Enlightenment and Puritans - 782 Words

The Enlightenment period, also known as The Age of Reason, was a period of social, religious, and political revolution throughout the 18th century which changed the thoughts of man during this â€Å"awakening† time. It was a liberation of ignorant thoughts, ideas, and actions that had broken away from the ignorant perception of how society was to be kept and obeyed thus giving little room for new ideas about the world. Puritan society found these new ideas of thought to be extremely radical in comparison to what they believed which was a belief of strong rational religion and morality. Enlightened society believed that the use of reason would be a catalyst of social change and had a demand of political representation thus resulting in a†¦show more content†¦Because of ideas that the Enlightenment brought forth from writing they also made a significant impact on how politics would transition from the old theocratic view of government into a democratic institution. Next , the new ideal of government started bringing new ideas of how the government should be ran. The old theocracy of the Puritans gave power to the ministers of the older settlements which limited all power from the people. An example of political philosophy ideas that were proposed was the introduction of empiricism by John Locke which profoundly influenced American society to the thought that government had an emphasis of a social contract which created a consistency between society and the laws of nature. This meant that power would reside with the people rather than the state. The Puritan government, before the Enlightenment, was shrouded in myth and radical religious rule where they believed that God had everything to do with how they should rule society and decisions that had to be made. Enlightenment philosophers that would eventually come to be, such as Thomas Jefferson, introduced the Constitution which stated that the government would be â€Å"for the people, by people†, resulting into equal rights for all and giving power to the people to make decisions. These ideas of equality and other ideas of political freedom would give way to changes in the social philosophy of the Puritans.Show MoreRelatedThe Puritan And The Embodiment Of Enlightenment1228 Words   |  5 PagesThe Puritan and the Embodiment of Enlightenment The dichotomy between a Puritan and a Rationalist seems to be very apparent. Despite the differences, the very existence of these two writers showcases the need for dissent to influence, and to always question the status-quo. Anne Bradstreet and Benjamin Franklin give a glimpse of the time period during the creation of their works. Many factors affect their writing: gender and the reason for writing, references to non-Biblical scriptures, and theRead MoreFranklin: Puritan or Enlightenment? Essay868 Words   |  4 PagesIs Franklin a Puritan or Enlightenment Thinker About Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin came from a very simple Calvinist background. Ha dad little formal education, but he made it through his own efforts and became a rare genius in human history. Everything seems to meet in this one man, mind and will, talent and art, strength and ease, wit and grace and he became almost everything: a printer, essayist, scientist, statesman, philosopher, political economist, ambassador, etc.-#161;#176;JackRead MoreEnlightenment, Transcendentalism, and Puritan Theology Essay1840 Words   |  8 PagesEnlightenment, transcendentalism, and puritan theology: 3 philosophies that shaped 3 centuries in America. Since the time periods of each philosophy overlapped with the others, all 3 had similarities as well as differences. From these philosophies came different writers with different views, shaping American prose. A major Enlightenment author was Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine wrote a piece called The Age of Reason. In this piece he fully encompassed the ideologies of the Enlightenment. These includedRead MoreThe Enlightenment Puritanism Essay807 Words   |  4 Pages The Enlightenment period, also known as The Age of Reason, was a period of social, religious, and political revolution throughout the 18th century which changed the thoughts of man during this â€Å"awakening† time. It was a liberation of ignorant thoughts, ideas, and actions that had broken away from the ignorant perception of how society was to be kept and obeyed thus giving little room for new ideas about the world. Puritan society found these new ideas of thought to be extremely radical in comparisonRead MorePuritanism And Its Effect On Society1457 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Puritanism/Religion† show that what set Puritanism apart from the rest was the way it was preached and the intense experience it gave many. The style and teaching of the Bible have evolved over time. According to the â€Å"Journal of Church and State,† the Puritans connected a covenant relationship with unifying themselves (2014). McMahon (n.d.) stated they wanted a pure church with the Word of God. Preachers In Salem The path to becoming a preacher started very early on in their lives. Stated in McMahon’sRead MoreBenjamin Franklin As A Representation Of The Enlightenment1571 Words   |  7 PagesRepresentation of the Enlightenment The Enlightenment was largely a rational response to the 16th and 17th century Scientific Revolution, as well as major developments in philosophical thinking, such as ideas proposed by Rene Descartes. During the Enlightenment, thinkers emphasize rational and critical ways of thinking, rather than the complete reliance on religion that had been previously accepted. In many ways, Benjamin Franklin was the human embodiment of the Age of Enlightenment. Similarly to theRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller Essay1604 Words   |  7 Pagesmethod by which to subdue and control social deviance--beggars, drunkards, outspoken women, and even the mad. Control was placed in the hands of the church, which began to wane the Enlightenment took hold. Yet, twenty years after the â€Å"zenith† of these trials, in 1692, witch trials found new life within a small Puritan community of Salem, Massachusetts (Cockerham 2014: 10-11). Scholars have returned again and again to this event, demanding th at â€Å"Salem must be about something other than witches, demonsRead MoreThe 17th Century Puritan Influence on the Writings of Thomas Paine1578 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Common Knowledge: 17th Century Puritan Influence in Common Sense There can be little doubt as to the fact that Thomas Paine was one of the most incisive minds of the Enlightenment, an intellectual movement that began in Europe and quickly spread to the surrounding continents including the United States of America, where Paine immigrated to. The embracing of concepts such as Deism and other ideas that favored mans prowess and knowledge over the traditional influence of a divine power during theRead MoreThe Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials1748 Words   |  7 Pagesthe court system and America’s government. It also affected religion. One of the causes was an outbreak of public backlashes. A hysteria broke out in the colonies, causing a massive witch hunt. Although, over a period of time, the ideas of the Enlightenment caused the view of the trials to change. It gave a large quantity of natural ideas to the situation. There had specifically been an idea that the hallucinations were from a drug that the colonists had been consuming each day. Th is drug is calledRead Morereligion in the colonies773 Words   |  4 Pagesof the thirteen colonies had established churches. Having an established church meant you paid taxes for the support of that church whether or not you were a member. The colonies with official state or established churches of the Congregational (Puritan) church denomination consisted of Maine, Connecticut, and Vermont. Colonies that remained a part of the original Church of the England were Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. John Calvin had a major influence