ABSTRACT
Traditional assumptions regarding religion and philosophy—the latter then encompassing the domains of the natural and physical sciences, politics, economics, psychology, educational theory, and more—were altered in dramatic and profound ways by Enlightenment doctrines. While Enlightenment thought initially captured the attention of only the most educated in Europe and America, ideas associated with the movement soon began to be discussed among broader segments of the population. The new American states' distrust of England was matched by an almost similar distrust of each other. As various spokesmen articulated their political goals, some of the most thoughtful also set forth educational "reform" proposals. In so doing, these architects of the American nation clearly and deliberately fused educational theory with political theory. Newly selfconscious American nationalists saw internal disorder and the rise of political factions as ominous threats to enlightened self-government and the fragile concept of republican community.
