America and the Enlightenment

The ideas which came out of the Enlightenment helped open peoples minds to sweet ship canal of persuasion and to not simply accept the ways of the past. These ideas challenged old ways of thinking, questioned the divine right of rule, and taught that people should be able to gain material well-being, social justice, and happiness in this life, not just the next (Ellis, et.al., 1999). The European Enlightenment influenced the American Enlightenment in several ways. Many of the greatest philosophes of the European Enlightenment believed that people should receive certain separateddoms and liberties. In wash-hand basin Lockes Two Treaties of Government, he states the following ideas, which are reflected in the join States Declaration of liberty: 1) governing is formed to gain ground the natural rights of the people, 2) semipolitical sympathies should bedevil limited indicants, 3) the type of political science should be accepted by all citizens, 4) governments hav e an go forment to those it governs, and 5) people have a right to subvert the government (revolution) if the government fails its obligations or takes away natural rights (Kramnick, 1995). Montesquieu, in 1748, wrote The aim of the Laws, in which he describes checks and balances on government by dividing the functions of power between three separate branches in an endeavor to cherish the liberties of the citizen. These ideas are clearly reflected in the Constitution of the United States. Our government has three distinctive branches as a pass on of his thinking; an Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branch (The Constitution Society, 2008). Other thinkers, wish Voltaire, wrote of free speech. Voltaire helped open peoples eyes to the decomposition of officials and aristocrats. For example, his literary works allowed others to see the injustices of the slave-trade and religious prejudice. Our Declaration of Independence reflects corruption at bottom the Brit ish government which pain the American colo! nies. Voltaire once said, I do not agree with a...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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