Outlines the enlightenment ideas and religious traditions that informed the Declaration of Independence.

1. Foundations for American
Independence
• European political ideas + American practices =
emphasis on common man’s right to participate in
politics
• Great Awakening spreads religious ideas of equality
• British control in N.America is stronger than ever…
which ironically, leads to problems

2. Empire of Freedom: British
Political Ideas in the 1700s
• Liberty = protection of
law from tyranny
• (Laws are made by
Parliament)
• republicanism:
“economically
independent citizens”
participate in public life
(cf. 117)

3. Empire of Freedom: British
Political Ideas in the 1700s
• John Locke and liberalism:
• social contract: government is
an agreement in which men
give up some rights to get
protection of law
• government provides security
of life, liberty, and property
• Locke’s “men” = white,
propertied men BUT other
people use his ideas John Locke

4. The Public Sphere:1700s
• More Americans than
Britons could vote
• But most officials
were wealthy
• 1700s: rise in power
of American
assemblies = elected
legislatures
• No freedom of
speech or of press Virginia Governor’s Palace, built 1700s

5. • Enlightenment =
European intellectual
movement
• Belief in power of
reason
• Rejection of organized
religion
• Influences educated
Americans:
• Benjamin Franklin as
ideal example
• Deism: clockmaker God
The American
Enlightenment

6. Crash Course U.S. History - Short Excerpt on Great Awakening

7. The Great Awakening
• Tent revivals and
emotional preaching
• Repent and be saved
(don’t worry about
predestination)
• Challenge to authority
• New churches: Baptists,
Methodists,
Presbyterians

8. Recap:
• How did new ideas shape American attitudes toward
“liberty”? What are examples of those ideas?
• What do we know about the political system in the
colonies?
• IDs: republicanism; John Locke; Enlightenment; Great
Awakening