Explain the reason why the last period studied is called the augustan age, the age of reason, the age of enlightenment and speak about its main features

EXPLAIN THE REASON WHY THE LAST PERIOD STUDIED IS CALLED THE AUGUSTAN AGE, THE AGE OF REASON, THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT AND SPEAK ABOUT ITS MAIN FEATURES.

The first half of the 18^th century is called "Augustan age" because of the attention paid to the characteristics of the ancient Rome under the Emperor Augustus.

The Augustans turned to classical Rome and Greece, and the ruling class thought to be the true heir of the Roman Empire. The real English gentleman had the old Roman fortitude, perseverance, and forbearance together with Stoic pride. The great Augustan writers share a belief in reason as capable of imposing some order on an otherwise chaotic world.

In this period rules were important: hey were laid down for every aspect of life, from religion and philosophy to art and sports; from this derives the didactic tone of much Augustan literature.

The Augustans were convinced that their  aesthetic and moral canons were perfect because they conformed to nature, which they saw as the principle of universe, and to classical rules.

Neo-classicism became a style of life, that influenced poetry, sculpture, painting and even gardening and town planning.

As regarding architecture, in the 1730s there was a revolution that broke with the baroque followers of Christopher Wren; many British cities were adorned with classical terraces, squares and crescents, and the gothic style was popular too.

This period is also referred as "the age of reason" or "the Enlightenment": it had particular characteristics that distinguished England from the other European countries.

Many travellers were surprised by what they saw as the comparative freedom enjoyed by the British people in contrast with the more absolutist regimes of their own countries.

The difference were evident with France and its exasperated rationalism and anticlericalism and this took to the conflict between Britain and France, which can be summarised in three points:

• Protestantism vs. Catholicism
• Parliamentary monarchy vs. absolute monarchy
• Religious tolerance vs. religious intolerance.

Anyway, the respect for man's freedom did not prevent Britain from having the monopoly of the African slave trade. Despite these contradictions, Newton's scientific method, Locke's rational philosophy and Toland's scepticism stimulate a spirit of rational inquiry into the nature of man and society.