Civics Unit 1 “Foundations of Democracy” The Enlightenment Influence

I. What was the Enlightenment? Scientific approach to study man and his society. Time: 1680’s Called the Age of Reason Enlightenment Thinkers believed in natural laws governed the world and man

II: Enlightenment Thinkers that influenced the Founders of American Democracy. A: John Locke: Believed that man is given “natural rights” by a creator. 1: Agreed with Jean Jacques Rousseau that their existed a social contract between man and government. 2: Believed people have the right To change their government if the Contract is broken.

B: Baron Von Montesquieu: Key thinker on the nature of government. 1. Admired the English system of limited constitutional monarchy. 2. Advanced the idea that power should not reside in one institution or person. Established the principle of “Separation of Powers” as a means of curtailing abuses in Government.

C: Jean Jacques Rousseau “God makes all things good; man meddles with them and they become evil” 1.Key Thinker on government 2.Believed and wrote that a social contract existed between people and their government that was designed to protect people’s rights. 3.People would give up certain rights for protection.

D: Thomas Paine English American writer and pamphleteer whose "Common Sense" and other writings influenced the American Revolution, and helped pave the way for the Declaration of Independence. Advocated independence because King George III broke the social contract with America and her colonists.

Three basic Tenets of the Enlightenment Human society is governed by Natural Laws These Natural Laws can be discovered by rational men. Human society can turn from traditional, authoritarian forms, and progress toward a more perfect government through rational thought.

Thomas Hobbes Wrote Leviathan Believed that man is corrupt and power hungry brute. Governments are necessary to control man’s need for power.

American Founders of Democracy Ben Franklin John Adams James Madison Thomas Jefferson Samuel Adams John Hancock All these men would have read, studied, and discussed the writings of the Enlightenment Thinkers.STOP !!!

Principles of the Enlightenment found in the Declaration and Constitution Rule Of Law: Everyone is held under the same law regardless of position. Self-Government: citizens have the power to govern themselves. Popular Sovereignty Due Process: All citizens should be treated fairly in the court of law Rights: All men are created equal and have inalienable rights Limited Government: Government should be separated and limited in scope.

Thomas Hobbes Wrote Leviathan Believed that government was necessary because man was corrupt and power hungry. Govt would prevent men from corruption

II. Independence A.First Continental Congress (1774) 1.They decided to boycott all British goods and organized militias 2.Wrote letter to king demanding that rights be restored, swore to meet again

3.Lexington and Concord (April 1775) - First battle of the American Revolution “shot heard round the world” men sign the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. “First in Freedom”

B.Second Continental Congress (1775 on) 1.Met to decide what to do- divided opinion 2.Thomas Paine’s Common Sense a.Made the case for American Independence b.Swayed public opinion 3.Moved closer to independence despite military failures

C.Declaration of Independence 1.Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson 2.Borrowed ideas from John Locke 3.Purpose a.Argue legitimacy of cause to Parliament, other countries b.Troop morale, support for cause

D.Conclusion of the War 1.Small victories, evading bulk of British forces 2.French support turned war around

3.Battle of Yorktown (1781)- British surrender 4.Peace of Paris (1783)- officially won independence

Birth of a Nation-America