ILLUMINATING THE AMERICAN LITERARY LANDSCAPE: THE ENLIGHTMENT IN AMERICAN LITERATURE

Abstract

This article provides The Enlightenment period in America from the 18th to the early 19th century was a period of intellectual and philosophical growth.  This period saw a shift towards reason, science and individualism, which greatly influenced the literature of the time.  In this article, we will look at how the ideas of the Enlightenment, which shaped the works of famous writers such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson, appeared in American literature.