The Enlightenment was an intellectual, philosophical, cultural, and social movement that started at the beginning of the 1700’s and ended in the early 1820’s. Many of the Enlightenments main ideals were based around intellectual progress for human kind, and included a sharp criticism expressed towards the church. The death of Cotton Mather in 1728 symbolized the end to Puritanical ideology and the traditional set of beliefs. These were being challenged by two very important men; John Locke and Isaac Newton. They introduced a new school thought that pondered the capability of the human mind and scientific methodology. Although John Locke and Isaac Newton were not against religion, they argued that God was a reasonable God, and therefore the universe is rational and explainable. Both Locke and Newton contributed two basic elements to the Enlightenment Ideals. Some say that the Enlightenment was the accelerant for the fires of revolution. That through the works …show more content…
Crevecoeur’s’ writings, “Letters from an American Farmer” were influential in American Literature in a multitude of ways. He provides useful information and understanding about the new world. He made a hero of the farmer. He created the American identity. He celebrated Americas’ innocence and simplicity. He described the religious tolerance and diversity abundant in America. The utopian view of America that Crevecoeur presented has reached much dissent. His work is lacking in details. There is no mention of the geography, a brief and false mention of religion, and a bare minimum of history, politics, and agriculture. He also glosses over religion and slavery, two of the most turbulent issues of the time. Not to mention his work offers many contradictions. He did however, answer the prominent question of “What is an American?” and explored and improved upon the concept of the “American