18th CENTURY DEVELOPMENT

The first half of the eighteenth-century was a period of significant growth in England’s North American Colonies. The colonies featured tremendous growth in population through both immigration and natural increase. Immigration made the colonies more ethnically diverse and helped propel the economy. Enslaved Africans were the most important contributors in this regard. Economic and demographic growth helped create growth in cities, and these growing urban centers also featured increasing social stratification. There are few sites that help illustrate these changes. You can go to www.timepage.org to read general information on the original thirteen colonies.

There were also significant changes in thought during this period. The American Enlightenment grew out of the English Enlightenment. This change, born out of Newton’s study of physics, represented an increased emphasis on using science to understand the world. To Americans like Benjamin Franklin, the workings of the world were not necessarily predetermined by God, but rather they could be understood and even manipulated by science. Franklin’s studies in electricity are the classic example of this. The works of political theorists such as John Locke accompanied scientific rationalism in this era. Locke argued that kings were not really divinely appointed, but were common men who had but a tenuous legitimacy. Locke also challenged the concept of natural sin. He argued instead for the idea of tabula rasa that humans were born with no predisposed character, but rather were shaped by their environment. Locke’s logic concluded that a society that uses kings and knights to keep a selfish population in check, would produce that type of population. However, a society that emphasized republican values would create a society that was capable of self-government. These ideas had a particularly strong influence among the more privileged members of colonial society.
Readings:
Oakes, Chapter 5: Focus on the economic growth of the period, as well as social and intellectual change. These will all brew together to set the stage for the upcoming revolution.
PBS”s presentation on Ben Franklin, “How Shocking”
When reading, consider the following topics. We will develop these on the Discussion Board:
1) What were some of the important economic and demographic changes that were occurring between the 17th and 18th centuries? How did these changes affect England’s colonies?
2) What was the Great Awakening? What effect did it have on the colonies?
3) What was the Enlightenment? How does it relate to the Internet reading on Franklin? How might it also relate to ideas on government?

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