ch as authors, writers, and, scientists.
             The majority of those that were educated prior to the 17th and 18th centuries belonged to the church. Of those individuals wishing to receive an education the majority came from the upper class or the aristocracy, and the education they received for the most part came from the church. As more people became educated they began to question the teachings of the church. The Kings right to rule was believed to have come directly from god and passed through the Pope; however, as men became enlightened this view no longer remained unchallenged. The people sought to limit the powers of the King and the church over their lives. Englishmen, such as Burke, Locke, and, Smith wrote books in reference to God, government, and, science.
             Many of the educated men of the late 17th and early 18th centuries wrote about the relationship of man and government, man and their rights, and mans understanding of God. These writers such as John Locke and Thomas Paine expressed the views of not only themselves but of the majority of the learned men that lived during this time. The enlightened men were searching for more then what was happening; they wanted to know why and what power justified it so. These same writers had a lasting and profound effect on those living in through-out the world, as well as in America and those that were destined to write the Declaration of Independence.
             This first generation of enlightened men began to question everything around them. In doing so, they came to certain conclusions that reinforced their beliefs that did not support the church or the king as the divine ruler of the people. Through science and experimentation they made discoveries that changed their view of God and nature. The enlightened man began to look more on nature as the way things were to be and that God was simply the final or end result. From this, we are able to see that if man questioned and altere...