Paine, Jefferson, Crevecoeur.... influence of writings
Life. Liberty. The pursuit of happiness. These freedoms we hold so dear came from a long English tradition. However, Americans shaped this history into their own philosophy by creating a recipe with humanitarian and Enlightenment ideas as the essential ingredients. The new mix called for a revolution. As leaders, Paine, Jefferson, and Crevecoeur shaped the age of liberty and revolution for the American people. Their literary works and motivating speeches illustrate their feelings on equality and freedom that would shape their future and our past. According to their convictions, self-determination and freedom of belief would lead to human equality and a productive society. According to Paine, Jefferson, and Crevecoeur, self-determination guarantees the right for all people to have a voice in their government. This voice theoretically eliminates infractions of freedom that restrict the individual's ability to contribute economically and socially to their country. Thus, self-determination benefits both the citizen and the nation. In Common Sense, Paine envisions the manifestation of this self-determination in a representative democracy while he encourages Americans to form a government that speaks with an American, not a
The power to define your own beliefs also contributes to self-determination, paving the way for equality and equal opportunity. Religion dominates issues concerning belief. In Query XVII of Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, Jefferson states, "in their declaration of rights, declared it to be the truth, and a natural light, that the exercise of religion should be free" (Jefferson 527); thus the government loses the power to dictate a person's beliefs. Paine also believed that individuals have the right to define their own spirituality. Paine asks how an outside force can invade a person's mind to constrict or construct human thought and belief. Paine expresses in The Age of Reason one's belief is his/hers and not another's. "It is necessary to the happiness of man, that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe" (Paine 510). People have the right to believe or disbelieve any creed they wish. Crevecoeur contributes to this idea by claiming that uniformity of belief can detract or add to economic or personal happiness. Crevecoeur illustrates a picture in which people of different creeds may work together for the
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Approximate Word count = 843
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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