Unit Two: The Rationalists

1
Unit Two The Rationalists

• Mr. Olsens American Studies

2
Unit Overview

• Social/ Political/ Philosophical
• This power point, Film Never Cry Wolf
  (Objective quest)
• Ben Franklin Self-Improvement Project
• Reading/ Literature Layer
• Franklins Autobiography, Paines The Crisis,
  and Henrys Speech to the Virginia Convention
• Writing Layer
• Thesis Generation Project
• Vocabulary Layer Grammar Layer
• Vocab from the above readings
• Grammar- Active versus passive voice, quotation
  marks

3
Rapid-fire History

• 1600s- Europe torn by endless series of
  religious wars (which drove Puritans out)
• The Age of Enlightenment- 1700s- a reaction
  against kings, religion, etc. that caused all
  these wars and destruction.
• Ideology of Enlightenment soon crossed Atlantic
  to the well-educated class in American colonies
  founding fathers
• Hilarity ensued.

Whee!
4
Rationalist Philosophy

• Everything on earth has a logical, scientific
  explanation reject idea of unknowable
• Total rejection of pre-destination- believed all
  people are improvable
• Newton- Gods clockwork
• Logic and reason can and should be applied to
  every aspect of humanity
• Effect ENORMOUS
• Rejection of monarchy- rise of Liberalism
• Revolution of economics
• Birth of modern science
• Fall of theocratic (religious) rule in Western
  society

5
Deism

• Rationalists applied their philosophy to
  religion
• Did believe in a God, afterlife, etc., but
• Understood the existence and nature of God from
  reason and personal experience (as opposed to
  Scripture and faith)
• Rejected supernatural events (prophecy, miracles)
  and asserted that God does not interfere with
  human life and the laws of the universe (clock
  theory)
• Rejection of Divine Right of Kings, for example
• Rejected dogma of established religions as the
  works of men, not God.

6
Founding Father Myths

• The Founding Fathers almost entirely product of
  European (esp. English) culture
• Founding Fathers were at no point a unified
  group- many hated each other
• Founding Fathers neither atheists, nor founders
  of a Christian nation.
• Founding Fathers very complicated
  (hypocritical?)- owned slaves, distrusted lower
  classes, etc., etc.

7
Tie to Present

• Nevertheless
• Government Current governmental and judicial
  system is entirely a product of this era
• Science Scientific Method invented then
• Debate/ Public Speaking All self-improvement
  schemes essentially pure Rationalism transported
  to present.
• English How you write papers (outline,
  5-paragraph theme) expressed their ideals

8
Benjamin Franklin (1706- 1790)

• Businessman, inventor, diplomat, superstar,
  playa.
• Almost single-handedly responsible for bringing
  French into Rev. war
• Believed that a person could achieve perfection
  through isolating vice and eliminating it.
• His popular Autobiography and Poor Richards
  Almanack were guidebooks to Rationalist
  self-improvement