The Enlightenment Research Paper

The Enlightenment was mainly influenced by the Scientific Revolution in the 17th century. The revolution has brought the fresh outlook of the world to the public by various scientific discoveries. The enlightenment thinkers advocate the people to use the scientific and rational point of view. It was used to understand and interpret the natural laws of the world through the human reasons rather than the supernatural action. It was made more educated Europeans to increase the acceptance of the scientific views on the physical world.

The Enlightenment movement was vital for the success of the colonies. The colonists started to look to science to explain issues, they turned away from their religion, and they embarked on the journey of gaining knowledge that was crucial for their survival in America. Since the very start of time, there were countless misconceptions in the world. Many religious groups believed that there were “higher powers” that controlled what happened on earth and they looked to everything except science to answer the innumerable questions they had. However, in the 18th century many leaders came to power and started to reveal new thoughts and information to people and it started a movement called the Enlightenment.

“The Enlightenment is the period in the history of western thought and culture… characterized by dramatic revolutions in science, philosophy, society and politics; these revolutions swept away the medieval world-view and ushered in our modern western world” (Bristow). The Enlightenment is also referred to as The Age of Reason because its philosophies were mostly based on logic and reason. One important figure who introduced the Enlightenment to America was Benjamin Franklin. “Many of Franklin’s satires work through logic of inversion, taking an established idea and exposing the assumptions that implicitly frame it by demonstrating how it might appear from a reverse perspective” (Giles 48-49). A simpler way of stating how Franklin uses satire is as placing “the

The Enlightenment in Europe is considered to have taken place in the 18th century, however the ideas that were brought forth in this period had started much earlier as people began to look at things like science and explorations long before. Before this period, most Europeans did not think on their own and instead listened to others, such as monarchies and churches, on what they should believe. They mainly listened to what they were told by the monarchy and churches because if they were to go against them, especially the monarchy, they would certainly be killed. This way of thinking changed for the Europeans once they actually studied the sciences of the world around them instead of just accepting what they were told. This went on to lead to the European Enlightenment.

Rousseau and Wollstonecraft had a major impact on changing understandings of childhood. Rousseau believed that children should be free and be able to think for themselves and Wollstonecraft believed that men and women should have the same rights. Their key ideas were reflected through The Age of Enlightenment. Were these ideas from The Enlightenment brought to New Zealand, if so how? Jean-Jaques Rousseau believed that children (boys) should be free and be able to think for themselves. "

(1) “The movement known as the Enlightenment included writers living at different times in carious countries. Its early exponents, the philosophes, popularized the rationalism and scientific ideas of the 17th century. They exposed contemporary social and political abuses and argued that reform was necessary and possible.” (The Heritage of World Civilizations). This led to tremendous rethinking of religious and moral matters as well as scientific theory.

Historically, no time of great knowledge has ever resulted in a world unchanged from how it existed previously. I believe that this rings true in the Enlightenment and the effect it had on the world in sparking the American and French Revolutions. The influx of new ideas and a general unhappiness with the way governments, power, and social classes had existed were bound to lead to an eventual revolt within the populations of eighteenth century France and the new American colonies. The Enlightenment, a period of innovative western thought and culture, would ignite the fire that burned within those yearning for a revolution in the obsolete, medieval views of the world.

The year is 1829 when David G. Yuengling moved from Germany to Pennsylvania and began his own brewery. At this time David Yuengling named his company Eagle Brewery. The name Eagle Brewery was kept until David’s son joined the business and then the company was officially changed to D.G. Yuengling and Son. This time in history was when many people emigrated to the United States for hopes of better opportunity and a more promising life. The company “identified with the qualities of strength and pride, symbolic of the American eagle,” (Beer History Online).

“A Monk’s Tale” was written during the time period of the late 1300s and the early 1400s. When it was written, it said a lot about the cultural values during that time period. The medieval world had begun and so did the spring of literature. The Monk’s tale is a collection of tragedies teaching to be aware of Fortune and how ever-changing it can be. Reading it says a lot about the way people during that time period.

Abigail Shelton October 8, 2015 Miraya 4B The Enlightenment Response During the Enlightenment, scientists began to challenge the ways of the Old World. People began to advocate for separation of powers to keep one person from holding too much. Ministers started to focus on similarities between churches.