How Did The Enlightenment Influence American Society

The Enlightenment became the era in history where traditional beliefs started to be questioned and people started to think logically. In the period between 1700s and 1800s, the Enlightenment appeared to be a period of intellectual reasoning in the thirteen American colonies. This period influenced the American government; thanks to John Locke, a British philosopher who believed in natural rights in which all men are born free. Another would be Montesquieu, a French philosopher who thought that the separation of powers influenced greatly a good function for a government. Lastly would be Voltaire, an outspoken French philosopher who believed in freedom of speech and freedom of religion. These highly educated philosophers thought thoroughly about specific aspects of life. They influenced American society positively and persuaded individuals to understand the basic principles; which led them to the American Revolution and their independence.

Later, however, such Americans as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison made their own important contributions to Enlightenment thought” .
In 1689, John Locke wrote a letter about the tolerance of religions; he gave two arguments that support tolerance as necessary. The first was of a religious nature: tolerance is "in conformity with the gospel of Jesus Christ": indeed, Christianity asks to be concerned about its only salvation that of others does not concern us. The second argument was of a rational nature: tolerance was in conformity with "the common sense of men": all men are endowed with reason and can, by this faculty, realize the necessity of tolerance without which we would fall back into endless wars of