Josh Deniziuk

World History
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The Enlightenment was a change in popular beliefs across Europe and an overall change

in philosophy and views on society. The enlightenment also gave birth to some of the world most

influential writers including John Locke, Adam Smith, and Thomas Hobbes. The philosophers of

the Enlightenment influenced and set a foundation for the United States government by their

views being applied to The Declaration of Independence and The United States Constitution.

Views of the enlightenment were widespread throughout Europe with the center of it being Paris.

The Enlightenment was a chain reaction to the scientific revolution which made people curious

to learn more about natural occurrences and more about general philosophy.

The philosophers of the Enlightenment influenced and set a foundation for the United

States government by their views being applied to the declaration of Independence. Many

thoughts of The Declaration of Independence come from one of the greatest enlightenment

philosophers John Locke this is because Thomas Jefferson and many of the creators of The

Declaration of Independence. There are various direct beliefs of Locke and the Enlightenment

included in The Declaration of Independence including the thought that people have natural

rights given to them at birth. This was one of Lockes most notable views and was heavily

educated during the enlightenment. A second view of the Enlightenment implementent in the

Declaration of Independence is that a governments main purpose is to protect the rights of their

people. www.Monticello.org/ states Despite the pervasiveness of slavery in their society, the

revolutionary generation envisioned a new American government that secured the rights and

freedoms of its citizens.

 Philosophers of the Enlightenment influenced and set a foundation for the United States

government by their views being applied to The United States Constitution. Alike The

Declaration of Independence, many views from the enlightenment were also placed in The

United States constitution. There are more familiarities including views from John Locke and

Montesquieu. Some examples of Enlightenment teachings from Locke placed in The United

States Constitution include the belief that the citizens should be able to choose who runs the

nation. An extremely important belief of the enlightenment from Montesquieu included in The

United States Constitution is the separation of powers. We see this today in The United States

government with the executive, judicial, and legislative branches. http://www.Ushistory.org/

quotes, The foundations of American government lie squarely in the 17th and 18th century

European Enlightenment. The American founders were well versed in the writings of the

philosophes.

The philosophers of the Enlightenment influenced and set a foundation for the United

States government by their views being applied to The Declaration of Independence and The

United States Constitution. The evidence of The American founding fathers taking points of

enlightenment is present. Because of this chapter it should be an important topic for all

Americans to learn the Enlightenment and how it paved the pathway towards the America we

live in today.