The Age of Enlightenment:

The Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment began in Europe and spread to the American colonies. It started new ways of thinking that helped cause the American Revolution.

Main Idea

The Enlightenment made people question kings and the church. It encouraged thinking, independence, and self-awareness.

What It Was

People started asking questions. Why do we have monarchs. Why follow the church without question. Why is the world set up this way. It was called the Age of Reason because people began to think for themselves.

How It Reached the Colonies

The colonies had existed since Jamestown in 1607. Over time, they felt independent. They asked why England controlled them if they had been running things on their own. These new ideas spread through books and writing.

John Locke

He believed in natural rights. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He inspired the Declaration of Independence. He believed governments should protect rights, not take them away.

Thomas Hobbes

He wrote Leviathan. He said kings had too much power. He believed people should have a say in government. He supported equality and choice.

Jean Jacques Rousseau

He wrote The Social Contract. He questioned the idea that kings got power from God. He said people should choose their rulers. If a ruler treated people badly, they had the right to remove them.

Impact on the Colonies

The Enlightenment made colonists question British control. They asked why a king across the ocean ruled them. They wondered if they should decide their own lives. These ideas led to the start of the Revolution.

King George III and Control

King George III tried to control the colonies more. The harder he pushed, the more freedom they wanted. This led to conflict and revolution.

Summary

The Enlightenment encouraged questioning power. Thinkers like Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau inspired colonists. The colonists believed in natural rights and self-government. These ideas helped start the American Revolution.

John Locke Quick Notes

Believed in natural rights. Life, liberty, and property. Inspired Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence. Wanted government to protect people’s rights.

Thomas Hobbes Quick Notes

Wrote Leviathan. Questioned divine right. Believed in a strong government to keep order.

Jean Jacques Rousseau Quick Notes

Wrote The Social Contract. Said power comes from the people. Inspired modern democracy.