Enlightenment ideas helped spur the American colonies to create a new nation. Enlightenment Period of time in Europe where philosophers looked to logic.

Enlightenment ideas helped spur the American colonies to create a new nation.

Enlightenment• Period of time in Europe

where philosophers looked to logic for answers.

2 English political thinkers of the 1600’s debated which government was best!

Thomas Hobbes• monarchy

John Locke• Representative

government

1651 Wrote Leviathan• Convinced that all humans

were naturally selfish and wicked.

• Without governments to keep order “life would be solitary, poor,

nasty, brutish, and short.”

Argued that monarchs who were strong as “Leviathans” were important. Why? • THEY KEPT ORDER!!

• Social contract People give up their individual rights freely as

long as a king/queen kept peace.

• Do you agree with this logic?

Believed people have a natural ability to govern themselves.

• At least when it comes to their natural rights…

Since humans can naturally govern themselves, they should be able to do so.

Absolute monarchies = BAD Democracy = GOOD

• Natural Rights All people are born free and equal, with 3 natural rights.

The pursuit of: Life Liberty Property

Simply to protect the rights of its citizens.

What happens if a government fails? • Citizens have a right to overthrow it!

Wrote book called Two Treatises on Government• Preached that the power of a government needs to

come from the consent of the people

How can people give consent to their government?

Use Reason• Eliminates intolerance and prejudice

Be one with your Nature or society• Good and reasonable

Bring Happiness• Having a good government would make your citizens

happy

Show Progress• Always move forward to better your country

Protect Liberty• With liberties comes freedom!

Believed that they had the same “natural rights” as a British subject

Based off of John Locke’s ideas

Believed that King George broke their social contract, the colonists are justified in rebelling against the king.

Based off of Locke’s ideas

Magna Carta (1215)• Obligated the King of England to follow laws set

by Parliament It was a law to make sure all citizens were

represented in Parliament… were we?

English Bill of Rights (1689)• Kept King of England from passing new taxes or

changing laws without Parliament approval We never had representation so we had no voice to

the king!!

NO VOICE = NO SOCIAL CONTRACT!!

After American Revolution, • America chooses republic form of

government Citizens elect representatives who are

responsible to work for the people in government.

Now to just pick a capital and a Constitution….

Who are the two philosophers who debated styles of government during the Enlightenment?

What is a social contract?

What are natural rights?

Why do you believe America picks a republic form of government?