The Age of Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It emphasized the use of reason, individualism, and a scientific approach to understanding the world.
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The Age of Enlightenment was a reaction against the dogmatism and religious intolerance of the previous era, emphasizing the importance of individual liberty and the power of reason.
Key Enlightenment thinkers, such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, challenged traditional sources of authority and promoted the idea of natural rights, including life, liberty, and property.
The Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and individualism laid the groundwork for the American and French Revolutions, which sought to overthrow monarchical rule and establish new forms of government based on the principles of natural rights and popular sovereignty.
The Enlightenment's scientific revolution, led by figures like Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei, challenged traditional beliefs about the natural world and paved the way for the development of modern scientific methods and theories.
The Enlightenment's emphasis on the power of reason and the inherent dignity of all human beings laid the foundation for the abolitionist movement, which sought to end the institution of slavery.
Review Questions
Explain how the principles of the Age of Enlightenment influenced the development of the American Republic as described in Common Sense.
The Age of Enlightenment's emphasis on individual liberty, natural rights, and the power of reason were key influences on the American Revolution and the establishment of the American Republic. Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, directly drew upon Enlightenment ideas to argue for the overthrow of the British monarchy and the creation of a new, independent government based on the consent of the governed. Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, who believed in natural rights and the social contract, also heavily influenced the Founding Fathers as they drafted the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, which sought to enshrine Enlightenment principles into the fundamental laws of the new nation.
Analyze how the Enlightenment's scientific revolution impacted the transition from monarchy to republic described in Common Sense.
The Enlightenment's scientific revolution, which challenged traditional beliefs about the natural world, also undermined the divine right of kings and the legitimacy of monarchical rule. Common Sense drew upon this scientific worldview to argue that the British monarchy was not divinely ordained, but rather a human institution that could and should be replaced with a more rational, republican form of government. Thinkers like Isaac Newton demonstrated that the natural world operated according to observable laws, rather than the whims of a divine monarch, further weakening the philosophical foundations of the monarchy. This scientific perspective, combined with Enlightenment ideas about individual liberty and popular sovereignty, provided the intellectual framework for the American colonists to reject the British monarchy and establish a new, republican system of government.
Evaluate the lasting impact of the Age of Enlightenment on the development of the American Republic, as described in Common Sense.
The Age of Enlightenment had a profound and lasting impact on the development of the American Republic, as outlined in Common Sense. The Enlightenment's emphasis on individual liberty, natural rights, and the power of reason provided the philosophical underpinnings for the American Revolution and the establishment of the new nation. The Founding Fathers, heavily influenced by Enlightenment thinkers, enshrined these principles into the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, creating a government that was designed to protect the inherent rights of the people and to derive its legitimacy from the consent of the governed. The Enlightenment's scientific revolution also undermined the divine right of kings, further weakening the justification for monarchical rule and paving the way for the creation of a republic. Even today, the enduring legacy of the Enlightenment can be seen in the American Republic's commitment to individual freedom, the rule of law, and the pursuit of knowledge and progress through reason and scientific inquiry.