The Enlightenment was a period of time, starting around 1715, when people developed new ideas about human existence, including people's basic rights and the purpose of government. When our Founding Fathers created a government for the...

This section of a chapter on "The English Empire" explains the significance of the Great Awakening and describes the genesis, central ideas, and effects of the Enlightenment in British North America.

A great essay on the Enlightenment period of the 18th century with hyperlinks to many individuals and movements of the time. A very scholarly look at the "age of enlightenment."

Use the video and text of "Give me liberty, or give me death!" a quotation by Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Virginia Convention in 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, to consider the two learning outcomes...

A chapter from a history text that looks at the Northern colonial economy, colonial town life, the immigrant groups who settled there, slavery in the North, the role of women, the Salem witchcraft trials, and the influence of the...

Learn all about life in the cities of England in 1775. The site also contains links to transportation and entertainment information.

This lesson contains the following labs: Rainbows, Refraction with Prisms, and What Color Is It? Students will study light by reading various nonfiction texts and viewing a video lesson. Then students will engage in the following labs:...

This is a guide for journalists who work in the field of press relations. This in-depth look at the profession and perfection of skills required to be a success may be enlightening for students interested in journalism and public relations.

This tutorial discusses the history of the Declaration of Independence, its structure, the philosophy on which it is based, the grievances against Great Britain, and the actual Declaration of Independence. A PDF file of the tutorial is...

This site from PBS provides enlightening lesson plans intended to facilitate students' learning of the blending of socialism and capitalism in China's economy. Contains wonderful resources and activities for the study of economics.

The Civil Wars and the Restoration of the monarchy, the Enlightenment or 'Age of Reason', and British colonialism: investigate the political and religious contexts of Restoration and 18th-century literature.

This lesson engages students in making observations about different features of light. Students will circulate in different light stations, reflect on what they have observed, and then write about what they learned.

An encyclopedia article on feminism that discusses its history in the ancient world, the influence of the Enlightenment, the suffrage movement, contemporary feminism in the West and the globalization of feminism.

Through two primary source activities and a short video, understand how Franklin embodied Enlightenment values and used his talent in writing and printing to have his opinions heard and help shape the world.

First section of a longer discussion on the Age of Johnson. Taken from The Cambridge History of English and American Literature.

Nova offers an enlightening conversation with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Topics include origins of the universe, multidisciplinary approaches to science, exciting recent discoveries, his position as director of the Hayden...

The University of Groningen provides information about the 17th century British liberal philosopher. Includes concise biographical information and a link to the text of "A Letter Concerning Toleration." Read about what part of his...

A biographical sketch of Christian Doppler (1803-1853), the Austrian mathematician whose study on the dependence of pitch upon the relative speed of source and observer resulted in the Doppler effect.

Encyclopedia entry about the French philosopher and writer. Features biographical information, including Diderot's education, philosophy, and major literary works.

The Secular Humanism site looks at Thomas Paine and his political philosophy based in deist thought.

From Johnson's Dictionary to letter-writing, newspapers and coffee-house culture: explore how different forms and mediums helped to develop and circulate language and ideas during the long 18th century.

Voltaire was one of the wisest, funniest and cleverest people of the 18th century. He continues to have a lot to teach us about toleration, modesty, and kindness. [2:15]

This essay from the Seton Hall University describes the transition from intolerance of Catholics to religious liberty in America.

Meet the Baron de Montesquieu, one of the great thinkers of the 18th century. He spent a lot of time thinking about how governments should be created and maintained. These ideas guided the Founding Fathers when they wrote the...