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Resources about the Enlightenment Period

1.“Age of Enlightenment.”__Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007__.1 June 2007.< http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761571679_2/Age_of_Enlightenment.html >.
The main point of this website is to provide an online encyclopedia. The encyclopedia not only gives information about the selected topic, but also provides links to related topics that allow for a wide range of information within the subject area. The information on this website comes from Encarta, a credible, published encyclopedia. The purpose of this section of the Microsoft website is to provide an encyclopedia where users can research information. Criteria for the Enlightenment include the necessity of reason, science, and humanity. The period emphasized the power of human reason and the need for progress, exploration, and development. Enlightenment thinkers worked toward strengthening the state, rebelling against former ways of the church and nobility. People began looking to nature to find truth. Enlightenment thinkers pushed for a government in which every citizen could participate. This resource gave helpful information on the key characteristics of Enlightenment thought, the main people involved, and the major events occurring at the time. Although the information focuses on the Enlightenment throughout the world, it gives a perspective on America’s role in the Enlightenment compared to other countries.

2.Webb, Joe. “Echoes of Paine: Tracing The Age of Reason through the Writings of Emerson.” ATQ 20.3 (2006): 513-525.
This article defines the Age of Reason by comparing two influential leaders, Paine and Emerson. Paine exemplifies the main beliefs and criteria for the Enlightenment. Paine believed in looking to nature to find God, a universal way through which He speaks to all. He also believed that the Bible was created to overpower man. The article argues that Emerson, a leader of the Transcendental period, hold beliefs similar to Paine. Emerson tried to separate himself, but both believed in the right of man to his own opinion, both attacked organized church, and both worshipped God through nature. The article traces the path from the Enlightenment to Transcendentalism. In the words of Emerson, “Society is a wave. The wave moves onward, but the water of which it is composed, does not.” This article identified the main beliefs of the Enlightenment and the impact it had on the beliefs of the following period. The article highlighted the importance of individual rights, the idea that man should develop his own beliefs without relying on organized church. this article comes from a scholarly journal.

3. USINFO. Dec 2006 US Department of State’s Bureau of International Information Programs. Outline of American Literature. Democratic Origins and Revolutionary Writers 1776-1820. 8 June 2007 http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/oal/lit2.htm
During the Revolutionary America, early American writers struggled to find their own unique writing philosophy. Since they were descendent of England, they had already “cultivated English modes of thought and English fashions in dress and behavior” (Ch 2). With the boom in literacy, the issue of piracy developed in America. The copyright law of 1790 helped protect some of the early writers.
The 18th-century American Enlightenment was a movement marked by an emphasis on rationality rather than tradition, scientific inquiry instead of unquestioning religious dogma, and representative government in place of monarchy. Enlightenment thinkers and writers were devoted to the ideals of justice, liberty, and equally as the natural rights of man. (Ch 2)
The main purpose of this website shares the period in the history of the Revolution of America. The criteria this website uses to check if the specific author or text fits into this literary period is displaying the chronological order of the periods. The different chapters of each period has brief summary of events and authors. This resource was meaningful to me because of the vast amount of information I learned in the reading. I learned that the Enlightenment period helped change “the old-fashioned Puritan tradition” (Ch 2). An early writer, Benjamin Franklin was a “self-made man” in American. He wasn’t trying to be a copycat. Franklin’s self-confidence helped shape a new American made revolution. I credit this website because of its extensive product of information. It has a bibliography and is copyright protected. Plus, the information is from an international information program formed by the US government.

4.
In American literature, George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson all agreed “that laws, rather than man, should be the final sanction and that government should be responsible to the governed” (political philosophy). This political philosophy in the West was expanded by the Declaration of Independence. The Americans increasingly began to believe that they “must secure their rights outside the empire” (Declaration of Independence). And the human rights of all “human beings everywhere demand the realization of diverse value or capabilities to ensure their individual and collective well-being” (human rights). The main purpose of this website is to share article with the readers. This online encyclopedia is accessible for me to define a definition. The criteria this website uses for me to define my literary term is to link information with the website to help me in my research. The terms I need to absorb are linked and clearly explained. This reading was resourceful because it helped me explain the American constitutionalism. I help me identify some of the early American critics who helped liberate America. Their sets of belief about man kind sums up why our history is the way it began. I give credit to this website because it’s an encyclopedia, which is a trusted resource by scholars and students in academics.

