The Enlightenment and the Age of Reason 1700-1820

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The Enlightenment and theAge of Reason1700-1820
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What is Enlightenment or The Age of Reason?

• a period in the 18th century noted for belief in
  the ability of reason to discover truth, shape
  society, and shed light onto the darkness of
  ignorance, superstition, injustice, and tyranny

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What are some beliefs concerning Enlightenment
or The Age of Reason?

• People could discover the truth about the meaning
  of life by REASON alone.
• The natural world, human nature, and social
  institutions are governed by universal laws
• All men are created equal and are endowed with
  certain natural rights
• Governments exist only by the consent of the
  governed, who are justified in rebelling if their
  natural rights are violated

JUST SAY NO TO MONARCHY!
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more beliefs . . .

• Enlightenment thinkers de-emphasized grace and
  pre-destination in favor of moral
• choice and scientific inquiry.
• Man can deduce the existence
• of a supreme being from the fact
• that the universe exists rather than
• because of what the Bible says. (Deism)
• Deists also thought that a harmonious universe
  proves the beneficence of God.
• This was in direct contrast to Puritanism

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America and The Age of Reason

• Many Americans expressed their thoughts and
  feelings in newspapers of the time
• They wrote poems, songs, essays on the issues of
  the day mainly about the problems with the
  British government
• These essays, poems, etc. were printed up in
  broadsides sheets of paper covered with these
  anonymous writings, which were then tacked up
  around the city.
• This was one way that the idea of the Revolution
  was spread in America during the 1770s.