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Enlightenment Philosophers: Shaping the American Republic

Learn how Hobbes and Locke debated governance, natural rights, and social contracts, influencing the birth of the American nation based on Enlightenment ideas.

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Enlightenment Philosophers: Shaping the American Republic

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  1. Chapter 8.1 American Revolution: The Birth of a Republic • 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. Two Philosophers who changed the world! • 2 English political thinkers of the 1600’s debated which government was best! • Thomas Hobbes • monarchy • John Locke • Representative government

  3. Thomas Hobbes • 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.”

  4. Hobbes’ Social Contract • 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?

  5. John Locke • Believed people have a natural ability to govern themselves. • At least when it comes to their natural rights…

  6. John Locke’s 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

  7. Locke’s Idea for Role of Government • 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?

  8. 5 Concepts of 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!

  9. Americans use Enlightenment ideas • 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

  10. What rights did the colonists have that were taken away? • 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!!

  11. America chooses a new government • 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….

  12. Review Questions… • 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?

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