5. “Democratic Origins and Revolutionary Writers, 1776-1820.” Outline of American Literature. December 2006. 31 May 2007. < http://usinfo.state.gov/products/ Pubs/oal/lit2.htm >
The above source is one chapter of an extensive electronic volume of information on American history through its first writers, posted on a federal government website. This chapter deals primarily with the writers, motivations, themes, and authors of the Enlightenment period. The information on the website describes Enlightenment writing as a “movement marked by rationality rather than tradition, scientific inquiry rather than unquestioning religious dogma, and representative government in place of monarchy.” Naturally, as the website notes, much of the writing of this period is political, calling into question some religious aspects as well. Any writer, before and during the American Revolution, who called into question the old ways of thinking could easily be considered an Enlightenment writer. The credibility of the website is unquestionable, being that it’s a government website, dealing mainly with historical events and the literature that came about as a result of such events. In additional, the website names specific authors, along with their corresponding works, making further research much easier.

6. Van Anglen, K.P. “The Lightning from the Sky and the Scepter from Tyrants: Religion and the American Enlightenment.” Religion and the Arts. June 1999. p. 248 31 May 2007. < http://web.ebscohost.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=10&hid=118&sid=c22004ca-4d60-860a-51f5fd33afa4%40sessionmgr108 >.
The above source is a peer-reviewed article from a scholarly journal (giving it credibility no doubt) regarding the two schools of academic thought when it comes to the inspiration behind the American Revolution. One school of thought is that the writers, founding fathers, and colonizers of the time were secularly minded, meaning they wished to escape religious influence. Another school of thought, as described by the website, argues that religion played a huge role in the forming of a new government, nation, and people, thus influencing the writings of the times.Although the website may not provide unlimited amounts of literary information, it provokes thoughts on the circumstances and subjects of which Enlightenment authors were putting into print.

7. Hooker, Richard. “The Enlightenment Comes to America.” The Idea of America. 6 June 1999. Washington State University. 8 June, 2007. < http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/AMERICA/ENLIGHT.HTM >
This website gives a history of America. It talks about the enlightenment years of the infant United States, and the political revolutions that followed enlightenment ideals. This website is helpful because it gives the reader an idea of how enlightenment ideas influenced the direction of the country.

8. Enlightenment in America, 1720-1825. Pickering & Chatto Publishers. June 7, 2007 < http://www.pickeringchatto.com/index.php/pc_site/major_works/the_enlightenment_in_america_1720_1825 >
This website is actually a review of a book about the American Enlightenment. It is helpful however because it provides dating for the Enlightenment period. The dates given are 1720-1825. This may be a broad label applied to the period, but it serves the purpose of dating the enlightenment period.

9. Osborne, Thomas. Aspects of Enlightenment: Social Theory and the Ethics of Truth. London: U C L P, Limited, 1998. Mesa Community College ebrary. 15 June 2007 <http://site.ebrary.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/lib/mesa/Top?channelName=mesa&cpage=1&docID=2003631&f00=text&frm=smp.x&hitsPerPage=10&layout=document&p00=enlightenment&sortBy=score&sortOrder=desc>.
The main purpose of this website is to discuss different aspects of the Enlightenment era. The website defines the period of the Enlightenment as the eight-teenth-century. With this knowledge one can see if a specific author or test fits into this literary period. This resource was helpful in reading and interpreting authors, texts, and themes of the period because it had information on all of those elements. This was a credible website because the author was clearly listed. It is a credible also because the publishing information is clearly noted.

11. Geras, Norman. Enlightenment and Modernity. Palgrave, 1999. Mesa Community College ebrary. 15 June 2007 <http://site.ebrary.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/lib/mesa/Top?channelName=mesa&cpage=1&docID=2004445&f00=text&frm=smp.x&hitsPerPage=10&layout=document&p00=enlightenment&sortBy=score&sortOrder=desc>.
The main purpose of this website is to offer background information about Enlightenment. The website states that the Enlightenment era was the 1800’s, with this in mind you could check if an author or text fits in this era. Since the resource offers background information about the Enlightenment era, this makes it help in reading and interpreting the authors, texts, and themes of the period. This website was credible because the author and publishing information are clearly stated.

