Comparing The Spread Of Enlightenment Ideas And The American Revolution

The fifteenth trough eighteenth centuries was a time of vast political, social, and cultural changes in world societies, through which the world became more connected, open minded, and free. The political transformations of this time involve revolutionary changes that created growth and opportunities, and spread ideas throughout the world. Although many occurred, the most prevalent of these political changes are the growth of exploration and colonization in the New World, the spread of Enlightenment ideas, and the American Revolution against imperial control. Each of these unique and universal changes led to the eventual creation of a republican government in North America, whose ideas influenced the world. The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries brought political change through the exploration and colonization of the New World. In 1492, …show more content…
The Enlightenment is often defined as a cultural, intellectual, and philosophical movement in the eighteenth century that brought forth new ideas, many of which proved to be political. The Social Contract, written by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, addresses the concern of the amount of power that a state holds over an individual. Popular sovereignty is an Enlightenment idea that stems from the Social Contract by claiming that political power is in the hands of “the people,” rather than the state. Another important political Enlightenment idea is individual freedom, specifically in the economic world through the idea of free trade. Inspired by Adam Smith’s ideas of free exchange, free trade (or laissez-faire) called for free markets, free labor, and no tariffs, quotas or fees, in order to create efficient economic growth. Both of these very important Enlightenment ideas built much of the framework for the republican government of the United