The Enlightenment in America

„ The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement in Europe (especially France) in the 18th century

„ Influenced by Sir Isaac Newton’s Naturalis Philosophiae Principia Mathematica (1686), Enlightenment thinkers began a search for the laws that underlay all things

„ Intellectual optimism: Men were capable of perfecting themselves and human society by applying reason The First Cultivated American

„ Benjamin Franklin embodied the Enlightenment spirit

„ Scientist

„ Lightning rod

„ Bifocals

„ Franklin stove

„ Founder of the American Philosophical Society, 1743 1789 painting of Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) by Charles Wilson Peale Poor Richard

The Almanack reflects the Enlightenment ideal of rational self improvement

Men’s Health, July/Aug 2001 American Heritage, April/May 2002, p. 21

A Collection of English Pro- Poor Richard’s Almanack, by verbs, by Father John Ray, 1678 Benjamin Franklin, 1733 Early to go to bed, and early to Early to bed, and early to rise, rise, makes a man healthy, makes a man healthy, wealthy, wealthy, and wise. and wise. An old physician, a young Beware of the young doctor and barber. the old barber. A Collection of English Pro- Poor Richard’s Almanack, by verbs, by Father John Ray, 1678 Benjamin Franklin, 1733 Poor Richard’s Almanack

God healeth, and the physician God heals, and the doctor takes hath the thanks. the fee. Better that the feet slip than the Better slip with the foot than tongue. with the tongue. Hide nothing from thy minister, Don’t misinform your doctor nor physician, and lawyer. your lawyer. Love and lordship like no Love and lordship hate fellows. companions. God sends meat, and the devil Good commentators spoil the sends cooks best of books; So God sends meat (they say) the devil cooks. The Enlightenment in America

„ Franklin and other American intellectuals were Deists

„ God was relegated to the role of creating universal order and setting the universe in motion „ Greatest contribution of the Enlighten- ment to America was political ideas

„ Governments existed to protect the natural laws of mankind and societies – Locke