12.Neem, Johann N. “Beyond the Wall: Reinterpreting Jefferson’s Danbury Address.”
Journal of the Early Republic 27.1. 2007: 139-154. JSTOR. Cline Library,
Flagstaff, AZ. 5 June 2008. < http://www.jstor.org >
JSTOR is an online article database that can be accessed through various libraries. This article analyzes Jefferson’s Danbury address. This work is important to the period because it is a clear portrait of how Jefferson felt about God and reason. This resource was helpful because it really analyzed Jefferson’s purpose behind building a “wall” between church and state. In turn, this analysis helped to further my knowledge of exactly how these two motifs play out in the Enlightenment period. This website is credible because it is part of an online database that is used by universities throughout the country.
13.Perry, Margaret. “Phillis Wheatley: Overview.” Reference Guide to American
Literature. 3rd Ed. Ed. Jim Kamp. St. James Press: 1994.
This excerpt, while brief, is a general overview of Phillis Wheatley’s writing style. I found it to be helpful when reading through Wheatley’s poems and analyzing the meaning behind them. Her poetry is important because she was an African-American slave during colonial times and was one of the first African-American authors to write and actually be heard. This website is reliable because it came from the MCC library database.

14. "Enlightenment." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 3 June 2008 < http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9032680 >.
The main purpose of the website is to provide the Encyclopaedia Britannica to viewers on the website. This portion of the website in particular is to inform readers about the Enlightenment period. Literature specific to the Enlightenment period will most likely revolve around how reason, God, nature and man interact. This resource helped me understand a little bit more about the Enlightenment period and know what to expect in my readings by listing the criteria and some of the major philosophers of the time that I was already familiar with. This website is credible because it comes from a well known encyclopaedia.

15. Lewis, Hackett. “The Age of Enlightenment.” International World History Project.
1992. World History Project. 3 June 2008 < http://history-world.org/age_of_enlightenment.htm >.

The main purpose of this website is to provide a collection of articles and videos chronicling a wide variety of world history. There was a section about the Age of Enlightenment. Literature specific to the Enlightenment will probably grapple with the issue of rational thought versus God and scientific law. This resource helped me to more thoroughly understand the widespread of effect of the Enlightenment on culture and the effect it had on literature specifically. This website is credible because it is a .org, and it is run by a doctor of history and former professor.

16. Robertson, John. "The Enlightenment." History Review n28 (Sept 1997 n28): 40(7). Academic OneFile. Gale. Mesa Community College. 9 June 2008
http://find.galegroup.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE.
This article gives an overview of the Enlightenment period. Philosophers met and talked and wrote about ways to improve the world. This period authors focused on a common set of values which were reasoning, humanity, liberty, and tolerance. This website is helpful in understand where the Enlightenment period came from along with history on the period. It also tells about how the idea of a single Enlightenment is now questioned among scholars. I was able to use this article to get a sense of the type of writing created during this time period. This article is creditable because the author John Robertson teaches History at Cambridge University as well as authored books on the topic of Enlightenment.


17. Himmelfarb, Gertrude.Roads to Modernity: The British, French, and American Enlightenments. New York:Randomhouse,2004.
This text discusses the American Enlightenment as a social tool, and how it relates to the British and French enlightenment as well. I find this source to be credible as it has been reviewed a number of times by numerous sources, such as the New York Times and other authors. this source defines enlightenment in relation to social factors.

18. Baym, Nina, ed. “Overview: 1700 to 1820.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature. W.W. Norton and Company: 2007. 16 June 2008. < http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/naal7/contents/A/overview1.asp > The Enlightenment was a period in which the American colonies grew and began to encompass beliefs beyond Puritanism. Authors and philosophers focused on the individual’s ability to understand or figure out the world around him through scientific thought. While many still adhered to religious beliefs, the idea of deism came into prominence. Deism believed in one creator who was “rational and benevolent.” Deists and non-deists alike started to examine how their actions affected society, creating a sense of moral responsibility. Enlightenment thinking elevated man to assume that man was innately good and that it was possible to achieve a harmonious community. With such ideas becoming more of the social fabric and more authors advocating them, the Americans’ distaste for English rule became stronger as did their belief in independence. This site is very informative and contains links to other historical periods as well as authors writing during this time period. The site is reliable because it is the online version of the Norton Anthology, as respected literary anthology.

