...Abstract The Enlightenment era is made up of on rational thought, ideas and reason. Many men contributed to this, but a few amongst them are Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. Their wisdom and ideas make up the Enlightenment era to which is the backbone of today’s society. The Enlightenment Starting in the mid 1700’s to 1800’s a movement had set in based on rational thought and reason, it was known as the Enlightenment era also known as the Age of Reason. This era created ideas that shaped the political, economic and social institutions in the United States. Men in this era such as Thomas Paine, who was a politician and philosopher, Thomas Jefferson our third president as well as an apostle of agrarian, and Benjamin Franklin, author, scientist, philosopher, and statesman. All these men emphasize the importance of using reason and logic instead of superstition or ignorance. They focus on creating and writing, science, politics and other subjects in this era which influence decades to come (Age of Enlightenment, 2011). In today’s society these ideas have become relevant. Thomas Paine influences the Enlightenment politically and socially, because of his beliefs he was damned by many people in both America and England. Thomas Paine was born in England; he was a corset maker and excise officer in England, although showed interested in philosophy and science. He later in life then met up with Benjamin Franklin in London and soon after he sailed to Philadelphia...
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...The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 by the Founding Fathers. The document was brought about during the period of Enlightenment where many thoughts and ideas unfolded. John Adams and Abigail Adams were two very important voices leading up to the document that helped shape our nation’s liberty. Due to John’s job, which called for a great deal of traveling, John and Abigail often exchanged letters to keep in touch. The letters expressed ideologies to one another on political matters while John was away serving his country. The early 1800s were an age of reason and marks a time of the Enlightenment Era. This was a period that really got individuals thinking as they would join in groups on their beliefs. It was a movement of ideas...
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...Humanities March 23, 2016 Word Count: 1470 America’s Co-Founders The Declaration of Independence is arguable the most important and wide known document in American history. On July 4, 1776 this document signaled America’s separation from the British Empire to the world. America is defined by the men and the minds, behind the declaration; most notably by the author, Thomas Jefferson. The boundaries of the government and rights of its citizens were crucial during the formation of this constitution since these principles were exactly the reason for the uprising of the original thirteen colonies. Thomas Jefferson dedicated most of his life to the crucial needs of America and its government in order to form a true republic of the people. Like many of the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson strengthened his beliefs through personal studies and deep examination of European history. Many history books will tell that the contributing factors that formed Thomas Jefferson’s ideas of the identity of America were linked to events such as the Reformation, the Renaissance, and the British Country party. However, one man’s works continually surfaced in Jefferson’s political and even private writings. John Locke, a British Enlightenment philosopher, was repeatedly referenced in documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Notes on the State of Virginia, and the Summary View of the Rights of British America. Jefferson repeatedly used Locke’s concepts as would even sometimes use the...
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...was there words that changed a nation. Jefferson’s ability to write made him prominent author of write the Declaration of Independence, (among other significant works). Jefferson’s writings reflected on the rights of mankind and what rights a government must offer its people. His use of words to fight for Human rights makes him one of the greatest American Hero’s. Thomas Jefferson’s writings on basic human rights caused a radical shift in American Colonist thoughts and these stunning ideas would influence the Americans to break away from Great Britain. “As a boy, Thomas Jefferson’s was shy and often tongue-tied…Preferred the company of books to that of most people.” (Wilmore, 1) These were words to describe the young Jefferson; his childhood would prove to be a key in shaping the man, who through his words would change a nation. Jefferson was born on April 13th 1743, in Shadwell Virginia. During his childhood he would spend 15 hours each day reading and writing, this would prove to make his writing skills at a high level (1). As he grew into an adult he would study law in his home of Virginia at the William and Mary College at Williamsburg (Bottorff, 15). During this time he would become a member of the Whig party and would advocate for the rights and liberties of mankind (Peterson, 1). It was in his childhood and as turned into an adult which he learned how to write and how to express his political views through words. “For Thomas Jefferson, the pen truly was mightier than the...
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...University of Phoenix Material Influences on the Constitution Table Complete each section below. Include citations for your sources. |Documents |Summary |What was its influence on the Constitution? | |Magna Carta |Written in 1215, the document was a series of written promises |The magna carta served as the first piece of legislature attempting to keep the | | |that the King would rule England and deal with the people |rights for the people fair. The Americans saw it and read about it and decided it | | |fairly according to feudal law. It was an attempt by the barons|was time America had “higher law” ideas and design a document to give the people | | |to stop the king from becoming an oppressor more than a ruler. |rights and to protect them from oppression, such as the people during the time of | | | |the magna carta were suffering. | |Mayflower Compact |The mayflower compact served as the document needed to keep the|Much like the magna carta, the mayflower compact was put into...
