How did the enlightment influnces the american revolution?
The founding fathers of the American Revolution were very well-read and had read French enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu, and Voltaire. Locke stated that the government has a duty to protect your natural rights and if they failed to do this, the public had a right to get rid of that government. He also believed in a limited government, not one controlled by a king. Rousseau: the govt and the people are entered into a social contract. If the govt doesn’t follow this social contract, people should choose another govt. (think Declaration of Independence, which lists the reasons why we are angry with Britain) Montesquieu promoted Britain’s political style: 3 separate branches (which we know as the legislative, executive, judicial). Voltaire: freedom of speech.