18. "Age of Enlightenment." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 18 June 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment
The Wikipedia web site, is an online encyclopeida that contains information from knowledgeable people and several enyclopedias. Although it might sound like it is not credible because people can go in and edit/add things to the pages, most of the information added is by very credible places/people. The site is also monitored so if any incorrect information is added to the page, it is usually deleted right away. The good thing about the site is that it is regularly updating its pages. This page on the age of enlightenment was updated on June 18, yesterday.
This site gives an overall background/summary of the Age of Enlightement, as well as including a list of important figures. According to the site, this period refers to the intellectual and philisophical developements of that age.
Important figures include: Thomas Abbt, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine.

19. Hooker, Richard. “The Idea of America: The American Enlightenment.” World Civilizations. 6 June 1999. 2 June 2009. <http://wsu.edu/~dee/AMERICA/ENLIGHT.HTM> Hosted by the history department of Washington State University, this site is a collaborative effort that summarizes the events and ideologies pertaining to the American Age of Enlightenment. The article explains how the Enlightenment movement of Europe influenced, and later interacted, with the increasing number of “enlightened” Americans and their demand for self-representation. The first half of the article discusses the movement prior, and leading up to, the American Revolution. The second half explains how the philosophies of the movement helped to encourage American independence, and also how it created England’s disbelief in the American cause. Links are provided at the end of the article, if additional information about this time period is desired. This site has won several awards for its web content, and is credible because the collaborative project was edited by history professors at a university website. The summary of this era was particularly interesting and helpful because it covers Deism and Enlightenment as a Revolutionary Era movement that stood against “nostalgic” Puritanical and monarchal supporters. The article also showed that there were many underlying cultural influences, and symbolism, concerning the Revolutionary events. Then the events further encouraged the Enlightenment and anti-Enlightenment movements, and the cycle fueled itself.

20. Grenda, Christopher S. “Thinking about Diversity: Religion, the Enlightenment, and the Construction of Civic Culture in Early America.” Journal of Church & State. Summer2006, Vol. 48 Issue 3: p567-600
This article is detailed and explains diversity as it was viewed during the Enlightenment in America. Covered are the influences of England’s John Locke, as well as America’s subtle reinforcement of those ideas back onto England. Also mentioned are the differences between the American and French Revolution, which both claimed Deism motivation. American was emerging from secular governments, like Puritanism, and the country needed to unite everyone despite difference in belief. Diversity, therefore, is the cultural conditioning that leads the individual to psychologically judge right from wrong, or good from evil. Through practice and repetition, our personal virtues are rewarded and discouraged for better or worse. Religion plays its part by conditioning us with what becomes our perception of virtue. Thus, the power and coercion of government is limited to the power of the individual; it does not guarantee that the “rights” of law and punishment are believed in, or motivating, the individual. Free Will is seen as the true motivator, although conditioned by the culture and experiences that have shaped our personal tastes. Additionally, it is our personal tastes that often determine our concept of Higher Good, or God. The Deist movement is covered in its subsequent followers, like John Adams, and related to modern day. Also shown is that Deism is not the disbelief in God. Rather, in Lockean style, our concept of God is shaped by our life, contributing to our sense of self and how we interact with society. Aside from helping to provide the literary criteria mentioned, the detailed article is credible; it was published in a peer reviewed journal that is now within MCC’s library database.

21."religion, philosophy of."Encyclopædia Britannica.2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.10June2009 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-280010>.
The main purpose of this website is the common beliefs behind enlightenment and telling how these ideas formed. The website tells about the authors that this period centers around the philosphers that brought these ideas into form into the world. The text falls into the specific literary period because it was during the 17th and 18th century that these ideas formed. The site talks about the existence of God and the importance to the people of self-government and the ideals that make up the enlightenment. The reason the website is credible is because it comes from the peer reviewed encyclopedia brittanica.

22.Beeman, Dr. Richard. "Ben Franklin and the American Enlightenment". Ben Franklin 300. June 10 2009 <http://www.benfranklin300.org/_etc_pdf/Enlightenment_Richard_Beeman.pdf>.
This website main purpose is a historical review by Dr. Richard Beeman of the life of Benjamin Franklin in regards to the American Enlightenment period. Benjamin Franklins life took place during the American Enlightenment period and places this review as a credible source among this period because of that. Dr. Beeman examines Franklins life in relation to the enlightenment and characteristics of the centeredness on God and Self-government come through. The reason this website is credible is because the paper was written by Dr. Richard Beeman of Pennsylvania University and he is an expert in the field of history.

