The American Enlightenment

The Start of Our province Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Located in our f each(prenominal) in States contract bridge of Independence, these are the words that were written by Thomas Jefferson. He is hence the author of our declaration to gain freedom against Great Britain. unless what if these words did non come straight from Jefferson? Looking at the big picture, what if our whole constitution and political relation is based on subjects that were discovered, preached, and turn uplawed almost that time? The promised land Period (around the seventeenth and eighteenth century) changed the ideas of how we should shape a fixed and new sheath of political sympathies.The man that started this dear period was named John Locke. The ideas of John Locke and the judgment Period caused a few philosophers and spate who were outspoken around freedoms and responsibilitys to shape the Ameri skunk regime. Locke was raised in Britain, and across the billet of me at Channel most of Europe was not following Great Britain. Most governments at that time were absolute monarchies, which means the mightiness had complete run across over any last(predicate) of the boorish. What made Britain was so different was after(prenominal) an England Civil War. This is when the great power of England, King Charles, was in disagreement with the nobles near how much proponent he should swallow.The country broke out into a civil war and the nobles, take by O experiencer Cromwell, won the war and decollate Charles (Klekowski). Seeing both this, Lockes sack out for democracy was created. aliment in a newly created constitutional monarchy, On the side of the nobles, Locke spoke out for a type of government that did not conduct the King do everything (Philosophy Timeline). He valued all the citizens to get under ones skin rights, and uphold these rights, which was not the expression thing in the time era. Lockes ideas led him to write a take hol d called Essay Concerning Human Understanding.In this book, he dual-lane with the public the kind Contract Theory. This is the system that as citizens it is the citizens duty to disengage yourself of the government if the government is un beauteous towards the citizens (Uzgalis). This teaching was no surprise because that is what they did in the side Civil War. Natural Law is an different(prenominal) theory of Locke if you are a person, vivid laws should come with being alive analogous free manner of speaking and religious tolerance. He also attempted to prove to the kings and churches that god want right, which means the king has right because he has holy blood nd is plant by God, is not in the password at all (profit cyclopedia of Philosophy). His repeat summed everything up by saying citizenry deserve Life, liberty, and the right of property (Uzgalis). His snatch book was titled Common enter Book, and was all about religious tolerance. for each one one of his books shared his opinion and ideas on citizens rights. On his exile to England, the famous or infamous (depending where you lived) Volaire learned and studied about these books. This french philosopher, whose real name was Francois-Marie Arouet, was exiled for opus satiric comments about a racy noble in Paris.After reading Lockes writings and studying the type of government that Great Britain had, Voltaire never quit contemptuous France (Shank). He spoke out about the type of endure that France had, disagreeing with how much control and rule the Catholic Church had. sight had to honorarium money to get into heaven, and to pay for the loved ones in purgatory. He treasured religious tolerance in France and wanted religion to become separate from the government. This seam ended up being Voltaire against the French government and that is what made everything he wrote so popular.He would write plays and books in a satirical manner so they could not censure him. Overall, he fought ag ainst absolute monarchy and the Catholic loom of France. Voltaire changed the way many people looked at Absolute Monarchy. If you did not read or learn about Lockes Social Contract Theory during this prudence Period, thence you probably heard it from Jean-Jacques Rousseau. His books shared randomness masking a wide novelty of subjects. He was a well go writer, philosopher, and scientist. A man mainly influenced by Locke, Rousseau changed the way political philosophy was looked at.He preached all the things that Locke had spoken about but cerebrate on one thing in particular. He wanted a res publica (Philosophy timeline). He wanted a fair way to live, own a buisness, and have government rule. Like Locke, Rousseau did not like an absolute monarchy and made his views known publicly. rubbish for breakup of powers, he took on the governments one person rule head on(Mills). His books shared information covering a wide variety of subjects. He was a well rounded writer, philosopher, and scientist. But all these philosophers were from Europe, where does America come into this?How can these men influence a country that is across the Atlantic Ocean? The American colonies had a philosopher of their own Thomas Jefferson. And he was a genius during his time. From creating a hatch to creating a macaroni noodle maker, Jefferson was doing it all (Thomas Jefferson Facts). He also worked politically, attempting to give the colonies independence from their side of meat ruler. During this time, the English and American people were in a war. Because of the way England taxed them, the Americans fought to become a new nation. Thomas Jefferson wrote The closure of Independence, an member against Englands rule.The ideas of Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau filled this historic document. The start of The Declaration of Independence even begins with an Enlightenment averment When in the Course of human events it becomes indispensable for one people to dissolve the political ban ds which have connected them with another and to undertake among the powers of the earth, the separate and bear on station to which the Laws of spirit and of Natures God gruntle them. The words, Course of human events and separate and equal station all involve Enlightenment statements.They are using Lockes idea that every human has a given up right, and The Declaration of Independence list the rights that they have and that England has broken. Jefferson changed Lockes original quote Life, liberty, and the right of property (Philosophy timeline). He liked how it showed what the citizens should more or less have. This Declaration of Independence was an master(prenominal) and massive document, but the join States Constitution is what we notwithstanding follow today. This document, the oldest of its kind, also followed very instruct ideas. Within this document, Rousseaus idea of separation of power was included.Still working today, we have common chord branches The Legislati ve, the Executive, and the Judicial branch. Rousseau fought for that because he was against an absolute monarchy. subsequently on, the Bill of Rights was added on to the Constitution. The First Amendment in this Bill of Rights. Voltaire fought for Religious freedom which showed up in the First Amendment. Freedom of speech is also something Voltaire wanted. He wanted to create plays without having to worry about what the government would say. The other parts of the Bill of Rights are instruct ideas that have branched off the ideas of these trey men.These men have changed the way our country is run. Even though they were not a part of America, they took part in the Enlightenment, starting line and continuing to change the way we live for all citizens. Whether it was Lockes civil rights, or Voltaires religious freedom, each important idea that has come from the Enlightenment has created a government for us. It fills our government full of freedoms. Living in America, I use my right s every day, practicing my religion, speaking out about topics I believe in, and it looks like the ideas those men have shared will continue to be used for a lifetime.Works Cited Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence. Independence Hall Association, 4 July 1995. Web. 05 Apr. 2012. Delany, jam J. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Rousseau, Jean-JacquesA. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 21 Oct. 05. Web. 03 Apr. 2012. Facts on Thomas Jefferson. Inventions, Quotes and looseness Facts. American History. Web. 03 Apr. 2012. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Locke, JohnA . Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 17 Apr. 2001. Web. 02 Apr. 2012. Klekowski, Libby. CHARLES I, PARLIAMENT, AND THE ENGLISH civic WAR. Englands Civil War. The Connecticut River. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. Mills, Kelly T. direction Issues Rousseau. American Historical Association. Historians. org. Web. 05 Apr. 2012. Philosophy Timeline. Enlightenment Philosophy. Cengage Learning. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. Shank, J. B. Voltaire. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 09 Apr. 2012. THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. U. S. CONSTITUTION. United States Government. Web. 05 Apr. 2012. Uzgalis, William. John Locke. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Standford. Web. 11 Apr. 2012.