The Enlightenment Spreads And The American Revolution

Submitted By amandayuana
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Amanda Yuan
Mr. Montgomery
World History, Period 1
September 18, 2014
The Enlightenment Spreads and the American Revolution
Modern civilization today is based on an enlightened problem­solving approach to government and society. In 1751, Denis Diderot began publishing the first volume of the
Encyclopedia, which spread Enlightenment ideas to educated people throughout Europe. During the Enlightenment, new art styles such as baroque and neoclassical began to emerge. Baroque style dominated the 1600s and early 1700s, and the design was very ornate. The art of the late
1700s is called neoclassical, which was more simple and elegant. Meanwhile, the Enlightenment also impacted Europe's royal courts, as monarchs began to rule more justly. Enlightened despots were monarchs who embraced the new ideas and made reforms that reflected the ideas of the
Enlightenment. Three famous enlightened despots included Frederick the Great, Joseph II, and
Catherine the Great.
The United States of America was created by a revolution. After the French and Indian war, Britain found itself in a huge debt. In an attempt to solve the financial issue, the Stamp Act was issued, where colonists would have to pay a tax to put a stamp on printed material.
American colonists were furious and declared this to be "taxation without representation", and reacted through the Boston Tea Party. In 1776, the Second Continental Congress issued the
Declaration of Independence, which was written