During the Age of Reason, Europeans met in coffee houses to discuss the ideas of the great thinkers of their day. Tenth graders, fueled by hot chocolate, tea and Oreos rather than coffee, discussed issues of their day—government regulation of Tik Tok, book banning, the purpose of school, and other topics ripped from the headlines. As they begin their Enlightenment unit, students will appreciate how ideas spread and how the 18th century ideas of Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire and others, continue to influence our views today.

“This activity accomplishes so many goals,” said History Department Chair Adina Shoulson. “It introduces students to the Enlightenment and the role that coffee played in keeping people awake enough to talk about these heavy topics. The issues we discussed also connected to the theme of liberalism, one of our essential questions for the year, and the role of the government in protecting individual rights.” This year with the theme of civil discourse students had a chance to discuss potentially divisive topics using their newly-learned skills.

“We had some really interesting discussions, and I felt like it was an invaluable opportunity to practice civil discourse,” said Gershon R. “I didn’t agree with everyone’s opinions, but it was insightful to hear their perspectives.”

Daniela G. added, “The Enlightenment Cafe gave me the opportunity to explore social challenges and the ways in which they intersect with my values. I also enjoyed the setting of the activity; my classmates and I sat in small groups in the cafeteria, drinking hot coco, which made the topics feel much more approachable to discuss.”