Question

document - based inquiry: the american enlightenment and the great awakening leading to the american revolution
essential question
how did the intellectual and religious movements of the 18th century prepare american colonists to challenge british authority and ultimately declare independence?
background information
the american revolution did not happen overnight. it was the result of decades of intellectual, religious, and political changes that transformed how colonists viewed authority, individual rights, and their relationship with britain. two major movements - the american enlightenment and the great awakening - played crucial roles in shaping colonial attitudes that would eventually lead to revolution.
the american enlightenment (roughly 1714 - 1818) brought new ideas about government, science, and individual rights to the colonies. meanwhile, the great awakening (1730s - 1740s) was a religious revival that challenged traditional authority and encouraged people to think for themselves about spiritual matters.
document analysis
document a: the american enlightenment and education
source: \american enlightenment and the american revolution\
\during this time, college curricula shifted from a focus on theology to a more secular moral philosophy. institutions began to embrace natural philosophy (science), modern astronomy, and mathematics, leading to the establishment of new - model american colleges... a possible starting point is 1714, when jeremiah dummers collection of enlightenment texts was donated to yale university. post - graduate student samuel johnson, upon receiving these books, remarked that they conflicted with his puritan education, stating, all this was like a flood of day to his low state of mind, feeling as if he was emerging out of the glimmer of twilight into the full sunshine of open day.\

Explanation:

The American Enlightenment introduced ideas about government, science, and individual - rights to the colonies, changing how colonists thought about authority. The Great Awakening, a religious revival, challenged traditional religious authority and encouraged self - reflection in spiritual matters. These intellectual and religious changes made colonists more questioning of British rule and more likely to assert their rights, ultimately leading to the American Revolution.

Answer:

The American Enlightenment brought new ideas about government, science, and individual rights, which made colonists question British authority. The Great Awakening challenged traditional religious authority and encouraged self - thinking, also contributing to a more independent mindset among colonists. Together, they prepared colonists to challenge British rule and declare independence.