How Did The Enlightenment Influence The American Revolution

This research paper was written for the Advanced Placement United States History class taught by Mr. Roger Brady. It focuses on the rise of the ideas of the Enlightenment and how these ideas were relevant in the American Revolution, and the creation of the modern American Society. It also provides a throughout explanation of what is the Enlightenment, who are its main exponents, and how the ideas of the Enlightenment spread. Lastly, it also depicts how the colonists were mistreated and mocked by the British Empire before the ideas of the

With the movements of resisting, rebelling, and reforming, the Enlightenment affected independence movements in the thirteen colonies, and by the end of the eighteenth century new states were developed. The United States was a result of the Enlightenment, and took on the many ideas developed during this time. During the Enlightenment, people no longer wanted to live under arbitrary rulers. Colonists wanted to use reason and logic instead of superstitious beliefs and the church teachings. As Pangloss explains in Candide, earthquakes are a natural phenomena and not an act of punishment from God. The power of individualism and critical thinking was not unique to just one country, it was happening all over Europe. An important figure who focused

During the Age of Enlightenment philosophers were common, but perhaps one of the greatest was Voltaire. Voltaire was a French philosopher and writer who inspired many people during his time. He was an outspoken supporter of religious toleration and encouraged freedom of speech, which he conveyed in many of his literary works. Voltaire was a deist. A deist is someone who believes that God created the world, but does not interfere; he allows the natural laws to take care of everything. Along with other important philosophers Voltaire’s ideas influenced important people of the French and American Revolutions.

During the American Revolution many of the ideas of Enlightenment were used as the guidelines that influenced things such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Key figures and innovators like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, who have been greatly influenced by the ideas of Enlightenment, founded the United States. This is one of the key periods in time that helped shaped the United States to the way it is has become today. The Enlightenment has produced a number amount of books, inventions, scientific discoveries, laws, wars and revolutions. The American and French Revolutions were greatly influenced by the Enlightenment. In this paper, I argue that the Enlightenment shaped the Gettysburg address presented by Lincoln and the American

The French Revolution began in 1789 with numerous events like bankruptcy due to foreign wars, France sending aid to the Americas during the American Revolution, royal family spending, and the consecutive bad harvests. But what truly triggered the French Revolution was the brilliant writing of the Enlightenment Philosophers and the influence of the American Revolution. One of these important Enlightenment Philosophers was John Locke, who believed in the Natural Rights of man, the Social Contract Theory, and saw the State of Nature as a good place. The American Revolution influenced the French Revolution with the Declaration of American Independence also called the successful detachment from Great Britain. This inspired French citizens and allowed

The Enlightenment held that there could be a science of man, and that the history of mankind is a progress and can grow further with the right thinking. They fought for freedom of thought, religion and politics. The movement was a big part of history for America. If it wasn't for this period, we would not be where we are today. Ben Franklin Invented Electricity, without that the world would be completely different. Ben's career embodied the Enlightenment ideal of the rational exploration of nature's laws. Thomas Jefferson is not an supporter for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind.

During the late eighteenth century, the people of France began to feel a sense of dissatisfaction towards the government due to a number of causes. Many scholars argue that the nobility and bourgeoisie, or middle class, had internal conflicts with each other or that the two classes had similar interests and formed an educated elite. In addition, France was very poor at the time and sported a massive financial debt due to the nation’s participation in the American Revolution. This in turn led to famine and popular unrest within the citizens of France. Although many monarchs, such as Louis XIV and those of Prussia and Austria, opposed the idea of a revolution, the citizens, influenced by Enlightenment ideas, realized that kings were unnecessary and overthrew

The fast paced spread of knowledge in France due to the Enlightenment, help set stage for the French revolution. Enlightenment thinkers were able to spread their ideas through books, and other publishing. When these theories and ideas reached the mass majority of the French people, the common desire for equality, amongst the people in France grew. The main goals of the enlightenment thinkers were to “transform human thought and use reason to transform the world” (traditions, 516). By transforming the thoughts of the French people, France as a country was able to be transformed.

The Enlightenment was a European intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition. Even though the French Revolution, which was a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in France, started out based on the Enlightenment; Such as gaining more freedom for everyone, a more efficient government that would not repress the people, over time it became more about the violence and terror.

