The Enlightenment had a major impact on all thinking during the mid 1700's. One major example of this change of thought is religion. Many wealthier colonists, or those that could read and keep up with changes of the time, became deists. A Deist was someone who believes in God but that he is more of a spectator than a director. They believe he created the world but that the laws of nature governed men and not God himself.
It is no suprise then that Benjamin Franklin, being one of the leading thinkers of his time, was a Deist. Being a Deist as he was Benjamin Franklin took it upon himself to advance knowledge. Founding the American Philosophical Society and inventing the lightning rod and bifocal eyeglasses are only a few of his great contributions and ideas that we still use today. Franklin believed in God but believed it was up to man to take care of ourselves.
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Benjamin Franklin's inventions truly shaped America forever. Without the invention of the lightening rod and bifocals, America would be way far behind in terms of new ideas. His discoveries have greatly enhanced every day life.
Benjamin Franklin was an excellent example of someone who broke the typical British standard by making it out of the class in which he was born, to become the most famous American. Do you think Franklin just claimed to be religious to gain more popularity? What about politicians today?
I find the new idea of deism also intriguing, given the fact that the colonists were so set in their prevision ideals and beliefs. The religious enlightenment not only opened eyes to new religious thought patterns but to new thoughts on life and the reasons behind it. What else were they so certain about and yet wake up the next day and find that their beliefs of yesterday crumbled?
The Enlightenment in America can be divided into two parts: the Enlightenment in Science(Deism)and Pietism. The Englightenment in Science helped people changed their way of understanding the world around them from folk wisdom to use human reason to understand and shape the world. This idea was accepted and supported mostly by well-educated folks. Many of them then became deist, and Benjamin Franklin was the most outstanding deist ever. Pietism, originated from Europe, stressed a Christian's personal realtion to God. Different from the Enlightenment, the group Pietism attracted were primrily farmers and urban laborers.
Deism actually did not affect all thinking, though it was highly influential on much thinking. Deism was a result of the enlightenment more than the reverse. Franklin probably would have researched into science even without Deism. On a side note, I've been a self-proclaimed Deist for six years now.
I think Ben Franklin is a great example of the American self-made man. He literally grew up with nothing and died knowing that he discovered electricity, invented the lightning rod and bifocals, and signed one of the most (if not the most) documents in US history. The guy was just plain brilliant.
The religious enlightenment truly helped shape America today. It not only brought about many of the religions we practice today (mehodist, baptist.. etc.) but it opened up a new way of thinking. The poor, slaves, and women started to become more involved and it helped to unify the colonies in its own way.
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