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...Assignment The Enlightenment and Romanic Ages produced numerous masterpieces in art, music, architecture, and literature which people still enjoy today. These opus magnums along with the philosophies during the two periods are reflections of the developments in world events and cultural patterns. This paper will present two pieces of art, music, architecture, literature, and philosophy from the Enlightenment and Romanic Ages that best represents the developments patterns from that time. Philosophy in the Enlightenment Age focused on an individual’s right to life and liberty. One example of a philosopher from this age is Thomas Jefferson. He famously wrote the Declaration of Independence (1776) that the Continental Congress signed declaring the United States free from the oppression of England. The document begins with, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” (us history, 2013). Another such example of philosophy during the Enlightenment Age are the works of Thomas Paine. He wrote two of the most highly influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution. One such pamphlet is Common Sense (1776) (us history, 2011) the all-time bestselling book that advocates America’s independence from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine were chosen as examples because we believe the Declaration of Independence...
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...When the Light Shines on Literature The Enlightenment Era is a period of philosophic and scholarly excitement which took place globally in the early eighteenth century. In a historical context, the American Enlightenment led to the American Revolution, American Independence, and the creation of the Constitutional Republic of the United States America (Bailyn 26-27). Influenced by those of the European Enlightenment, such as John Locke and Isaac Newton, and fueled by the colonist’s growing frustrations with the English Crown, the literary soil of the New World was a fertile garden. From this newly enriched land sprung both flowers of poetry and the nutritious fruits of the realistic pen that were deeply inspired by the American Enlightenment. The literature of the Enlightenment period was powerful indeed, as it motivated people to think and to take action. Two superlative examples of American Literature and the influences of the Enlightenment Era are Philip Freneau’s poetry and Thomas Paine’s prose. The influence of enlightenment ideas is in the works of both of these important literary figures. Philip Freneau was the poet of the American Revolution (Bowen 213). From Freneau’s naturalistic poetry, such as “The Wild Honeysuckle, we can see the Enlightenment idea that nature is a revelation of God that holds instructions for mankind. “The Wild Honeysuckle" was America's first major poetic account on the themes of life and death. The poem begins by discussing the types of death...
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...The French and American Revolution had a lot of similarities and differences. Some examples are comparing and contrasting the leaders, people life's, and successes and failures. The American Revolution had came first before the French Revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte was a leader during the end of the French Revolution and after. George Washington was the best military leader in American Revolution. One cause of the American revolution was The Stamp Act of 1765. This was a big cause because they would put taxes on their colonist cause of the wars. Another cause is the Boston Massacre because the soldiers had killed the people from their colonist. One cause for the French Revolution is Deficit Spending and that’s because the king Louis...
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...has set the West on a different path of development from that of the rest of the world. This pattern included the individualism and, in the end, the secularism, that was the Protestant legacy. It also included the rise of science, as a method and as a practice. This culminated in explosive events toward the end of the 18th century. The French Revolution ‘was a phenomenon as awful and irreversible as the first nuclear explosion, and all history has been permanently changed by it.’ The French Revolution is largely regarded as an important event in modern international history because of the way it has had international impact and continued to have international repercussions and influences on society and thought today. This essay will look at different aspects of the French Revolution and discuss how the different components of the revolution have affected the world and the impact of these at the time of the event. For the purposes of this essay the French Revolution will be defined as the insurrection in France that began in 1789 and ended in 1815 with the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. The actual dates of the revolution are widely contested but for the purposes of this essay, these dates will be used as a framework. Modern international will be assumed to mean the period of history from the Napoleonic Wars. No single cause can be singled out for the French Revolution; although historians agree that it was a culmination of international and domestic events...
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...| John Locke | The father of modern liberalism | | Cole Davis | 5/20/2012 | | Liberalism, a political ideology based on the belief that constant progress is achievable, the human race is composed of intrinsically good beings, and that these intrinsically good beings are and should be autonomous in nature, is an idea that made an incredible resurgence during the English enlightenment. As the belief of Liberalism gained popularity with the public it also developed an enormous following among European philosophers. John Locke, the individual responsible for the idea of natural rights as well as the social compact, helped mold this idea of Liberalism into its own unique philosophical tradition. Because of these great contributions, John Locke is considered as father of modern liberalism. Born August 29, 1632 at Wrington in Somerset, John Locke was the son of a lawyer and the oldest child of his Puritan household (Locke, Berkeley, Hume). While Locke was a child, his father closely monitored and guided his education. An incredibly educated individual, Locke first received a formal education at Westminster School eventually graduating to Christ Church, Oxford (Collinson). After receiving his bachelors of arts in 1656, Locke stayed at Oxford to earn his master’s degree. Locke became the censor of moral philosophy in 1664 and in 1675 when the Earl of Shaftesbury fell from power; Locke exiled himself to France to restore his health (Locke, Berkeley, Hume). After four...
