The Age of Reason, also known as the Enlightenment, was an intellectual movement that emphasized science and reason as ways to gain knowledge and discover truth, brought about new ideas regarding man’s natural rights. First of all, one example of how the Enlightenment impacted the America is John Locke. This English writer’s belief of life, liberty and property for every citizen was “borrowed” by Thomas Jefferson, who then incorporated this idea into the opening of the Declaration of Independence. Not to mention, the constitution of our first state and the United States Constitution was written based on Enlightenment principles. Some other famous figures’ Enlightenment ideas that was eventually used by the Americans include Jean-Jacques Rousseau
