Foundations of American Government

1. Foundations of American Government

2. I. Enlightenment • Began in Europe in the 1600s • “Age of Reason”- a political & philosophical movement • Influenced by the Scientific Revolution • Scientists began using logic through observation and experimentation to explain how the physical world works

4. I. Enlightenment • By the late 1600s political philosophers used the same ideas, applying them to the social and political world • Used logic to find the laws of nature the control the social world • Overall impact= questioning traditional practices and thoughts, including the authority of the British Monarch in the colonies

5. II. Enlightenment Philosophers • Many of the philosophers of this period would have a large influence on our Founding Fathers of the American Revolution and the eventual creation of the American Constitution and our new government

6. Thomas Hobbes • Famous work: Leviathan argued that if humans are left to their own devices, chaos and violence would ensue • In a state of nature, life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” • Argued that the best way to protect life was to give total power to an absolute monarch

7. John Locke • English philosopher, wrote Essay on Human Understanding (1690) & Two Treatises on Civil Government (1690) • Believed God made natural laws to run the social world, it is up to man to enforce these laws of society

8. John Locke • Enforcement comes from the social contract: gov’t must enforce natural laws through mutual agreement of the people • Man has inalienable rights/natural rights of man: which include life, liberty, and the right to property • The purpose of gov’t is to protect these rights and in return the citizens will obey the government

9. John Locke • If the gov’t doesn’t protect these rights/violates them, the citizens/people have the right and duty to overthrow the gov’t and create a new one --> true democracy • Probably the most influential Enlightenment philosopher on the American colonists during the revolutionary era

10. Baron de Montesquieu • French philosopher, wrote Spirit of Laws (1748) • Advocated for a separation of powers within a central government to prevent the abuse of power so that no one branch (or person) would become too powerful

11. Baron de Montesquieu • One branch to make the laws: legislative • One branch to enforce the laws: executive • One branch to interpret the laws: judicial

12. Jean Jacques Rousseau • French philosopher, wrote Emile (1762) & Social Contract (1762) • Idea of popular sovereignty: people decide how to live together with gov’t, decide what type of system they want--> idea of self-government, rule by the people, and consent of the governed

13. Jean Jacques Rousseau • Also believed in the social contract: mutual agreement between citizens to obey the gov’t and the government’s duty to protect the citizens and make decisions based on the common good/ general will

14. Video Clip • http://uccpbank.k12hsn.org/courses/AmericanGovernment/course%20files/multimedia/lesson02/lessonp.html

15. III. Colonial Influences • Mayflower Compact (1620) • Set up the first “social contract” for a New England colony • Set up a democracy with ideas of consent of the governed and that the majority rules for the good of the colony • Drafted and signed by adult males on the Mayflower

17. III. Colonial Influences • Colonial Assemblies (1620-1776) • American assemblies seized the opportunity created by the lack of strict imperial control to increase their own powers • Colonial legislatures started on control taxes and consult of political appointments • 1700-1750 gradual shift from English-appointed governors and councils to American-elected assemblies

19. IV. Conclusion • All of these influenced the Founding Fathers as they headed toward revolution and ultimately in creating the Constitution