Write a note on the gradual change from Puritan ethics to Enlightenment ethos as seen in the works of the writers of 18th century America.

The 18th century was the age of Enlightenment. It was the
time when the 13 colonies became the United States of America, and when all ties with
England and the past became severed both politically, religiously, and most importantly
psychologically.

One must remember that one century before,
the Puritans and other immigrant groups that came from England and all over Europe had a
purpose of transferring their belief systems, and bring their past onto the new
land.

However, as more diverse immigrants came in, a
paradigm shift occurred in the exposure of new ideals, beliefs, and systems of
faith.

Moreover, when the great philosophers such as Thomas
Paine came out with mind-boggling news breakers such as Common Sense, a new era of
detachment from past believes and traditions was in
place.

The former literature of Winthrop, the Cotton
Mahers, the Jonathan Edwards were swiftly taken to oblivion and greats such as Thomas
Jefferson, Ben Franklin, the founding Fathers and many other international humanists
focused on reason versus belief.  It is obvious that the tendency was to move away from
everything that once reminded the new Americans that they once were a group of colonists
ostracized and bullied by a King. Now they were free men and, what's more, they were
free to choose.

This is how the shift happened, and
continues to happen as mankind continues to get to know itself.