During the start of the 18th century, the Enlightenment revolutionized many ideas such as science philosophy, society, and politics. The enlightenment was probably best known for the philosophical beliefs it has had on the world.The enlightenment thinkers believed in the power of human reason and the perfectibility of mankind. There were six enlightenment ideals that were contributed by philosophers in the 18th century that affected the world. The philosophers that contributed to the Enlightenment were John Locke, Thomas Hobbs, John Jacques Rousseau, Baron de Montesquieu, Adam Smith, Voltaire, Cesare Beccaria.The Enlightenment ideal that influenced people of the time and led to revolutions and new political …show more content…
The overthrow of James II “ended any chance of catholicism becoming reestablished in England” and supported protestants (citation new world encyclopidia.org/entry/Glorious_Revolution). In order for William and Mary to be crowned in 1689, Parliament required them to agree to the Bill of Rights. This created a limited monarchy that required the throne to share power with Parliament. The English Bill of rights not only served to establish the roles and powers of Parliament and monarchy but also supported natural rights of the people by including “that their religion, laws and liberties might not again be in danger of being subverted . . .”(http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/england.asp). Years later, the United States would create their own document to preserve and protect the natural rights of …show more content…
The Declaration of Independence was a statement to declare that the people of America would not put up with the tyranny of King George III. The king was enforcing excessive power through taxes such as the Stamp and Sugar Acts. He also imposed the Intolerable Acts as punishment for the Massachusetts colonists after the Boston Tea Party. “Throughout the colonies, the message was clear: what could happen in Massachusetts could happen anywhere” (http://www.ushistory.org/us/9g.asp) Something had to be done. The battles of Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill in the spring and summer of 1775 set off the American Revolution. While the fighting continued, the delegates of the Second Continental Congress met and John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, R.R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman began writing the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, and it was signed on August 2, 1776. The very beginning of the declaration address natural rights of the people: “That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”(Declaration of Independence). The Declaration of Independence had multiple effects on America. Most importantly, it freed the people from the tyranny of the king, and the United States was born. It freed the black