|
SOUTH DAKOTA
SCHOOL OF MINES
& TECHNOLOGY
|
|
Literature of the American Revolution
This article discusses the changes in life in the eighteenth century in America. It refers to this time period as the Age of Reason, the Age of Neoclassicism, and the Age of Enlightenment. During the eighteenth century science was becoming big. Due to this up rise of science, it caused men to think in a different way and to search for different things than they previously searched for. Men placed their faith in science and in their own achievement as opposed to the church and their faith in God, as they previously had. It was also the beginning of humanism.
The book calls this period, “an age of great discovers, and the greatest of all was Isaac Newton.” Due to his work, humanity could now be certain of things such as gravity, and Newton even had the mathematics to back it up. “It was the beginning of modern science, weakening man’s faith in miracles, in holy books, and in the divinity of kings and priests.” Instead they began to put their faith in science and the idea that they could achieve things on their own. This caused a change in habits of men of the time. They began to study science where their fathers had studied the holy books.
Due to this new faith in the human race, humanitarianism developed. This idea of helping and giving service to other people because a “social ideal.” This also lead to “faith in human goodness and dignity of man . . . [and] increasing demands for human liberties.”
The eighteenth century brought about many changes for mankind. It changed the way they thought, learned, and where they placed their faith. This century has left its mark on all the centuries to follow.
Cassady Marshall
September 19, 2001
Contact: Cassady Marshall
This page has been visited 1,959 times since 12/06/2001
| http://www.hpcnet.org/revolution |
Last Modified: 12/15/2001 |
|
|
