The Enlightenment paved the road for historical America. The Enlightenment was a period filled with new ideas and free thinkers. Many of the revolutionary disputes were instigated by enlightened free thinkers. The U.S. Constitution was heavily influenced by the enlightenment. The Constitution is a foundation for the American way of life. The principles within the constitution guided american expansion. As America grew so did its complexities. These problems occurring in the US sparked the creation of the Federalist Papers and the Bill of Rights. The definition of America is rooted in the ideas of The Enlightenment, the actions of the Revolutionary War, and the words within the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. In historical England people were tired of a monarchy and controlling their daily lives and choices. …show more content…
America’s founding citizens agreed with this idea and began forming American principles. Montesquieu was another influential enlightenment thinker. He inspired the idea of a ruling system with three branches of government. These concepts are echoed within the primary foundational documents of the United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence ensures American citizens with John Locke’s right to a free life. It cut the ties to the traditionalist Europeans and their King. The Constitution provides structure for our ruling body using Montesquieu’s model. The Constitution was a strong foundation for a new country. However, some citizens did not think it was detailed enough. The Bill of Rights was included to ensure the rights and liberties of American citizen; such as, the right to free speech, the right to practice your own religion, and the right to be silent when you are accused of a crime. John Locke's ideas are still incorporated within our founding