How did the enlightenment influence the America and French Revolution? A. Enlightenment philosophy’s emphasis on Protestant Christianity caused people to rebel against the authority of the catholic church. B. Enlightenment philosophers published pamphlets in favor of monarchs divine right to rule, angering people into revolution. C. Idea about natural rights philosophy caused people to question and overthrow monarchy in favor of representative governments.

History · Middle School · Mon Jan 18 2021

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C. Ideas about natural rights philosophy caused people to question and overthrow monarchy in favor of representative governments.

The Enlightenment had a profound influence on both the American and French Revolutions, primarily through the dissemination of ideas related to individual rights, representative government, and the rejection of absolute monarchy.

In the American Revolution:

  • Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, with his ideas about natural rights (life, liberty, and property), influenced American colonists.
  • The concept of popular sovereignty, the idea that the government derives its authority from the consent of the governed, was a key Enlightenment principle that found expression in the Declaration of Independence.

In the French Revolution:

  • Enlightenment ideas, particularly those related to equality, liberty, and fraternity, fueled the intellectual climate that preceded the French Revolution.
  • Philosophers like Montesquieu and Rousseau contributed ideas about the separation of powers and the general will, respectively, which influenced revolutionary thought.
  • The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, inspired by Enlightenment principles, asserted the natural and inalienable rights of individuals.

Overall, the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, individual rights, and the role of the people in governance played a significant role in shaping the ideologies of both revolutions.