The Age of Reason 1745-1800 Authors: The Revolutionary War Period Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)...

The Age of Reason1745-1800

Authors:

The Revolutionary War Period

•Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

•Patrick Henry (1736-1799)

•Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

•Thomas Paine (1737-1809)

Vocabulary for “Age of Reason”• Define and write an example: (use your

textbook)

– Antithesis

– Rhetorical question

– Emotional appeal

– Logical appeal

– Repetition

– Parallelism (parallel structure)

– Aphorism

“I think, therefore I am.”God’s special gift to humanity—the ability to think.

The Enlightenment:•Began in Europe (17th century)

•Emerged with modern science and the scientific method

•Influenced by Sir Isaac Newton’s view of universe

•Belief in unlimited possibilities when guided by reason

Rationalism is the belief that we can arrive at truth by using our reason rather than relying on the authority of the past, on religious faith, or on intuition.

Rene’ Descartes

Deism: The Beliefs•The existence of deity

•God made the universe orderly and good

•God governs the world with His Providence

•The most acceptable service of God is doing good to man

•Souls are immortal and good

•Crimes will be punished and virtue rewarded either here or hereafter

•God made it possible for all people at all times to discover natural laws through their faculty of reason.

Sir Isaac Newton

Content:•Rooted in reality

•Wrote about social, political, and scientific improvements

•Primarily non-fiction—pamphlets

•Intended to serve practical or political ends

1736-1799:

•Lawyer

•Age 29 involved in politics

•Master orator

•Dramatic orator

•1st great speech against Stamp Act

•Powerful Virginia politician

Speech to the Virginia Conventionby Patrick Henry

•Audience: Virginia delegates

•Purpose: to gather support for a proposed resolution to approve the formation of a local militia

•Style: persuasive

•a call to action

•proof supporting speaker’s position and motives

•a heightened style

1743-1826

•Virginia gentleman, politician, governor, Renaissance man

•Classically educated

•Lawyer and writer

•3rd President of United States of America

•Louisiana Purchase

•Died on 50th anniversary of the independence (7/4/1826)

•Wrote his own epitaph

Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia.

Declaration of Independenceby Thomas Jefferson

•Audience: King of Britain

•Style: a declaration

•Purpose: to declare independence

4 Parts of the Declaration:

1. Preamble

2. Declaration of rights

3. List of Complaints

4. Conclusion

The Autobiographyby Benjamin Franklin

Audience: son or those interested in improvement

Style: personal narrative (unquestioned masterpiece of the American Age of Reason)

Purpose: self-help book

1706-1790

Printer, postmaster, almanac maker, essayist, chemist, orator, tinker, statesman, humorist, philosopher, parlor man, political economist, professor of housewifery, ambassador, projector, maxim-monger, herb-doctor, wit: Jack of all trades, master of each and mastered by none—the type and genius of the land, Franklin was everything but a poet.

By Herman Melville

•Classic American success story—a self-made man

•Rags to Riches

Basics of an Argument

Step 1:

• A Claim, or clear statement of a position on an issue

• Thesis statement

Step 2:

• Support for the claim, which consists of reasons and evidence

Step 3:

• Counterarguments, or statements that anticipate and refute opposing views

Step 4:

• Sound Logic and effective language

Conclusion:

• A conclusion that sums up the reasons or the call for action