The Enlightenment Changes

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Can They Change? In Puritan society people believed that God dictated what happened to each person. Historically, the level of devotion that people showed towards their religion dictated how much God influenced their lives. The changes that occurred during the Enlightenment modified the way in which people thought and how they interpreted different events that occurred around them. People looked more towards human reasoning and science for their answers to everyday questions. Significant leaders introduced a new human reasoning which altered ideas that allowed some colonists to solve problems that had been previously answered by God. Before, God dictated how much money a person earned or how wealthy someone became. But now, they…show more content…
This is why Cotton Mather and Benjamin Franklin’s views of the Enlightenment were respected and admired. Franklin’s “Experiments and Observations on Electricity (1751) went through many editions in several languages and established his reputation as a leading thinker and experimenter” (America, 139). He was an extremely intelligent individual, and colonists saw that as a reason for following him in his ideas. “The triumph of his untutored genius confirmed the Enlightenment trust in the powers of Nature and Reason” (America, 140). Because Franklin was so well known and respected, colonists trusted him in his thoughts about nature and reason. They followed his thinking that he could make their lives better if they just listened to him. In Franklin’s piece “The Way to Wealth,” he advises his readers to take his advice about how to earn money and spend it. “While laziness travels so slowly, that Poverty soon overtakes him, as we read in Poor Richard, who adds, Drive thy Business, let not that drive thee; and Early to Bed, and early to rise, makes a Man healthy, wealthy and wise” (FTR, 78). Never to be in debt, and never to be lazy is what he advises his readers to do and for himself. He stated that he will do the same. Everyone needs to help themselves by not being lazy and doing their work if they want to be successful. There will be enough time to sleep when a person is in the grave, but for now, everyone must work for their well-being. These colonists looked upon Benjamin Franklin as an idol and wanted any and all advice they could get from

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