AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Revolutionary Ideas (Day 47/309)

Welcome to today’s explanation of Revolutionary Ideas in my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

Benjamin Franklin’s Junto Club, Conversational Leadership

Through transatlantic exchanges and the growth of print culture, European ideas quickly spread to the colonies. Pamphlets grew in prominence as they were cheap to produce and easily portable. Additionally, collective reading in taverns and public settings were common in the era and aided in the spread of ideas.

John Locke, Wikimedia Commons

The main philosophy that influenced American ideas of independence was the Enlightenment. John Locke’s emphasis on the government’s role of protecting an individual’s natural rights of life, liberty, and property influenced the way that Americans viewed Parliament. 

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, Wikimedia Commons

These ideas were found in a massively popular pamphlet, Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine in January 1776. It clearly explained why independence from Britain would be better for Americans and it had a profound impact on public opinion. 

The ideas of the American Revolution emerged out of Enlightenment philosophy. They influenced American attitudes toward a republican form of government which was supported through writings including Paine’s Common Sense.

Join me tomorrow as I explain the Declaration of Independence in our next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!