play, Voltaire returned to Paris from a life of exile. He was given a hero's welcome by many important guests. One of these guests was Benjamin Franklin. ( "Voltaire (1694-1779)" Student Resource Center) ||

//**Political**// //**Economy**//
 * Voltaire wrote many philosophical stories about his political views and contributed to European, enlightenment ideology. ||
 * He is known partially for his hatred for injustice and the influence he had on laws against social injustice. ||
 * Voltaire was also known as a civil rights activist. He believed in the freedom of speech and thought social injustice led to a corrupt government. ||
 * He became the "Conscience of Europe" whom fought against social injustice with the pen, and not just the tongue. ||
 * In "The Calas Affair" Voltaire made his first major step against social injustice by proving the Calas family innocent to a crime that would torn the family apart. Voltaire was viewed as one of the enlightenment thinkers of his time of passion for justice. ( "Voltaire (1694-1778)" Gale) ||
 * Voltaire lived during the era of enlightenment. However, religious and political views also managed to strengthen the economy in Europe. ||
 * His views on social injustice inspired new laws to be created by the national assembly. His new laws allowed new jobs to be created for the government. Thus, economic conditions in Europe increased greatly. ||
 * Voltaire increased economic conditions greatly by providing entertainment that was world renown. Travelers from around the world came miles to see Voltaire's works of art. Large quantities of wealth were given to the European country by these travelers as a "thank you" for all of Voltaire's magnificent work. ||

Timeline:[[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Voltaire.jpg/531px-Voltaire.jpg width="217" height="238" align="right" caption="external image"]]
1694: Born in Paris as François-Marie Arouet 1702: Sent to College Louis-le-Grand 1716: Exhiled to Tulle 1718: Adopted the pen name Voltaire 1729: Allowed to return to Paris 1732: Produces Zaire 1746: voted into Academie Francaise 1749: Moves Potsdan 1753: returns to France 1759: Published Candide 1778: Died in Paris

Accomplishments:
Voltaire first acquired notoriety as the author of a satire in a competition at a young age. He continued to write tragedies until he was banished to the bastille for 11 months for mocking the regent. It was at the bastille that he rewrote Oedipe which was first preformed in 1718. He also began to write a poem called Henri the IV. Henri the IV was one of his first attempts on connecting Protestantism with religious intolerance. The scandalous poem about the regent that landed him in the Bastille, was just one of many scandalous poems written by Voltaire. His Godfather's brother became French ambassador to the Hague. This ambassador assigned Voltaire to be his page at the age of only 19. Throughout his entire life, so far, his father was nudging him into a career of law. However, Voltaire disliked the ideas of law and the moral standards it withholds. He decided that the field of literature was his field of work. He settled down in Paris and created works of art until he died in 1778. Voltaire Information in Video form media type="custom" key="3241888" QUIZ TIME

1) Why did Francois rechristen himself as Voltaire? 2) What was the reason/reasons for his exile to the Bastille? 3) How long was Voltaire exiled? 4) What King did Voltaire serve as a historiographer for? 5) What country did this King come from? 6) Voltaire was known for protecting this civil right? 7) What was the name of Voltaire’s first play? 8) What famous figure did Europe call Voltaire? 9) What is the name of the affair that made Voltaire famous in the political world? 10) In what year did Voltaire die, and in what country?

Answers: 1) Voltaire rechristened himself because he hated his parents ad decided to segregate himself from their name. 2) Voltaire was exiled for writing several scandalous poems about the regent. 3) He was exiled to the Bastille for 11 months. 4) King Fredrick was the name of the king Voltaire worked for as a historiographer. 5) King Fredrick came from Prussia. 6) Voltaire was known for protecting freedom of speech. 7) Oedipe was the name of his first play. 8) Voltaire was known as the “Conscience of Europe” 9) “The Calas Affair” was an affair that made Voltaire famous in the political world. 10) Voltaire died in 1778, and he died in Paris.

Citations for information: and pictures //A//. **"Voltaire (1694-1779)."** __UXL Biographies__. Online ed. Detroit: UXL, 2003. __Student Resource Center - Gold__. Gale. Upper Merion Area High School. 18 Feb. 2009 . //B//. Dickoff, James. **"Voltaire (1694-1778)."** __Encyclopedia of World Biography__. Suzanne M. Bourgoin. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. __Student Resource Center - Gold__. Gale. Upper Merion Area High School. 18 Feb. 2009 . 2: Dugdale, W. __Voltaire__. __Wikimedia__. 12 Feb. 2009 . Cites: "http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.21Editors:" "Voltaire (1694-1778)." __Encyclopedia of World Biography__. Thomson Gale, 1998. NA. __General OneFile__. Gale. Connecticut State Library. 18 Feb. 2009__coffin containing voltaire__. sculputure. 2005. Pantheon, Paris. 22 Feb. 2009 .