The Age of Reason
1745-1800
Authors:
•Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
•Patrick Henry (1736-1799)
•Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
The Revolutionary War Period
“I think, therefore I am.”
God’s special gift to humanity—the ability to think.
The Enlightenment:
•Began in Europe (17th century)
•Emerged with modern science and
the scientific method
•Influenced by Sir Isaac Newton’s
view of universe
•Belief in unlimited possibilities
when guided by reason
Rationalism
is the belief that
we can arrive at truth by using our
reason rather than relying on the
authority of the past, on religious
faith, or on intuition.
Rene’ Descartes
Deism: The Beliefs
•The existence of deity
•God made the universe orderly and good
•God governs the world with His Providence
•The most acceptable service of God is doing good to man
•Souls are immortal and good
•Crimes will be punished and virtue rewarded either here or hereafter
•God made it possible for all people at all times to discover natural
laws through their faculty of reason.
Sir Isaac Newton
Content:
•Rooted in reality
•Wrote about social,
political, and scientific
improvements
•Primarily non-fiction—
pamphlets
•Intended to serve
practical or political
ends
•Classic American success
story—a self-made man
•Rags to Riches
Only write the last line:
1706-1790
Printer, postmaster, almanac
maker, essayist, chemist,
orator, tinker, statesman,
humorist, philosopher, parlor
man, political economist,
professor of housewifery,
ambassador, projector,
maxim-monger, herb-doctor,
wit: Jack of all trades, master
of each and mastered by
none—the type and genius of
the land, Franklin was
everything but a poet.
By Herman Melville
The Autobiography
by Benjamin Franklin
Audience: son or those
interested in improvement
Style: personal narrative
(unquestioned masterpiece
of the American Age of
Reason)
Purpose: self-help book
1736-1799:
•Lawyer
•Age 29 involved in politics
•Master orator
•Dramatic orator
•1st great speech against
Stamp Act
•Powerful Virginia politician
Speech to the Virginia Convention
by Patrick Henry
•Audience: Virginia delegates
•Purpose: to gather support for a proposed
resolution to approve the formation of a local
militia, to declare war
•Style: persuasive
•a call to action
•proof supporting
speaker’s position
and motives
•a heightened style
•Virginia gentleman,
politician, governor,
Renaissance man
•Classically educated
•Lawyer and writer
1743-1826
Here was buried
Thomas Jefferson,
Author of the
Declaration of
Independence, of the
Statute of Virginia for
religious freedom, and
Father of the
University of Virginia.
His epitaph . . .
•3rd President of United
States of America
•Louisiana Purchase
•Died on 50th anniversary
of the independence
(7/4/1826)
•Wrote his own epitaph
Declaration of Independence
by Thomas Jefferson
•Audience: King of Britain
•Style: a declaration
•Purpose: to declare
independence
4 Parts of the Declaration:
1.
Preamble
2.
Indictment
3.
Denunciation
4.
Conclusion