The Articles of Confederation

The Age of Enlightenment is not explicitly referenced in Franklin’s Articles of Confederation, but it is clear that its ideas have influenced his writing.

This movement began in Europe in the 17th century and lasted through the end of the 18th. It emphasized reason, logic, and practicality and contributed to the political theory, influencing writers like John Locke and, later, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson. (Duignan, Brian. "Enlightenment." Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Mar. 2021. Accessed 2 April 2021.) For Franklin, these ideas also manifested in the theme of progress. Historian Walter Isaacson connects progress to the movement by saying that it was “the concept that individuals, and mankind in general, move forward and improve based on a steady increase of knowledge and the wisdom that comes from conquering adversity.” (Isaacson, Walter. A Benjamin Franklin Reader. Simon & Schuster, 2013.) Franklin was very mindful of progress, and while his Articles of Confederation were not voted on, their ideas contributed to the nation’s progress, finding their space in the United States Constitution in 1789.

Franklin uses “colony” to refer to what Americans now call a “state.” At the time of his Articles of Confederation, there were 13 American colonies under British rule.