Rationalism and the American Revolution

1. Rationalism and the American Revolution 1750-1800

2. American Revolution

3. France and Britain fought the French and Indian War from 1755 to 1760 to fight over westward expansion in America • Britain won, but the war was very expensive and they needed a way to get a lot of cash quickly to pay their war debts The Beginning

4. Britain raised taxes on everything they sent to America to quickly gain that money back • America didn’t have a lot of their own supplies yet, so they relied on everything coming from Britain, including stamps, sugar, and tea. • American citizens were not happy about this price raise Britain’s Get Rich Quick Scheme

5. American citizens sent appeals to King George III to ask him not to do this, and he denied them all • America took to the streets to protest • King George III took that as a sign of a full rebellion and sent in his troops, even though America hadn’t been violent yet Problem Solving

6. America decided enough was enough: they were going to war to declare themselves independent so they could rule themselves • Britain at the time had the most powerful navy and a very strong army, and Britain had colonies all over the world The Underdog Tale

7. 1774: First Continental Congress • 1776: Using the Declarationof Independence, America declares their freedom from Britain • 1781: Britain surrenders • 1783: Treaty of Paris officially ends the war Basic Timeline

8. Rationalism

9. Rationalism: the belief that human beings can arrive at truth by using reason, rather than by relying on authority of the past or religious faith • Basically, it said logic and reason were more important than faith and religion • This time is often called “The Age of Reason” or “The Enlightenment” Rationalism

10. An intellectual movement called The Enlightenment spread from Europe to America • Reason, science, and logic were emphasized • Society went from being God-focused to being man-centered A Reaction to Puritanism

11. Less focus on life after death; more concerned with creating a better life on earth • Rationalists believed people were able to perfect themselves through good works and self effort Rationalist Beliefs

12. Rationalists compared God to a mechanic or architect helping to design the world • A new belief system called Deism was introduced Religion in Rationalism

13. Deists believed God gave man reason to be able to figure everything out for themselves • They believed everyone was good, but that the environment affected people • They believed that Deism was a guide to living a good life instead of a religious institution Deism

14. Deists did NOT believe in superstition, the Holy Trinity, or that the Bible should be interpreted literally • They believed worship should be a solo activity Deism

15. Thomas Jefferson changed parts of the Bible to show Jesus as a great moral teacher, but nothing else • He removed all references to the supernatural, including miracles, angels, and the resurrection of Jesus Thomas Jefferson’s Bible

16. Rationalism and reason thrived on: • Freedom of speech • Freedom from arbitrary rules • Freedom to experiment • Freedom to question existing laws and institutions Freedoms

17. Persuasive essays and pamphlets • Songs and poems • Speeches • Documents • Most literature was devoted to politics, philosophy, ethics, and/or science Rationalism Literature

18. Rationalism was different than The Enlightenment in Europe • Europe was locked into their traditions, but since America was a brand new country, American citizens could test out new ideas • This made Rationalism here more successful Rationalism in America