23. Brians, Paul. “The Enlightenment” March 11, 1998. Revised May 18, 2000. Wisconsin State University. 11JUN09. <http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/hum_303/enlightenment.html>.
The main purpose of this website is to give a thorough background of the Enlightenment era, including the events that led up to it as well as the events that took place during it. It includes information such as the ‘Political and Economic Background’, explanations of the ‘Enlightenment in America’ as well as ‘the Enlightenment in England’, and the ‘Heritage of the Enlightenment’. The criteria this website gives if very facts and figures based. Very generally, it classifies t as being during the 18th century. It classifies it more broadly as being a time period in which great thinkers emerged and human rights were developed. This website was helpful in incorporating the authors and texts that I chose because it helped me visualize what the time period was like and what major events were taking place. This would be a credible website because it was very clear that a lot of research was done in order to build the site, and it also listed where one could go to read further about the topic.

24. “The Main Objectives of the Age of Enlightenment” Suite 101. March 29, 2009. 11JUN09. <http://philosophy.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_main_objectives_of_the_age_of_enlightenment>. The main purpose of this enlightenment is just as the title of the article states, to give ‘the main objectives of the age of Enlightenment’. It includes information such as the differences between the French and English Enlightenments, education, and also human rights. One of the main classifications it lists as a criterion is that it was time when most people were rebelling against the authorities in order to gain their rights. It also classifies the Enlightenment era as a time in which many new developments were made that projected the world into a new era. This resource was very helpful in my reading of the author’s poems because it showed me what rights they were fighting for as well as what the typical education level and morality level was during this time. I would consider this a credible website because it lists the resources it used when researching and it also provides a selection of images from the time and other sources for further reading.

25. Reck, Andrew. “Benjamin Franklin and the American Enlightenment”. World & I. Feb93, Vol. 8 Issue 2, p556. June 2009. https://ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/login?url=https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=khh&AN=9301290324&site=ehost-live. This article provides a great deal of information on Benjamin Franklin and his role in the American Enlightenment. Through learning about Franklin we are able to see the Enlightenment through many different eyes, as Franklin was a multi-faceted man. The article discusses Franklin’s international escapades as well as his many accomplishments in science and literature. It is very useful to understand just how influential Benjamin Franklin was during the time of the Enlightenment, not only for historical value but to really know some of the players that were a little behind the scenes in forming our country. This article talks much about what the Enlightenment was and how it shaped our independent American culture.

26. Domitrovic, Brian. “New thoughts on an old idea.” Modern Age 47.3 (Summer 2005): 260(4). General OneFile. Gale. Mesa Community College. 10 June 2009 <http://find.galegroup.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/itx/start.do?prodId=ITOF.> The main purpose for the website it to explain The Enlightenment. The Enlightenment brought about characteristics such as wanton imperialism, capitalism, and ecological depredation. Enlightenment was forced to be seen as an “unfinished project” because it didn’t want to bring about anti-rationalist politics. It is said that Enlightenment helped to organize our world-picture and our politics however it is also argued that Enlightenment did not make us who we are today. This website was helpful because it described The Enlightenment period that took place in 1648-1789. It stated how Enlightenment helped bring about Romanticism. Not only was this a period in history but it also helped introduce another period. A person would be able to determine if a specific text fit into this period because it would be about Enlightenment itself, some sort of promotion of it. This is a credible website because the source was taken straight from an electronic resource from the MCC Library website.

27. Pocock, J.G.A. “The Enlightenment and the Origins of European Australia.” The English Historical Review 118.479 (Nov 2003): 1403(2). General OneFile. Gale. Mesa Community College. 10 June 2009 <http://find.galegroup.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/itx/start.do?prodId-ITOF.> This website describes there was an English and Scottish Enlightenments. It is said the Enlightenment consisted of science, a series of systems aiming at secular explanation, prediction, and improvement. It would be simple to determine if a book or story was written during this period of time because it could have been written by Sir Joseph Banks or John Gascoigne. These were authors in the age of Enlightenment. This text was easy to interpret because it is short but to the point. It does a great job at describing the two different Enlightenments of English and Scottish. This text was found on the MCC Library website therefore it proves itself to be a credible resource. An author is named in the resource as well as a book written about Enlightenment.



28. “The Great Awakening and Enlightenment in Colonial America”. Historyking.com. 11 June 2009 http://www.historyking.com/American-History/The-Great-Awakening-And-Enlightenment-In-Colonial-America.html. This article provides a great deal of basic information about the American Enlightenment and what it meant to our country. This Enlightenment dealt with the struggles of religious power, the ability for man to reason for himself, rebellion against oppressors, and the bond with men to their natural environment. While the article itself is not very long, it does offer a great deal of important information, plus it provides links to read about additional American history.

