3.4 Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution

Enlightenment, deism, rationalism, social contract, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Paine

deism

the belief that God established natural laws in creating the universe but rarely or never directly intervened in human affairs

rationalism

trusting human reason to understand the natural world and to respond to the problems of life and society - led to an emphasis on studying science and human behavior

social contract

concept of an agreement among people to form a government promoting liberty and equality, breaking from the idea of monarchs ruling by divine right

• derived from John Locke

• developed further by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

• argued that it was contrary to common sense for a large continent to be ruled by a small and distant island and to pledge allegiance to a king whose government was corrupt and unreasonable

• ignited public demands for independence

• clear and forceful language, made abstract ideas understandable to common people