The Revolutionary Period

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The Revolutionary Period

• The Age of Reason

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Focuses on the founding of the American nation
and the development of a distinct American
character and philosophy
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Writings are by men who used the written word to
revolt against Great Britain and to gain support
for the Revolution.
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Science in the New World

• Small Pox April, 1721
• Cotton Mathers inoculation campaign
• Opposition
• Results
• 300 inoculated--6 dead
• 5000 infected--900 dead

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An American Pattern Thought in Action

• Opposite Qualities of American Character
• Religious Principles vs. Practical Science
• Cotton Mather was both
• Practical approach to social change and
  scientific research was needed
• Thought in Action--Americans had to make do with
  what they had, and they had to get results.

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The Age of Reason in Europe

• Rationalist philosophers and scientists 17th
  century developed the emergence of modern science
  and scientific method
• Sir Isaac Newton, Rene Descartes, John Locke

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Rationalism is the belief that we can arrive at
the truth by using reason rather that relying on
the past , on religious faith, or on intuition.
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Puritans vs. Rationalists

• God as actively and mysteriously involved in the
  workings of the universe
• Only a spiritual truth

• God had given humanity the gift of reason--the
  ability to think in an ordered, logical manner.
• Both a spiritual and scientific truth

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The Age of Reason in America

• Home grown practicality
• Common sense combined with ideas from European
  thinkers
• Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas
  Paine, Patrick Henry

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Triumphs from this time period include social
reform.

• Living conditions
• Forms of government
• Individual minds

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We hold these truths to self-evident
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Deism and the Rationalist Mind

• God had made it possible for all people at all
  times to discover natural laws through their God
  given ability to reason.
• Deists avoided specific religious sects, instead
  they sought out principles that united all
  religions

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Deists believed the following

• The universe is orderly and good
• Humanity is inherently good
• Every human can reach perfectibility through the
  use of reason
• Gods objective is the happiness of his creatures
• The best form of worship is to do good for others.

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American Literature in the Age of Reason
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Characteristics

• Rooted in reality rather than in the imagination
• Served political or practical ends
• Poetry was insignificant (broadsides)
• Mostly nonfiction

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Major Works

• Thomas Paines Common Sense an influential
  revolutionary pamphlet
• The Declaration of Independence based on the
  rationalist assumptions between God, people, and
  the natural law
• The Federalist Papers by James Madison and
  Alexander Hamilton explains the ideas behind
  the constitution
• Benjamin Franklins Autobiography the
  masterpiece of the time. A personal narrative,
  the rags to riches story.

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