The Revolutionaries

1. The Revolutionaries How America gained it’s own distinct literary style

2. The American Enlightenment • From 1715 until 1800 • A reaction to the religious intolerance and bigotry of the New England Puritans, and the unfair taxation policies of England. • Reason and rationality prized over religiosity.

3. Effects • Religious tolerance, freedom, and liberty became increasingly important. • This independence was revolutionary, and led many colonists to question their parent country. • Republicanism • Government Consent • Equality, no aristocracy • Anti-corruption in government • Virtue was of the utmost importance • Liberty and unalienable rights

4. Prominent Statesmen/Authors • Thomas Jefferson • Benjamin Franklin • Patrick Henry • John Adams • James Madison • Alexander Hamilton • Jonathon Edwards • James Wilson

5. Rationalism, a rebuttal to Puritans • Common Beliefs of Rationalists: • Faith in natural goodness- people are born without sin; tabula rasa • Perfectibility of a human being- it is possible to improve/advance socially, economically, religiously • Sovereignty of reason- similar to Descartes’ “cogito ergo sum” (I think; therefore, I am) to resolve universal doubt • Universal benevolence- help everybody out • Outdated social institutions cause unsocial behavior- religious, social, economic, and political institutions must be modernized to allow acceptable behavior.

6. Rationalist Writers • Functions: • Inquiry in all aspects of the world around • Interest in the classics as well as the Bible • Interest in nature – the “absentee landlord” phenomenon • Interest in science and scientific experiment • Optimism- experiments in utopian communities • Sense of duty to succeed • Constant search of the self- emphasis on individualism

7. A Revolutionary Compromise: Deism • Religious institutions were seen as overly authoritative, to the point of tyranny. • Oppression by these institutions was used to keep the monarchy in power. • Organized religions were unable to scientifically prove their claims and became an impediment to reason. • The solution was deism, or the belief in God based on reason and rationality, not religious dogma.

8. Deist Beliefs • One cannot access God through any organized religion, set of belief, ritual, sacrament or other practice. • God has not selected a chosen people to be the recipients of any special revelation or gifts. • Deists deny the existence of the Trinity as conceived by Christians. • They may view Jesus as a philosopher, teacher and healer, but not as the Son of God. • They believe that miracles do not happen. • The "world operates by natural and self-sustaining laws of the creator." • A practical morality can be derived from reason without the need to appeal to religious revelation and church dogma. • Deists pray, but only to express their appreciation to God for his works.

9. The Revolution • Increasingly independent thought, breaking away from the church and the monarchy philosophically, is reflected in the literature of this time period. • Eventually, Americans broke away from their mother country to establish what is now The United States of America. • As we read the political writings of our founding fathers, see if you can identify rationalism and deism in the roots of their arguments.