Enlightenment Ideals Do Not Make History

Since this day, America has greatly expanded and become one of the world’s leading countries. The development of America and its government did not just occur on its own. It took many great men, difficult decisions, and quite

The Route to Freedom The American culture has been dominated by the idea of freedom and liberty. America is considered the land of free where people can practice their own religions, traditions, and cultures, knowing that there is no unjust treatment or oppression towards people. Fundamentally, America’s freedom began with the hard work of the Continental Congress when The Declaration of Independence was crafted by Thomas Jefferson. Nevertheless, The Declaration of Independence did not grant liberty to all citizens and that is why Elizabeth Cady Stanton crafted the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions in order to give rights to women.

Founding the country of the United States of America was no easy task. It took great fortitude and ambition from the pioneers. The qualities of the American settlers who were intrical to the development of the most powerful nation in the world include devotion, bravery, and perseverance as evident through the expansion Westward, the American Revolution, and the reunification as a nation after the Civil War. Americans proved their bravery as they risked their lives for the sake of Westward expansion. A successful nation is not only dependent on its people but its land.

''Augmenting the happiness and value of life to all people of all colors everywhere,'' (Abraham) as Abraham Lincoln stated. Eric Foner argues that the concept of freedom in America is not a clean and established set of rules that tribes and many after have the key to, but rather a composition of values that have developed through generations, acquiring significance foreign to Thomas Jefferson and his era. Eric Foner elaborates that American history is full of debates, struggles and ups and downs like a roller coaster ride. This statement is actually true because United States history cannot be comprehended thoroughly without understanding the significance of freedom and the effort to attain

The United States of America is known for being one of the most advanced and successful countries in the world. Even though it is known for this, it hasn’t always been that way. In fact, the United States of America had a hard time even being developed. It all goes back to 1607 when the first permanent English colony was established in Jamestown, Virginia. The purpose of the settlement was to acquire natural resources for profit and to spread Christianity.

 Rousseau wrote “ Social Contract.” In his writing he outlined a plan for democracy in which all people would participate and be involved in reducing special interest groups. We put his ideas to use by establishing a representative democracy in which all citizens have the opportunity to vote and have equal representation in the Senate while representation is based upon population in the House of Representatives. Voltaire wrote “ Treatise of Tolerance,” and in it his belief in religion and freedom from government sponsored

Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. The foundation of America is freedom. Freedom from Britain. However, the freedom is limited to white males who own property. When colonists started to immigrate to America, they wanted to escape from under the rule of Britain.

The enlightenment philosopher Rousseau was one of the first to have an idea about a government run by the citizens which is also known as a democracy. This idea has shown up in multiple documents and is the basis of many governments around the world. One of these documents is the Declaration of the Rights of Man which allowed basic rights to French citizens. This document was one of the beginning sparks to the french revolution paving the way to a democracy in France. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen says, “All citizens have a right to decide, either personally or by their representatives, as to the necessity of the public contribution.”

American 's gained their independence because of a decision by its ' colonial citizens to pursue freedom through the legitimate use of armed force. Disparate American colonies fought on a unified front for a set of defining values and principles centered on their customs, traditions, and desired institutions. Americans ultimately prevailed because of a deep shared sense of patriotism and nationalism. American 's declared their independence from Britain 's control based on the defining principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These values and principles have endured and transcended since 1776 through multiple wars which have challenged American values, principles, and institutions.

In the final analysis, colonists desired the opportunity to be free from the laws and persecution of England. Colonists wanted to make their lives better even if the ordeals were dangerous and unsafe. America was an answer offered to hundreds of colonists and migrants who desired none other than the opportunity to have freedom for themselves and for their families. This vision of a free, self-governing, idealistic nation in the west, is what led the colonies of America, to become the United States of

Throughout history America has had hundreds of transformative events that have changed the course of history through political, economic, and sociocultural effects. The most significant events aren’t the ones everyone remembers for being exciting but rather the ones that have impacted society and individuals the most. Many of these events that have shaped America most profoundly include wars, presidents, supreme court decisions, but they also include such events such as natural disasters, fires, and even scientific findings. Each event has not only impacted the time period it was set in but also may even still be impacting our lives today. By studying and analyzing America’s history one can learn the struggles and triumphs of a young nation that became the superpower it is today.

It’s the 16th century, the nasty King of England ordered a group of settlers to explore the new found world. After a treacherous travel along the pacific, the settlers found present day America, and called a colony “Jamestown” in 1607, making it the first permanent English colony. This started a series of adventure to make America an independent country from England. Creating America was like trying to create a beautiful masterpiece by an artist; it was destined to have mistakes that needed to be fixed and tweaked. The foundational events in the development of America were a settlement, revolution, and government.

The ideas of the Enlightenment influenced the American Revolution and the formation of the American Government. Firstly, The Enlightenment was a philosophical evolution that emphasized the aged ideas of the Greeks and Romans. In addition, the major philosophers of this time period were Voltaire, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Rousseau, Adam Smith and Isaac Newton. Their ideals include having an absolute monarch as a government (T.H), the separation of powers (Mont.), the government should not interfere with a free market economy (A.S), the freedom of speech (Volt.), the government could be overruled (J.L), and the government should rule according to the will of the people. Nevertheless, these ideals are important because they shaped the government that we have today.

Freedom Anyone in the world with an occasional source of internet has no choice but to see the seemingly outrageous news stories, posted weekly on events in the US. American’s have made their distrust in the government more than obvious, which in many cases, the government has provoked. The largest debate in the states today is the with the concept of freedom and where the lines are drawn between social security, equality, and one’s rights. Freedom is and always has been heavily emphasized in the development of the 50 states. It’s brought peace and war both figuratively and literally.

While most individuals focus on the contributions made by theorists who were inspired by the Enlightenment era, many Counter-Enlightenment theorists made significant contributions to society today. Rousseau, who opposed the development of society away from tradition, believed that there “must be a genuine social contract in which everyone participates in creating laws for the good of society” in order for the society to flourish (Rousseau in E&A 2015:8). Today, this subjective element that individuals must come together to achieve a common interest or a common goal is evident in the American social “contract” of citizenship. U.S. citizens agree to obey federal and state laws and be productive members of society in return for safety, freedom,