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Thomas Hobbes
believed in “natural laws” where in nature before people formed by a society, pre existing principles arise. Believed in social contract. -
John Locke
Believed that all men are created equal and that people should have the freedom to act. He believed in social contract between the people and their government and that there should be a limit to government. Also believed in Constitutionalism -
Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu
believed in separation of power and that there should be 3 branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial (checks and balances) -
Voltaire
He was an outspoken supporter of social reform (including the defence of civil liberties, freedom of religion and free trade), despite the strict censorship laws and harsh penalties of the period, and made use of his satirical works to criticize Catholic dogma and the French institutions of his day. Along with John Locke, Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, his works and ideas influenced important thinkers of both the American and French Revolutions. -
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Agreed with Locke but didn’t think that the majority would always act for the common good. Believed that the role of the government was to ensure that the common good or general welfare was protected. -
george washington
George Washington was the President of the United States between 1789-1797. He was a general in the Revolutionary war aginst Great Britain and France he was fighting with a small and frigile army. After Geoge was no longer president he moved back to his home back in Virginia on a lage piece of land were he later died. George Washington can connect to Locke because he belived in life,liberty,property. -
john adams
He was the first vice president and the second president of the U.S. in 1774 he served in the first continental congress, hehelped draft the Decliration of Indipendance. Adams was Against salvery and had tried very hard to abolish it .He was siding toward natural rights for all people witch was a direct relation to Jean-Jacques -
thomas jefferson
Jefferson was the President of the Untited States in 1801-1809. He also created the Declariation of Indpendence in June-July 1776. It was ratified on the death date of himself and John Adams July 4. Jefferson. Jefferson was a believer in neutrality amoungst people this directly correlated to some of Rousseae pholsophy -
Grievances of British Subjects in American Colonies
The grievances of the British subjects were centered around taxation without representation. British colonists wanted to have a voice in their government and wanted to be treated fairly by the British king. John Locke felt that everyone was born with natural rights and their rights could not be taken away from them. The British subjects felt that they deserved to be represented in the government and their voices to be heard.Trade was also very controlled by the British king which upset colonist -
revolution
The American Revolution was a war fought so that the thirteen colonies could gain independence from the British Government who still owned them. The British colonists wanted to start their own country and still have power in their own colonies much like our state and national government operate today. Voltaire would be associated with this kind of thinking. He was a French writer who wanted freedom of speech, religion, and trade. These were exactly the ideals that the British colonists wanted. -
decleration of independence
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress. It states that the thirteen colonies were now independent sovergien states. John Locke inluenced it by having the idea of life,liberty, and the pursuit to happeness. -
Federalists and Anti Federalists disigreements
Federalists were a group of men who favored a strong national government which gave little power to the individual state governments. Anti-Federalists were opposed to the national government having too much power over the state governments. These different views were formed because of a difference of opinion while Constitution was being revised. Writers of the Constitution who later split in their views were Federalists: George Washington, James Madison, Alex Hamilton who were wealthy land owner -
articals of confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the US. This plan failed and lead to problems. One of the problems is that is had a weak central government. It also had a loose confederation of soverign states. -
northwest ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance was a set of rules that a piece of land had to pass in order to become a state. This was neccesary so that no state was greater than another. -
US Constitution
The U.S. Constitution has seven articles in it, also known as the preamble. The Constitution has twenty-seven amendments. This document is a living document which means that it can be changed. Some ideas from Montesqieu that influenced the US Constitution is the seperation of power and balance. -
bill of rights
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments of the Constitution. These ten amendments are some of the most well known amendments. Some ideas from John Locke influenced the Bill of Rights, like all men are born free and inalienable rights.
