The central ideas of the Enlightenment writers were similar to, yet very
different from, those of the writers of earlier periods. Four major
Enlightenment writers were Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson,
and Patrick Henry.
Their main purpose was to write to educate and edify and not so much as
to write for aesthetic purposes. Most of their work was designed to convey
truth or give sound instruction on such issues of political, social, or economic
interest as Benjamin Franklin's “The Way to Wealth.”
The writers of the Enlightenment or, better put, die Aufklarung conveyed
the ideas of freedom, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom
from oppression, and the intellectual freedom that every man has a right to
whether it be oppressed by political or religious issues which were, at the time,
basically the same since the church and state were still one.
The Enlightenment writers pushed forward their ideas and beliefs that
all men should be educated and have the ability to read so that they might learn
more and rise higher, socially and politically which would lead to self
betterment.
Enlightenment writers and pre-Enlightenment writers were similar in the
way that they tried to convey reason and learning. They differed of the premise
of the techniques of writing. The pre-Enlightenment writers were mostly made up
of the educated class of clergy and the upper class, who would afford to go to
school. The clergy wrote mainly for the purposes of the church, such as
There are many different ways in which the Enlightenment affected the Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution. One way was the by the idea of a Social Contract; an agreement by which human beings are said to have abandoned the "state of nature" in order to form the society in which they now live. HOBBES, LOCKE, and J.J. ROUSSEAU each developed differing versions of the social contract, but all agreed that certain freedoms had been surrendered for society's protection and that the government has definite responsibilities to its citizens. Locke believed that governments were formed to protect the natural rights of men, and that overthrowing a government that did not protect these rights was not only a right, but also an obligation. His thoughts influenced many revolutionary pamphlets and documents, including the Virginia Constitution of 1776, and the Declaration of Independence. The Bill of Rights was created as a listing of the rights granted to citizens, the Bill of Rights serves to protect the people from a too powerful government. These civil rights granted to U.S. Citizens are included in the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, Locke’s ideas about checks and balances and the division of church and state were later embodied in the U.S. Constitution as well. The Constitution replaced a more weakly organized system of government as outlined under the Articles of Confederation.
In the United States, citizens have put forth their views on the rights and wrongs they see in society. This can be observed throughout American history.The United States was founded on freedom, rebellion, and revolution. An example of how Americans have represented revolutionary and rebellious ideals is through the speeches, writings, and civil activists throughout American history. Two writers, from different time periods, who display rebellion and revolutionary ideals through their writings are Henry David Thoreau and Thomas Paine. Henry David Thoreau the author of Civil Disobedience, and Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense. Although these writers lived in different time periods, they both invoked similar messages through their writings, that
Chris McCandless: a man so infatuated with nature, he practically committed suicide to bring himself nearer to it. This extreme liking for nature, along with other ideals, makes up the core tenets of the transcendentalist philosophy. McCandless demonstrates other tenets of transcendentalism as well, most notably the supremacy of the individual, by detaching himself from the mammon of this world. Another way he shows the supremacy of the individual, by the belief that one should not conform to the usual policies of life, causes him great trouble in some cases. As well as the belief that the individual supersedes all else, McCandless received much of his inspiration from nature. Finally, always following what he believes correct, McCandless follows his own intuition to the point of death. Chris McCandless not only shows his transcendentalist beliefs by the way he acts and thinks, but also by how these actions and thoughts emulate those of the fathers of transcendentalism, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
The 1770s proved to be a time of much chaos and debate. The thirteen colonies, which soon gained their independence, were in the midst of a conflict with Great Britain. The colonies were suffering from repeated injuries and usurpations inflicted upon them by the British. As a result of these inflictions, Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry addressed these injustices, and proved to be very persuasive through providing reasoning and evidence that moved many colonists to believe that to reach contentment and peace the colonies had to rid themselves of British rule. These men's works were very effective, not only because of the rhetorical devices used, but also because Paine and Henry were passionate about the cause they were committed to.
The eighteenth century, a time of turmoil and chaos in the colonies, brought many opinionated writers to the forefront in support or refutation of the coming American Revolution. This highly controversial war that would ultimately separate the future United States of America from Great Britain became the center of debate. Two writers, both of whom supported the Revolution, now stand to fully illuminate one side of the debate. Thomas Paine, a radical propagandist, wrote many pieces during this time including “The Crisis Number 1” (1776). Through writing, he appealed to the “common man” in order to convince them to gather their arms and fight for their freedom. In this document, he utilizes many of the same rhetorical skills and propaganda techniques as Patrick Henry, a convincing orator, did in his famous speech delivered to the state’s delegates in 1775. Among these techniques are transfer, abstract language, and pathos. In both works, these were used to call the audiences to war. These influential pieces both contained a call to action which, through the use of strong and decisive language, aided the beginning of the American Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson was born in 1743 in Virginia (Whitehouse.gov, n.d., para. 2). He came from a rich family, which afforded him to be very well educated. Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence; served as minister of France, governor of Virginia, secretary of state during George Washington’s presidency, and vice-president under John Adams (Thomas Jefferson, n.d., para. 1.) He was also the third president of the United States. Jefferson was an avid opponent of royal ruling and the suppression of individual’s rights, “…I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man” (Whitehouse.gov, n.d., para. 1).
