The American Enlightenment
The American Enlightenment also referred to sometimes as the Age of Reason, was a convergence of ideas and thoughts that took place throughout the American Colonies. Scientific rationalism, backed up by the scientific method, was the trademark of everything related to the Enlightenment. Following close on the heels of the Renaissance, Enlightenment thinkers understood that the advances of science and industry produced a new age of social equality and progress for humankind. More and more valuables were being fashioned for less money, individuals were traveling more, and the probability for the upwardly mobile to actually change their position in life was notably improving.
The Enlightenment was a commemoration of ideas–ideas about what the human mind was skilled in, and what could be achieved through purposeful action and scientific method. Many of the new, enlightened ideas were political in nature. Individuals began to consider the possibility of freedom and democracy .Social equality was the talk of the century, and it meant the promise of fair treatment for all people, regardless of background. Individuals began to see themselves on the same level as their leaders, subject to the same shortcomings and definitely subject to disapproval if so deserved.
The American Colonies closely followed English and Scottish political ideas, as well as some French thinkers such as Montesquieu. Throughout the Enlightenment there was a great emphasis upon liberty, democracy, republicanism and religious tolerance. Attempts to resolve science and religion resulted in a widespread rejection of prophecy, miracle and revealed religion in preference for Deism-especially by Thomas Paine in "The Age of Reason" and by Thomas Jefferson in his short Jefferson Bible-from which all supernatural aspects were removed. Benjamin Franklin was influential in America, England, Scotland, and France, for his political activism and for his advances in physics.
Works Cited:
Rahn, Josh. “The
The Enlightenment was a commemoration of ideas–ideas about what the human mind was skilled in, and what could be achieved through purposeful action and scientific method. Many of the new, enlightened ideas were political in nature. Individuals began to consider the possibility of freedom and democracy .Social equality was the talk of the century, and it meant the promise of fair treatment for all people, regardless of background. Individuals began to see themselves on the same level as their leaders, subject to the same shortcomings and definitely subject to disapproval if so deserved.
The American Colonies closely followed English and Scottish political ideas, as well as some French thinkers such as Montesquieu. Throughout the Enlightenment there was a great emphasis upon liberty, democracy, republicanism and religious tolerance. Attempts to resolve science and religion resulted in a widespread rejection of prophecy, miracle and revealed religion in preference for Deism-especially by Thomas Paine in "The Age of Reason" and by Thomas Jefferson in his short Jefferson Bible-from which all supernatural aspects were removed. Benjamin Franklin was influential in America, England, Scotland, and France, for his political activism and for his advances in physics.
Works Cited:
Rahn, Josh. “The
Cited: Rahn, Josh. “The Enlightenment.” The Literature Network. Josh Rahn, 2011. Web. 2011. http://www.online-literature.com/periods/enlightenment.php “The Enlightenment-North America.” Wikipedia. 2013. Web. 11 September. 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment#North_America