How the Enlightenment Affected the United States
“[A]ll men [...] are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (“Declaration of Independence”). Many may recognize this popular quote from the Declaration of Independence. What many may not know, however, is that Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, borrowed this idea of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” from John Locke, an Enlightenment philosopher who came up with the idea that “no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions” (Locke). The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason, had a large influence on the United States. The Enlightenment emphasized science and logical reasoning over faith and superstition.…