The Enlightenment | The Great Awakening 

Anglo-American Politics | Imperial War

18^th Century = "Age of Reason" (The Enlightenment)

Deism

• God as creator
• Human reason used to understand natural laws
• Voltaire: clockmaker analogy
• Possibility of achieving perfection

French philosopher Voltaire was a leading figure of the Enlightenment.

Benjamin Franklin

• Personification of Enlightenment in America
• Pursuit of useful knowledge
• Promotion of Enlightenment ideas in America

Benjamin Franklin conducts his famous kite experiment. Franklin later developed a lightning rod as a practical application.

Impact of Enlightenment

• Shared intellectual experiences helped forge new American identity

2. The Great Awakening (see Goldfield, pp. 100-105)

Jonathan Edwards

• Congregational minister in Northampton, Mass.
• Emphasized Calvinist doctrine of pre-destination
• Preaching led to series of religious revivals

Jonathan Edwards is the recognized "originator" of the Great Awakening.

George Whitefield

• English preacher; dynamic speaker
• Itinerant preacher

Itinerant preacher George Whitefield helped spread the religious fervor of the Great Awakening.

"New Lights" = followers of Great Awakening

"Old Lights" = opponents of Great Awakening

Positive impact of Great Awakening

• Formation of new colleges (Princeton, Dartmouth)
• Awareness of larger community; shared religious experiences helped forge new American identity

3. Anglo-American Politics: Theory and Practice (See Goldfield, pp. 105-108)

Great Britain’s Government: Theory

• Balanced constitution
• Monarch
• House of Lords
• House of Commons
• All groups represented
• King
• Nobility
• Common people
• Excesses checked to prevent tyranny

The British House of Commons in the 18th century.

Great Britain’s Government: Reality

• House of Commons represented nobility
• Parliamentary Associations supported king’s policies
• Limited voting rights
• Corruption: "rotten boroughs"

Political cartoon showing the corruption of English rotten boroughs. The British Member of Parliament is accepting a bribe from one of his constituents. The problem of rotten boroughs continued well into the 19th century. The borough of Gatton, for example, had only 7 voters in 1831. With few voters and no secret ballot, it was easy for politicians to buy the necessary votes to gain office.

The "Commonwealthmen"

• British political critics
• John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon
• "Cato’s Letters" (1720-1723)
• Ignored in Britain; taken seriously in America

Title page from a collection of "Cato's Letters"

Colonial Government: Theory

• Modeled after British balanced constitution
• Governor
• Council
• Assemblies

Colonial Government: Reality

• Governor’s powers great (veto, dismissal of judges)
• Council’s role diminished in 18^th century
• Extensive voting rights

4. Imperial War (see Goldfield, pp. 113-121)

Changing nature of warfare in America

• 17^th century: regional wars with Native Americans (e.g., King Philip’s War, 1675-1676)
• 18^th century: wars for empire originating in Europe

New France

• Small population (75,000 in 1754) compared to British colonies (1.2 million)
• Population concentrated along St. Lawrence River; could defend itself

Series of wars—England vs. France

• King William’s War (1689-1697)
• Queen Anne’s War (1702-1713)
• King George’s War (1743-1748)
• French and Indian War (1756-1763)

American goals

• Before 1750: defense
• After 1750: take control the West

French take Ohio Valley (1750s)

• Fort Duquesne

Virginia’s attempt to remove French

• George Washington in command
• Fort Necessity overrun by French and Indians (1754)

General Edward Braddock

• Attempted to take Fort Duquesne (1755)
• Troops attacked at Monongahela River; 70% of troops lost

Engraving showing General Braddock's disastrous defeat at the Monongahela River.

French and Indian War (1756-1763)

• Britain declares war, 1756
• William Pitt becomes Prime Minister; concentrates on North America; must expel French at any cost
• War expenditures create huge national debt
• Capture of Louisbourg (1758) cuts French supply line
• 1760: French surrender at Montreal

Treaty of Paris (1763)

• France leaves North American continent
• Britain gains title to Canada, Florida, and all land east of Mississippi River

North American colonization before 1754 (left) and after the Treaty of Paris of 173 (right). Note the French presence in North America was eliminated after the French and Indian War.