The Enlightenment influenced the American Revolution by giving colonists the opportunity to decide to break away from British rule. The colonists were able to see a different way of life than they were accustomed to. John Locke played a major role in the influence. The fundamental principles of the Enlightenment were the rejection of traditional belief based on religion, emotion and spirituality. It was mainly based on LOGIC, REASON and IDEAS. Ideas of freedom of speech, freedom from religious rules, freedom to experiment, freedom to question authority, existing institutions and laws, reliance on superstitions, ignorance, spirituality. He was influenced by the Church, the Crown, Locke, Rousseau and Montesquieu. Jefferson relied heavily on his philosophical event to the point of adopting Locke's Life, Liberty, and Property in his Declaration of Independence. He sought to pursue equal rights, so he proclaims this in his Declaration of Independence. He called for the government to convene cabinet to protect those rights. The before and after era in American history generated encouraging conditions for the Enlightenment to be deemed successful on an order comparable to that witnessed in the European Enlightenments. In the pre-revolutionary years, Americans reacted to the misrule of King George III, the injustice of Parliament (“taxation without representation”), and abusive treatment by a cruel and majestic government: the English Empire. As stated in the article ¨Reason for the Revolution¨ ¨The settlers reacted with indignation against the tax laws passed by the parliament.¨ This shows how they want equal treatment and want to be represented or not have to pay because they are not involved in the issue . with the government but with themselves. The English...... middle of paper ......blic, according to which the head of state is elected by the people, not appointed through hereditary bloodline. As North American colonists became increasingly convinced that British rule was corrupt and hostile to republican values, they joined militias and eventually formed the American Continental Army under the command of George Washington. The Enlightenment influenced the American Revolution by giving colonists the opportunity to decide to break away. from British rule. The colonists were able to see a different way of life than they were accustomed to. John Locke played a major role in the influence. This had a great impact as it allowed the colonists to rebel against what they thought was wrong. The founding fathers were impressed and decided to create a change to help not only themselves, but others as well. They wanted to create something that could help not only them but others as well.