17th and 18th
Differences between 17th and 18th centuries
Before the Revolutionary period of politics and patriotism began in the 18th century, the last thing on the minds of the colonists of the new world was politics. These colonists of the 17th century were more concerned with their religion, religious revival, and reasonable thought. They were far more theological.
Many of the first settlers of the new world made the dangerous journey to the new world to escape religious persecution. Puritans, Pilgrims, and Catholics, as well as some Jewish and Muslim peoples, came to America to flee the maltreatment that they were faced with in their homeland England, or, for the Pilgrims, Holland. The politics of England were of no concern to them. England was not yet unjustly taxing them or placing unrelenting restrictions upon them. They wanted to escape the ways of societies that did not agree with their beliefs; societies that they felt were corrupt. While the Pilgrims did draft the Mayflower Compact before disembarking, this was about as far as the concept of politics went in the 17th century.
The early 18th century brought about the Great Awakening. As religious zest and appeal began to fade, some ministers strove to revive the spirit in their parishioners.
. . .
Lawyers, before this point, were not highly regarded citizens, suddenly they had become incredibly important. The colonists believed that they were being put at the same level as women and slaves, because, generally, England taxed only women and slaves. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God's vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward.
The Enlightenment was
Before the Revolutionary period of politics and patriotism began in the 18th century, the last thing on the minds of the colonists of the new world was politics. These colonists of the 17th century were more concerned with their religion, religious revival, and reasonable thought. They were far more theological.
Many of the first settlers of the new world made the dangerous journey to the new world to escape religious persecution. Puritans, Pilgrims, and Catholics, as well as some Jewish and Muslim peoples, came to America to flee the maltreatment that they were faced with in their homeland England, or, for the Pilgrims, Holland. The politics of England were of no concern to them. England was not yet unjustly taxing them or placing unrelenting restrictions upon them. They wanted to escape the ways of societies that did not agree with their beliefs; societies that they felt were corrupt. While the Pilgrims did draft the Mayflower Compact before disembarking, this was about as far as the concept of politics went in the 17th century.
The early 18th century brought about the Great Awakening. As religious zest and appeal began to fade, some ministers strove to revive the spirit in their parishioners.
. . .
Lawyers, before this point, were not highly regarded citizens, suddenly they had become incredibly important. The colonists believed that they were being put at the same level as women and slaves, because, generally, England taxed only women and slaves. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God's vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward.
The Enlightenment was