The Enlightenment influenced the American Revolution through Enlightenment Thinkers idealizing freedom, basic rights, and a well-structured government, resulting in a reform for the newly-independent United States.
By needleeee
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John Locke
"...people are born free and equal, with three natural rights— life, liberty, and property. The purpose of government, said Locke, is to protect these rights" (Black and Beck 551). Locke believed that people are born with three rights, and the government's job is protect these right for everyone. If the government failed to do so, they could be overthrown. This would be helpful because it gave people basic rights that were protected by someone with authority, and became the base of democracy. -
Voltaire
"Although he made powerful enemies, Voltaire never stopped fighting for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech" (Black and Beck 553). Voltaire advocated fair rights for the people. He believed that the government needed to be separate from the church, and to allow more religious freedom. This would help the people because it would give them more freedom and society would be more tolerating and accepting of people with different religions. -
Montesquieu
"In his book, Montesquieu proposed that separation of powers would keep any individual or group from gaining total control of the government" (Black and Beck 253). Montesquieu said that a separation of power in the government would keep any one group from gaining too much power by having each group keep the other two in check. The different branches would have different jobs. This would help the people because it made sure their government wasn't corrupt and they were fair. -
First Continental Congress - 1
"This First Continental Congress did not go so far as to demand independence from Britain...It issued a declaration of the rights due every citizen, including life, liberty, property, assembly and trial by jury" (History).
The colonists, under the British rule, began to resist the Parliament, demanding for a change in their treatment. The British had raised the taxes for the colonists which caused them to protest. A group of Boston inhabitants dumped hundreds of tea crates, which enraged the... -
First Continental Congress - 2
...Parliament, causing them to pass the Intolerable Acts, which were designed to reinforce the British authority in Boston. In response to this, delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met up to voice the injustice against the British control. In this discussion, they issues the rights for every citizen to have life, liberty, property, assembly, and trial by jury. This was influenced by John Locke, who believed in the three natural rights of life, liberty, and property for everyone. His views... -
First Continental Congress - 3
...stemmed the creation for the basis of a democracy in the newly formed United States. -
Three Branches of Government - 1
"In May 1787, a convention met in Philadelphia to draft a new Constitution which established a stronger federal government...The Constitution divides the government into three branches, each separate and distinct from one another" (U.S. Embassy & Consulate).
In the years following the independence of the United States, which was granted from Britain, the newly-born country was in need of a stronger federal government. A convention was held where a new Constitution draft was established, as... -
Three Branches of Government - 2
...well as the three branches of government: executive, legislative, and the judiciary branch. The purpose of the branches were to ensure that no one branch gained too much power, having all of the branches keep each other in check. This idea was influenced by Montesquieu's proposal for a separation of powers, which he'd written in his book. He wrote about each power having a different job, which shaped how the government would be created. -
Freedom of Speech and Religion - 1
"To strengthen popular support for the new government, Congress also approved a Bill of Rights. These first ten amendments guaranteed the rights of free press, free speech, and religion" (Digital History).
After the Revolution, many changes were made to the government to strengthen it and make it popular among the people. Freedom of speech and religion were established in the Constitution as an amendment, granting citizens the rights to their own words and whatever they believed in... -
Freedom of Speech and Religion - 2
...religiously. This idea was influenced by the Enlightenment ideals of Voltaire, who fought for the rights of freedom of speech and religion, tolerance, and reason. Voltaire wanted the church and the government to be separated. Because of his ideas, the founding fathers of the United States allowed everyone such rights. -
Work Cited - 1
Beck, Roger B. World History: Patterns of Interaction. McDougal Littell, 2005. Digital History, www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=2971. History.com Editors. “Revolutionary War.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history. -
Work Cited - 2
“Revolutionary Period and New Nation (1770s to 1800s).” U.S. Embassy & Consulate in the Republic of Korea, kr.usembassy.gov/education-culture/infopedia-usa/history/revolutionary-period-new-nation/.