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...War of Independence or a Revolution? It should be understood that without understanding the causes, course, and consequences of the American Revolution, one cannot grasp the history of the United State. The American Revolution was the political commotion during the end of the eighteenth century. The thirteen North American colonies united to break free of the British Empire and become a new nation; The United State of America. A revolution can be defined as, the change in power or the constitution stirring in a relatively short period of time. Aristotle described revolution as complete change from one constitution to another (Sinclair 190). And this is precisely what happened two centuries ago in the United State. But the question needed to be answered is, was the American War of Independence really a war for independence or a revolution? The American War of Independence (1775–1783) was a climax in the political American Revolution rather than just a war for independence, ideologically influenced by the Enlightenment philosophers and writers of the Great Britain. Benjamin Rush remarked in 1787, "The American war is over, but this is far from being the case with the American Revolution. On the contrary, nothing but the first act of the great drama is closed." 2 This drama staged in the Pennsylvania State House in summer of 1776 remains the only most important chapter in the archives of American Revolution. Although, the political atmosphere in France...
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...products of all of major developments the European conquest of the Americas, the rise of kingdom states and empires, the tremendous wealth that resulted from the expansion of global trade, and the development of colonial cultures and societies in the Americas. Scholars call these cultures and societies creole societies, because they blended elements of European, native American, and African culture and society. Developments in England, 1641-1688 But revolutions are also inspired by ideas, and ideas that we may take for granted today had much of their start in England. Political conflict in Great Britain was a common theme of the seventeenth century. In 1641, a civil war led to the execution of the king (Charles I), and the establishment of a republic, what was known as the Commonwealth. Politics and religion both played a part in the Civil War, with the English nobility and wealthy commoners (whose interests were represented in Parliament, England’s legislature) wanting a greater say in how royal revenues were raised and spent. This republic quickly became a military dictatorship, and the old king’s son (Charles II) was invited back. But when Charles II died, the next king soon ran into trouble with Parliament, who feared that this king, James II, wanted too much power for himself. So in 1688, Parliament took replaced England’s king, James II, with a different set of rulers, William and Mary. No one lost their head this time. William and Mary’s supporters called this...
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...A long time ago, Americans were under British rule, and did not have as much independence as nowadays. The British forced many things upon the Americans, or colonist, and treated them with very little respect. The colonist wanted a new way of living. One day they broke free from the British rule through a long hard fought war and seeked a better government. They than thought it was in their best interest to write about their new government down, so they wrote the Articles of Confederation. After they tested out their new style of government, they realized it was inefficient and not working well. They than needed a new government style, so they decided to hold the Constitutional Convention to provide written rules about a new government that would fix their...
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... he struggles to find a job. He join a program in Dean Witter stock broker company to be the only who is accepted in the strict competition to be stock broker. Many obstacles he faces in gaining this achievement, but he stays strong and belief that everything will be alright. Although he is strong, he criticizes Thomas Jefferson and his declaration of independence in how he recited the phrase the pursuit of happiness. He just wonders why happiness should be pursued- he compares it with his life in ‘running’ for the happiness. The pursuit of Happiness reflects the typical value of American people and the pursuit of happiness that strongly engraved in the mind of its people. The rights to have a better life in the wilderness of the world support this idea. Chris runs to pursue his dreams for his only son. The strong idea of hard worker and optimistic dominate the character of Chris and most of the successful people depicted in the movie. In this case, the values of American thought that can be seen is the combination of Puritanism and Enlightenment as the biggest influence in the development of America. Those thoughts are clearly depicted by the characters in the movie and how Chris deals with his life. Nothing more important than the family is also shown despite the fact that Chris is left by his wife. It shows Chris...
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...and even forms of national identity and nationalism. Antonino “Matatag” Guevara y Mendoza speaks his personal experiences and resulting opinions in History of One of the Initiators of the Filipino Revolution of his fight alongside fellow Filipino revolutionaries for independence against Spanish rule. Mendoza’s military pursuits and motivational contributions as a soldier and organizer in the Filipino Revolution help to demonstrate the ultimate transformation of the Philippines and its sense of national identity. Although Spain made its positive socio-economic influences such as promoting Roman Catholic religion, improving economic development, and organizing rule, Mendoza’s journey with the growing organization and bonding culture of the Filipino country and community to fight for independence prove that the journey of the Filipino Revolution still brought this greater transformation of national identity in Philippine history. With issues such as continued control by the US and gaining no initial recognition from the Spanish and the US after the Philippine Declaration of Independence, the immediate aftermath of the Revolution may not have necessarily correspond to their desired goals of establishing independence as a nation. However, the path towards the end of the Revolution in 1898 in essence demonstrates the main focus – the turning point of developing more national sense of pride in being a Filipino. Before this phase of Filipino revolution and nationalism development...
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