29. Rempel, Gerhard. “The age of the enlightenment”. <http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/wc2/lectures/enlightenment.html> The main purpose of this website is to explain the Age of Enlightenment to its readers. Not only does it define the period but it describes the various components which make it up. For example, the social milieu, the intellectual setting, methods in which it were utilized, how it pertains to religion, the history behind it and the social science and political thought. It defines this era as the Age of Enlightenment because it was a culmination and a new beginning of thoughts and institutionalized traditions. Rempel also stated the main figures of this erasuch as Rousseau, Voltaire and Pascal. This website was helpful in understanding the term because it described the various aspects of the revolution from the history, criticism and main figures.

30. Brians, Paul. “The Enlightenment”. 11 March 1998. < http://classiclit.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=classiclit&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsu.edu%3A8080%2F%7Ebrians%2Fhum_303%2Fenlightenment.html> The main purpose of this website is to define and describe the Enlightenment period. Specifically, it takes a look at how the Enlightenment era arose prior to the 18th century. Certain thinkers believed that they were more “enlightened” than the rest of society, believing that human reason could combat ignorance, tyranny and superstition, which if all these are combated could ultimately create a better world. Their main target was religion and the aristocracy. This website provides background information in antiquity and the Renaissance Humanists. It explains Enlightenment in the 17th century and the background and influence of the current political and economic state. The website continues to explain this era by explaining the role of the Aristocrats and how the Enlightenment was in Europe and America. This website was extremely helpful because it explained the Age of Enlightenment from all aspects including how it started in the 17th century and how it was different in America than it was in Europe.

31. A., Ferguson, Robert. American enlightenment, 1750-1820. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard UP, 1997. Google Books. Google. 19 June 2009 <http://books.google.com/books?id=Q_Uueyp-0TYC&dq=american+enlightenment&as_brr=0&source=gbs_navlinks_s>.
The main purpose of this book is to discuss how the Enlightenment was seen as a movement within the hearts of the people. It also discusses how writings depicting the revolution will differ depending upon the author. To be an enlightenment author the writer must be examining the well being of the culture as a whole and push for radical change. This resource was helpful in deciphering the authors that belong in the enlightenment period. It also depicted a lack of self-confidence and self-awareness within the colonists. This is a credible source because the author is a professor at the Columbia School of Law.

32. Grenda, Christopher S. "Thinking historically about diversity: religion, the enlightenment, and the construction of civic culture in early America." Journal of Church and State 48.3 (Summer 2006): 567(34). Academic OneFile. Gale. Mesa Community College. 19 June 2009
<http://find.galegroup.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE>.
The purpose of this article is to discuss how religion, previous wars, and reflection inspired the Enlightenment. For a text to fit into the Enlightenment it should include reflection on religious toleration, freedom of print, and more conducive forms of government. This site was helpful in reading the texts because it really clarified what caused the Enlightenment and what inspired the authors of the time. This source is credible because it was published in a known journal.

33. O'Neill, Johnathan, and McDowell, Gary L.. America and Enlightenment Constitutionalism. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Digital.

This is a book about Enlightenment in America. I accessed this on the MCC Ebrary. It is a reliable source because the publisher is a well known publisher of academic books. This book discusses enlightenment in America and how it relates to the constitution. In the 1790s, many people thought that America was "the most enlightened nation in the world" (O'Neill 159). The book discusses how people in America viewed themselves as well as how the rest of the world viewed them. People in America began to realize that the opressive views that they previously lived under should no longer be relevant.

34. Barnett, S. J., Enlightenment and Religion : The Myths of Modernity. Manchester: Manchester University Press , 2004. Digital.

I accessed this book on MCC's Ebrary. This source seems reliable because it is a book, not a website, and it was produced by a well known publisher. This book focuses mostly on history. Enlightenment in American literature was a period when people started focusing less on the consequences in their afterlives and more on living and enjoying life. This source gives insight to thoughts of enlightenment in religion.

Enlightenment

Declaration of Independence, oil-on-canvas by John Trumbull, 1817

Early American Enlightenment Authors


Age of Enlightenment. Web. Oct. 14, 2009. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pD13KvlLe4&feature=related>

Unknown Period Reflection on Enlightenment