There were many men involved in the establishment of the government, the laws regulating states and people, and individual rights in the construction of the United States of America. Two men stand out as instrumental to our founding principles: Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.
American success history recognizes the contributions made by two of its renowned leaders. The two are regarded as heroes despite the obvious differences between them abound. The two figures are regarded with comparable amounts of reverence even though they lived their lives in different ways. Nevertheless, both Benjamin Franklin and Fredrick Douglas gained their status through treading pathway of hard work. This paper, therefore, seeks to discuss the experiences that shaped the lives of both Franklin and Douglas. It also seeks to analyze the life of Fredrick Douglas as presented by John Stauffer. In comparing the two personalities, I will lay much emphasis on the role education played in making better the lives of Franklin and Douglas. In this regard, it is worth noting that although their education was not that formal, it shaped their lives immensely. Franklin education, for instance, came while working under his brother James as an apprentice printer during his teen years. On the other hand, Douglas’s tale is much bleaker, but it depicts the use of wits coupled with natural talent to pull oneself to a respectable stature (Zafar 43). It is clear that Franklin persuasive rhetorical skills, which came in handy, in writing and oratory skills were natured by induction to printing apprenticeship as well as a great access to a variety of books. Critiques in later years would argue his love for books and learning made Franklin become an accomplished speaker, thinker, author, and a statement. In a nutshell, access to books and love for learning shaped Franklin’s Character to a great extent.
During the formation of the American Colonies, England developed a laissez-faire or a hands-off policy, which forced the colonists to form their own governments, protect and shelter themselves and supply food and weapons for the people. The colonies enjoyed the policy of salutary neglect because it allowed for self-government. As the colonies grew, the people were moving westward from the Atlantic Coast and settling in the land claimed by the French; specifically in the Ohio River Valley. The French wanted complete control of the area, and so the French were resentful of the English colonists. This was the beginning conflict between the French and their Native American allies and the British colonists. The French and Indian War, British legislation
Throughout the existence of man debates over property and inequality have always existed. Man has been trying to reach the perfect state of society for as long as they have existed. John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and Martin Luther King are three great examples of men who broke down the basics of how property and inequality are related. Each historical figure has their own distinct view on the situation. Some views are similar while others vary greatly. These philosophers and seekers of peace and equality make many great arguments as to how equality and property can impact man and society. Equality and property go hand in hand in creating an equal society. Each authors opinion has its own factors that create a mindset to support that opinion. In this paper we will discuss the writings of John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and Martin Luther King Jr. and the factors that influenced their opinions on inequality and property.
In the years of 1670 – 1800 there was an intellectual movement that dominated Europe on ideas that were based around reason, the movement is the called the enlightenment. This was a period of: relative political stability, economic recovery, prosperity for emerging “middle class”, new markets, and trends in consumption. Additionally, society was more accepting or more tolerable to different religions, while also applying science to world problems rather than relying on religion to fix the problem. In saying that, these ideas could not be possible without people with great minds to elicit such ideas. These great thinkers challenged their society’s traditional way of operating. Some of the thinkers discussed will be Thomas Jefferson and Mary
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," (Jefferson) is arguably the most famous quote from the Declaration of Independence but the more educated would know that Thomas Jefferson most likely plagiarized that from John Locke, who said, “All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.” It is without a doubt that John Locke’s philosophy during the Age of Enlightenment had influenced Thomas Jefferson when he was writing the Declaration of Independence. Although Jefferson wrote the Preamble as his own, one can see that he was paraphrasing Locke. To Jefferson’s credit, his writing of the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence was important because it built the bridge between a philosophical theory and actually applying it to politics of the time.
An influential literary movement in the nineteenth century, transcendentalism placed an emphasis on the wonder of nature and its deep connection to the divine. As the two most prominent figures in the transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau whole-heartedly embraced these principles. In their essays “Self-Reliance” and “Civil Disobedience”, Emerson and Thoreau, respectively, argue for individuality and personal expression in different manners. In “Self-Reliance”, Emerson calls for individuals to speak their minds and resist societal conformity, while in “Civil Disobedience” Thoreau urged Americans to publicly state their opinions in order to improve their own government.
The Declaration of the Independence was a formal document which declared the America’s independence from Britain from July 4, 1776 until today (“Declaration of Independence”). The Enlightenment was a period in time, in the eighteenth century, when many Enlightenment thinkers created new ways of understanding which later influenced the American and French Revolution (“Enlightenment”). Celebration of the Declaration of Independence occurs every year on July 4, when Americans come together to honor our independent nation, usually with fireworks, hot dogs and apple pies. The Declaration of Independence was inspired by and inspired the Enlightenment because Thomas Jefferson took ideas from the Enlightenment, especially from John Locke who believed
Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau have been thought of as two powerful philosophers in history. Both men were alive centuries ago, but their unique ways of life and ideas still exist in some of history’s most admirable figures. Each man had a judgment that went beyond the era they existed in, but is still obvious in today’s culture. Even though both men are credited for their wise principles, their beliefs do not always coincide with one another. However, one thing they do have in common is that they both revolutionized America through their thoughts, actions, and distinctive opinions on how to improve the world around them.