The Enlightenment was one of the biggest factors in shaping the United States government and one of the main causes of the French Revolution. In 1685, intellectuals, also known as philosophes, began expanding knowledge

A big part of the Enlightenment that I saw in the reading was the American Revolution. It seemed that previous events in literature such as the age of reason helped to shape the characteristics of the Enlightenment and revolution movement in literature. As I read, I pictured the Enlightenment movement and I pictured change with each milestone in time. In the beginning of the enlightenment the social and political aspects were formed from the age of reason, God and nature were the main focus. As stated in the text “ whose emphasis on the social contract as the “natural” basis for government suggested a consistency between the laws of nature and those of society.” During the revolutionary period in the Enlightenment, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin,

The enlightenment era issued a new era of thinking and questioning. It brought about change and ideas the fueled revolutions, changes in political standings, how everyday life was lived, how much power a person should hold, etc. One big idea that was found in the enlightenment was the idea of liberty. This gave people the mindset that they deserve to have certain liberties and rights. The idea of liberty was often used to justify revolution and certain documents. Two parallels that can be drawn are between the French and the Haitian revolution. Both were based off the idea of liberty; the people were unhappy with the way they were treated. Not only did enlightenment ideas brought waves of changes but inspired people take their lives into their own hands, not letting people decide for them.

A revolution dramatically changes the way people think or how society functions. The Enlightenment Revolution inspired people to view reason as the best way to solve their problems. It was a period were knowledge was valued above all. Part of the Enlightenment Revolution was the Scientific Revolution which changed people's views about the physical world. The knowledge that the Scientific Revolution generated spread throughout Europe, this revolution had a powerful impact on the development of chemistry, biology, and other sciences. However, this revolution didn't only affect scientists, it also affected many philosophers. People started discussing their ideas , and enlightening each other with their knowledge in social gatherings such as salons where educated people shared their knowledge which later spread all over the world. The knowledge that was originated from the Scientific Revolution helped inspire many philosophers and started the Enlightenment Revolution. One of those philosophers was John Locke, he believed that the government should protect the people's rights, and that all humans are equal, and should be teated as such. His ideas spread all over the world and triggered revolutions that changed the world. One of those revolutions was the American Revolution where the Americans rebelled against the british for their independence. The Americans were successful in gaining their independence, and forming a new government. They incorporated Locke's ideas into their Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and the ideas of other Enlightenment philosophers as well. The Enlightenment period also triggered the French Revolution. Some members of society knew about the Enlightenment philosophies and how it helped the Americans gain independence.They were inspired by that knowledge, and started their own revolution. The knowledge that was spreading in the

The Enlightenment was an idea that was a start of people that demanded the rights that they felt like they deserved. The impact of the Enlightenment was that it inspired the people in many different countries and nations to rebel against their government and stand up for the natural rights that they believed they deserved. For example, the French had their Revolution which was inspired by the Americans. The French Revolution started to like this the king and queen could never bring food to hungry or even law and order to the streets. An on top of that the economy was being paid for by the poor. The upper class did not pay for anything, and the lower class had to pay for everything. The people eventually got sick and tired of this and started to riot and complain and is went to chaos. So a bunch of the lower classes leaders got together in a local Gym and created “The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen”. Which stated all of the rights that the people of France felt that they deserved. They created that document on the same foundations of the declaration of independence which was created by the Americans. They got those ideas from the same ideas that the whole

If the Enlightenment thinkers never shared their inspiring government and political ideas, it is expected that the United States would be extremely different then it is today. The Enlightenment was a time when many new ideas on the freedom of people, how governments should be ran, and how people should be involved in government decisions were introduced. The people who majorly voiced these ideas were John Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Adam Smith. Primary views that all these leading Enlightenment thinkers proposed, were the separation of powers, checks and balances, the Social Contract, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, that government is separate from economy, and natural rights. When Enlightenment ideas started to spread, many groups of people were motivated into revolting against their governments, especially ones ruled by absolute monarchies. The colonist in America were inspired by the Enlightenment ideas of Adam Smith, Voltaire, and John Locke to revolt against the British monarch. After revolting, the colonist used the Enlightenment ideas of Voltaire, John Locke, Rousseau, and Montesquieu to facilitate the construction of the United States’ government.