How Did The Enlightenment Influence The American Identity

At the start of the 18th century, the beginning of the Enlightenment was upon America. There were many factors and people who help play a part in the Enlightenment or, in other words, the Age of Reason, some of the people that assisted the enlightenment was Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adam. Each of the philosophers demonstrates the fundamental idea of the Enlightenment like liberalism, rationalism, conservatism, toleration and scientific progress. Even though each person played an important part, the most influences person that was involved was Benjamin Franklin. Throughout Benjamin Franklin`s life, he demonstrates through his action and writing that he was the epitome of the Enlightenment by showing that he was

Benjamin Franklin is known to be an “Archetypal American,” because of his beliefs on religion, self-improvement, hard work, and determination; but also his somewhat prideful spirit. Much of modern America is quite similar to Franklin in his actions throughout his lifetime. In his early years, Franklin’s father, Josiah, had a set plan for what he was supposed to do with his life, as a minister. Soon into his education, he found an interest in reading and writing, so he began pursuing a career in printing. Beginning his career, Franklin was much of an amateur in his profession, though he showed much promise. Franklin never gave up on achieving his career and life goals, which is why he is someone worth imitating; he is the ultimate example of an Archetypal American.

The Enlightenment began with the English philosopher John Locke. It was an era of spreading faith in reason, in reason, and in universal rights and laws (The Enlightenment in Europe). The ideas that were embodied by Enlightenment were life, liberty, and property. It also led to the idea of natural right. The Enlightenment influenced the way people finally realized that divine right wasn’t right and start to doubt it. Throughout time Enlightenment has influenced many important events in history.

As Dave Attell once said, “You know, men and women are a lot alike in certain situations. Like when they’re both on fire-they’re exactly alike.” Attell’s quote ties in perfectly with Fahrenheit 451 regarding the novel’s futuristic society. The government’s goal is to make everyone equal and create overall happiness by making books illegal and disposing of all the remaining books through the rise of fire. The author of Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, was an American creator that wrote many pieces of work including short stories, novels, plays and more in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror (Weiner 79). Bradbury was a master of creating allusions and other literary devices, including the novel’s title itself throughout his writing,

Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706 and during his childhood and teenage years he studied English literature and perfected his writing and poetry skills. Ben Franklin was always an advocate of free speech. As a result, Ben Franklin founded the Pennsylvania Gazette. A colonial paper that became popular among the colonies. He could publish controversial letters that made people during those times start serious conversations around towns . Apart from his tremendous writing skills, Franklin was also known for being an inventor and a scientist. He started to explore the many aspects of electricity in 1746 and was the first one to name the electrical charges as “positive” and “negative”; moreover, he created the lighting rod, which was a crucial invention

The Enlightenment era was around the 18th century. A time where many different philosophers imputed many of their own thoughts and beliefs on religion, human rights, the government and other important situations involving our country today. Many figures associated with the Enlightenment were, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Voltaire, Baron Montesquieu, and Beccaria, to name a few.

The ideas of the Enlightenment influenced the American Revolution and the formation of the American Government. Firstly, The Enlightenment was a philosophical evolution that emphasized the aged ideas of the Greeks and Romans. In addition, the major philosophers of this time period were Voltaire, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Rousseau, Adam Smith and Isaac Newton. Their ideals include having an absolute monarch as a government (T.H), the separation of powers (Mont.), the government should not interfere with a free market economy (A.S), the freedom of speech (Volt.), the government could be overruled (J.L), and the government should rule according to the will of the people. Nevertheless, these ideals are important because they shaped the government that we have today. Therefore, these ideals massively aroused the

My hero’s primary occupations were printer, moralist, essayist, civic leader, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, postmaster, and philosopher.

The enlightenment period, also called the age of reason, was a period between the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe that affected government and equality immensely. Religious, political, social, and economic equality became possible because of the ideas presented by these philosophers. Although the philosophers had variants with their ideas, they all pointed to equality. Documents A, B, C, and D, are perfect examples of how these philosophers had different views on equality. Total equality became possible because the philosophers argued and supported their points.

Born in 1706 as the eighth of 17 children to a Massachusetts soap and candlestick maker, the chances Benjamin Franklin would go on to become a gentleman, scholar, scientist, statesman, musician, author, publisher and all-around general genius were astronomically low, yet he did just that. Franklin wrote in the Age of Enlightenment, an intellectual revolution in the 18th century. The ideals of the enlightenment are still thought of today, as they are a part of the United States’ Declaration of Independence and Constitution.

The significance of the Enlightenment was the inspiration and calling for new ideas in the fields of science. The Enlightenment was a movement of ideas focusing on the power of logic. Intellectuals including Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton, Locke, and more discovered and developed new concepts and ideas using logic and helped spread this movement. Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity through his renown story of the kite and the storm, and it helped improve the everyday lives of the colonists. There was also Sir Isaac Newton, a physicist who discovered the laws of gravity and other physical trends in the natural world. John Locke, also known as the Father of the Enlightenment, believed that everyone had natural rights: life, liberty, and property. These principles were adopted in the Declaration of Independence and is the foundation of the government today. Through the Enlightenment, new and improved ideas were founded, but one major part of Europe’s society took a major hit. Through logical reasoning, people began to question the teachings of the church. Despite these questionings, many religious figures reminded the people of who God is. Jonathan Edwards was a revivalist who was responsible for the revival of the people of Northampton, Massachusetts. George Whitefield was another very important religious figure who inspired the colonists through his tours across the land. Together, these religious figures initiated the Great Awakening, a religious movement of evangelism. The Enlightenment was so significant because it brought forth new ideas through the power of logical reasoning, and the Great Awakening proved to be important because it reminded the colonists that religion is still a necessary and huge part of their

Enlightenment was created by the English philosopher John Locke. The ideas that were influenced by enlightenment were life, liberty, and property. This also gave to the idea of natural right. Enlightenment influenced the way people finally realized that divine right wasn’t right and start to doubt it. Throughout time enlightenment has influenced a lot of important events in history.

The Enlightenment era ideas affected Americans not only in the religious aspect but also through education, politics, art, sciences, and industry. It was a period that roughly lasted from the 17th to the 19th century and is best known as an intellectual movement that emphasized reason, humanism, science, and skepticism.

Many of you are taught all about the Founding Fathers and how America got it’s Independence. I’m positive you’ve all heard about the famous Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, and about all his contributions to history. He has contributed to the draft of the Declaration of Independence, but that wasn’t the only important contribution he made. He bought a famous paper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, proved the electrical nature of lighting with a kite, and many other things were done by Benjamin. You were probably not told too much about Franklin’s other accomplishments. In order to understand how important this man was, I’ll be talking about his life, work, and accomplishments.

Benjamin Franklin was born January 17. Born in Boston, the youngest son of Josiah and Abiah Franklin. At the young age of 11 in 1717 he made his first invention. Benjamin started apprenticing for his brother’s print shop in 1718. He soon became tiered of his brother’s abuse causing him to run away from his home New England in 1723 to start a print shop in New York