Age of Enlightenment

Generally speaking, American Romanticism forms a connection between the real world and a realm of fantasy. However, the concept of Romanticism has a flawed connection with the ideas of Realism. However, several stories, such as The Red Badge of Courage, attempt to bridge the gap between the hybrid of reality and fantasy and a world strictly dominated by the cruel and somewhat intriguing realities of life. In this story, the ideas connect in differing ways, with the ultimate results changing…

The two part video “Heroes of the Enlightenment” is very educational and interesting. The video is based on the events that took place during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries during the Enlightenment period. During this time, people started to move away from the views of the church and started to focus more on scientific views. The documentary focuses on the accomplishments of seven men who helped change and shape the world that we live in today. Some of these men, such as Isaac Newton…

The French Revolution, one of the most chaotic, cataclysmic, and gory events in history became to be known as one that would tear apart the stained fabrics of France and inspire others nations to be independent. Why? Because the hungry, needy voices of the Third Estate echoed throughout France; voices that could not be neglected for long. It all began with the indecisive, pompous King Louis XVI and his Austrian wife Marie Antoinette. Succeeding his grandfather’s rule, which had run up extreme…

Between 1870 and 1914, France underwent many changes in their government and in their economy. Economically, France was struggling after the Franco-German War of 1870 where they were forced to pay five billion francs. This jeopardized their economy all the way up to the 1880s, when France began to colonize in hope on economic growth. In 1890, France began to industrialize after many years of struggle. They invested in the Trans Siberian Railroad to strengthen their railroad control, of which was…

Romanticism From the late 18th to the mid-19th century, Western civilisation entered an artistic period known as Romanticism. It’s ideas influenced many works of painting, music, architecture and literature. Romanticism can be seen as a rejection of Classicism and the ideas of order, harmony, and rationality that characterised it. It focused on the personal, the emotional, and the irrational ("Romanticism | Encyclopædia Britannica”). Creators from the period showed great interest in folk…

Common Sense, the pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that encouraged the thirteen colonies to declare war with England to fight for independence to be a free country. In this pamphlet there were many points that Paine went over and discussed thoroughly, but there was one topic that caught my attention the most. This was, “Of the Origin and Design of Government in General, with Concise Remarks on the English Constitution” This section of the pamphlet really caught my attention since his thoughts…

There were many successful revolutions in Europe, North America and Latin America, but they all were different in how successful and the reasons for the revolutions. Most of the revolutions in Europe were unsuccessful in maintaining power and were often crushed quickly. In North America most of the revolutions were successful and revolutionaries stayed in power and fulfilled most of the revolutions goals. The revolutions in Latin America were successful but failed to form one large country and…

While neither Alexis De Tocqueville, nor Simon Schama, nor Jackson J. Spielvogel’s methodologies create a perfect history of the French Revolution, all provide essential insight into understanding the era. Each of these three historians write extensive volumes investigating the Revolution, yet they contain their own specific flaws and strengths. Literature shapes our historical understanding. A competent and tenacious author writes his history to his audience. Understanding his reader allows…

self-imposed immaturity, along with freedom, is the key to achieving enlightenment. Voltaire believed the enlightenment was inevitable, but stressed the importance of religious acceptance. Comparatively, the two thinkers offer similar points in regardance to their individual thoughts, but differ in whether or not the enlightenment is actually inevitable. Kant begins his response to the question, “what is enlightenment?”, by writing, “Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed…

Recognized as the father of Enlightenment, Benjamin Franklin’s views on Enlightenment serve to put in perspective the importance of going forward and not being a static nation. Within the greater ideals of Enlightenment, this need to “get on” comes through, for Franklin, with the perfectibility of man. That is to say that he tried to attain moral perfection. For instance, his thirteen virtues are proof of his desire to better himself and his fellowmen. Regardless of the importance he gives to…