ID: The Enlightenment in America
When: Late 17th Century - Late 18th Century (roughly 1680s-1780s)
Who:
- Key Thinkers: John Locke (influence paramount), Montesquieu, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (whose ideas had less direct impact than Locke’s but still influenced later revolutionary thought).
- American Adopters: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and many Founding Fathers. The general population, particularly educated elites, were also influenced.
What:
The Enlightenment, a philosophical movement emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism, profoundly impacted American thought and the development of the nation. Key ideas included natural rights (life, liberty, property – Locke), separation of powers (Montesquieu), and the social contract (Rousseau). These concepts fueled revolutionary sentiment and shaped the political and social structures of the newly formed United States. The Great Awakening (1730s-1740s) – a religious revival – also contributed to a questioning of authority and a focus on individual faith which overlapped and interacted with Enlightenment thought.
Impact: Why Significant?:
- Declaration of Independence: Jefferson’s articulation of natural rights directly reflects Locke’s influence, justifying the American Revolution.
- US Constitution: The structure of the US government, with its emphasis on separation of powers and checks and balances, reflects Montesquieu’s ideas. The Bill of Rights protects individual liberties consistent with Enlightenment principles.
- Republicanism: The Enlightenment fostered a shift away from monarchy and towards republican ideals of self-government and popular sovereignty.
- Abolitionist Movement: While the Enlightenment’s legacy is complex concerning slavery, its emphasis on natural rights provided a moral basis for later abolitionist arguments.
- Education and Scientific Inquiry: The Enlightenment spurred advancements in education and scientific investigation, emphasizing reason and empirical observation.