pean“Age of Reason'”or“Enlightenment understand both nature and man:unlike the Puritans-who saw man as a sinful failure the Enlightenment thinkers were sure that man could improve himself (3)Wanted to create a happy society based on justice and freedom II.Benjamin Franklin (1706W1790) 1.his writings:show the Enlightenment spirit in America at its best and most optimistic 2.His style:quite modern;a return to the Puritans'"plain style' 3.Poor Richard's Almanac (1732-1757): -moral advice(praising honesty and attacking drunkenness.etc aying ng money and working hard 4.The Way to Weath(17)a collection ofthe bes 5.An energetic man with wide interests 6.invented one type of short prose which greatly influenced the development of a story-telling form in America called the"hoax",or the "tall tale"(later made famous by Mark Twain) 7.Franklin's only real book:Autobiography -the first part:an entertaining description of his life up toearly manhood -the second part:more serious-writing about himself"for the improvement of other" -As the autobiography of"the father of the Yankees",it is a book of great value. III.Thomas Paine(1737-1809) 1.the greatest pamphlet-writer of the Am erican Revolutio 2.Common Sense(1776):the most historically important pamphlet in American histor 3.The American Crisis:a series of thirteen pamphlets 4.The Rights of Man(1791-1792):a famous defense of the French Revolution(1789) IV.Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826) 1.the on y one as imp nt a writer for the American cause as Paine 2.the chief author of the Declaration of Independence 3.Declaration ofIndependence: (1)Thanks to Jefferson's beautiful style,the most important document in the political history of the United States is also a fine work of literature ten du time in the war,the Declaration is surprisingly free from emotional appeals (3)It is a clear and logical statement of why America wanted its independence. (4)The Declaration was revised 86 times before it was finally signed on July 14. 1776 4.Notes on the State of Virginia(17847-1785) (1)one of the best descriptions ofearly America (2)attacking the slavery system 5.deeply influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment (1)Man does not have to depend on God to improve the world,and should use his own wisdom to do the improving by himself.5 (1) Admired and were active in the European “Age of Reason” or “Enlightenment”; (2) Shared the Enlightenment belief that human intelligence (or “reason”) could understand both nature and man: unlike the Puritans-who saw man as a sinful failure the Enlightenment thinkers were sure that man could improve himself. (3) Wanted to create a happy society based on justice and freedom II. Benjamin Franklin (1706W1790) 1. his writings: show the Enlightenment spirit in America at its best and most optimistic 2. His style: quite modern; a return to the Puritans' “plain style” 3. Poor Richard's Almanac (1732-1757) : -moral advice (praising honesty and attacking drunkenness, etc.) -many “sayings” about saving money and working hard 4. The Way to Wealth (1757): a collection of the best of his sayings” 5. An energetic man with wide interests 6. invented one type of short prose which greatly influenced the development of a story-telling form in America called the “hoax”, or the “tall tale” (later made famous by Mark Twain) 7. Franklin's only real book: Autobiography -the first part: an entertaining description of his life up to early manhood -the second part: more serious-writing about himself “for the improvement of other” - As the autobiography of “the father of the Yankees”, it is a book of great value. III. Thomas Paine (1737-1809) 1. the greatest pamphlet-writer of the American Revolution 2. Common Sense (1776): the most historically important pamphlet in American history 3. The American Crisis: a series of thirteen pamphlets 4. The Rights of Man (1791-1792): a famous defense of the French Revolution (1789) IV. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) 1. the only one as important a writer for the American cause as Paine' 2. the chief author of the Declaration of Independence 3. Declaration of Independence: (1) Thanks to Jefferson's beautiful style, the most important document in the political history of the United States is also a fine work of literature. (2) Although it was written during a difficult time in the war, the Declaration is surprisingly free from emotional appeals. (3) It is a clear and logical statement» of why America wanted its independence. (4) The Declaration was revised 86 times before it was finally signed on July 14, 1776. 4. Notes on the State of Virginia (17847-1785) (1) one of the best descriptions of early America; (2) attacking the slavery system 5. deeply influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment (1) Man does not have to depend on God to improve the world, and should use his own wisdom to do the improving by himself