The Enlightenment and the Creation of the United States

Due December 1,  2017

Each member of the founding generation looked at the American society around them in the terminology and philosophy developed during the Age of Reason. The “founding fathers” of the United States of America were all students of the philosophes and purposely set about developing the fledgling nation based upon these ideas.

In this post, you must demonstrate how at least one idea or philosophe helped influence the creation of the newly formed American nation. Remember not to repeat the elements of a fellow blogger's post; unless you bring a new or unique perspective to the information. Also, remember to use illustrative historical details to strengthen and develop your post.

Links that may be of assistance include:

Voltaire
    http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/darrow5.htm
  
     http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/voltaire.htm

Rousseau
    http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96jun/rousseau.html

    http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/Rousseau-soccon.html

Montesquieu
    http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/montesquieu-spirit.html

    http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/montesquieu/

Locke
   
    http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/

    http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/l/locke.htm

Hobbes
    http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral/

    http://www.iep.utm.edu/hobmoral/

Adam Smith
    http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96jun/smith.html

    http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Smith.html

Renaissance: Beginning of the Modern Era?

  
Due Thursday, September 15, 2017

Most historians consider the Renaissance to be the beginning of the Modern Era in human history. They argue that the Renaissance brought about a rebirth in the dissemination and depth of human knowledge. In this week’s blog you must either support or refute this belief by giving historical evidence to present to your fellow bloggers. Each blogger is responsible for developing and supporting a new example (no repeats) in answering the prompt.

The following links may be of assistance but feel free to do further research.

Lecture 4

The Renaissance

Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
    
History of the Renaissance

The Renaissance: The "Rebirth" of Science and Culture
     
The Renaissance Period
   

Most of these links have further links, so please take full advantage of these resources.