How Did The Enlightenment Affect The American Colonies

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The English Enlightenment opposed a God of wrath and embraced man’s ability to grow in knowledge and social improvements. As the Enlightenment had its effects in the American colonies the colonist were affected by the ideas of this movement. In order for the colonists to embrace both their evangelical religion and the Enlightenment they would have to compromise and also respond to the consequences of this movement. During the Enlightenment many people were against rigid doctrine and even scoffed at conversion experiences. This would make it hard to embrace evangelical religion during the Enlightenment. Even with these difficulties John Tillotson, the archbishop of Canterbury, found a “polite and universal spirit”. He preached more on the morality of men rather than the radical doctrines; while at the same time teaching on the eternal damnation of sinners. His sermons found their way to American libraries where he had a tremendous impact on America and even Harvard College. This compromise may have helped colonists embrace their religion and the Enlightenment, but it also had devastating consequences. This compromise led Harvard to teach a way of favoring a broad range of religion and led to most …show more content…
The establishment of Georgia is a great example of this. The sponsors of this idea wanted to create a useful place for England’s worthy poor. In an effort to create the perfect Enlightenment utopia they outlawed alcohol and slavery. Georgia was also established on the idea to create new products and agriculture that other colonies had not made successful. All these ideas were unsuccessful and after losing many colonists, the ban on alcohol and slavery were lifted. Georgia also began to produce the same crops as South Carolina. The Enlightenment utopia failed and the consequences led more to spreading the idea of revival instead of Enlightenment
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