Directed Writing Five

Philip Jahnke

Honors Program

Directed Writing Five

Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, was influenced by the Enlightenment and by Deism. This author will try to discuss how Jefferson uses Enlightenment thought and Deism in the Declaration of Independence.

To understand Jefferson's usage of Enlightenment thought, people must understand the period called the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a period in which the thoughts of the Scientific Revolution were popularized and were applied to other areas besides science. The philosophers and thinkers of the Enlightenment "felt that people were ready to shrug off the shackles of tradition and custom and participate in the progress of civilization" (Harrison 469). The Enlightenment had three basic concepts that all philosophers and thinkers of the Enlightenment agreed upon. These concepts are reason, nature, and change and progress. Reason can be condensed as the following, "All assumptions should be subjected to critical and empirical reasoning. Traditional institutions or customs should not be accepted because they have been long-lasting but rather should be examined critically and held up to the standard of reason. True knowledge is gained empirically" (Harrison 469). Nature is capable of being summarized by, "Nature is ordered, functions reasonably, and constitutes a standard for judgment. Nature is governed by a few simple and unchangeable laws. A move to nature is a move toward wholesome vigor and freedom" (Harrison 469). Change and progress can be abridged as, "Change and progress work hand in hand as human beings work to perfect themselves and their society. Change should not be viewed with distrust as a deterioration from a previously superior, more perfect state of things. Change, when dictated by reason and when in line with nature, liberates individuals and should be pursued" (Harrison 469).

One other thing that people must understand to comprehend the influences on Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence is what Deism is. According to author Daniel Reid, "... deism is essentially a rationalistic religion, which assumes that all men naturally possess the ability to know the universe's Deity through reason, and that the creator of the universe was a rational architect. On the other hand, unlike Renaissance humanism it [Deism] assigned God to the outer reaches of the universe, seeing him as only a beneficent, impersonal, and artful creator" (Reid ).

In the very first sentence, Thomas Jefferson shows the influence of Enlightenment thought on him. He writes, "When in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another..." (Jefferson 1). "Necessary" (Thomas Jefferson 1) meaning that the people are ready to "shrug off the shackles of tradition and custom" which is what many of the thinkers of the Enlightenment thought (Harrison 469). Jefferson shows the influence of the nature concept of the Enlightenment when he writes, "...unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" (Jefferson 1). In Enlightenment thought, nature is directed by a small number of laws. The "unalienable Rights" that Jefferson writes about are a part of those laws.  Jefferson wrote about nature again when he said, "We have appealed to their native Justice and Magnanimity..." (Jefferson 3). He does so again later on in the same paragraph when he writes, "They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of consanguinity" (Jefferson 3). These two quotes from the Declaration of Independence both show the influence of the concept of nature from the Enlightenment in that nature is supposed to be used as a standard for judgment (Harrison 469).

The next concept from the Enlightenment that Jefferson shows in the Declaration of Independence is change and progress. The first place that we see its influence is when Jefferson pens, "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness" (Jefferson 1). To some people it would seem that this sentence has nothing to do with the Enlightenment concept of change and progress, but if people were to look closely they will see that this sentence does connect to change and progress in that the "People" are getting rid of, changing, one government for another.

The last concept of the Enlightenment that Jefferson shows influenced his writing is reason.  He writes that, "...it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security" (Jefferson 1). This is a long excerpt but it shows that Jefferson was influenced by reason when he says "Duty" because thinkers of the Enlightenment believed that all traditional institutions should be thoroughly inspected by reason to see if they match up to the standard that reason has set (Harrison 469). He also shows the influence of reason by stating that, "A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a free People" (Jefferson 1). This segment is easily attributed to reason because the sentence seems logical.

The final influence on Jefferson was Deism. The Deist influence, in this author's opinion is faint and almost nonexistent, but it is there. This is somewhat seen when Jefferson writes, "...endowed by their Creator..." (Jefferson 1). This piece means that the Creator has created humans, endowed them with what they have, and then left them alone. It shows the deist idea that God is in the outer reaches of the universe and does not involve himself in worldly affairs very often (Reid).

Works Cited

Harrison, J., R. Sullivan, and D. Sherman. "The Enlightenment." A Short History of Western Civilizations. 6th ed. New York, NY, 1985. 469-70.

Reid, Daniel G., ed. "Deism." Dictionary of Christianity. Dowers Grove, IL: InterVarsity P, 1990.