The Enlightenment

Question: Explain how the Enlightenment influenced the ideas of the American Revolution. 

Thesis: The enlightenment influenced the American Revolution in three different forms, ideology, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. 

 

 

The Enlightenment was a sprawling intellectual, philosophical, cultural, and social movement that spread through England, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe during the 1700s. Enabled by the Scientific Revolution, which had begun as early as 1500, the Enlightenment represented about as big of a departure as possible from the Middle Ages—the period in European history lasting from roughly the fifth century to the fifteenth. Which help develop important documents as the Declaration of Independence, English Bill of Rights, and The Constitution. An important influence of the Enlightenment was John Locke with his idea that "All Men are created equal." Jean Jacques-Rousseau was the creator of the "social contract' which stated that only designated people may have rights. Baron De Montesquieu  was another influence during this time because of him we have the three branches which consist of the  judicial, legislative,and executive.