IDEAS FROM THE ENLIGHTENMENT SS.7.C.1.2 TRACE THE IMPACT THAT THE MAGNA CARTA, ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS, MAYFLOWER COMPACT, AND THOMAS PAINE’S “COMMON SENSE” HAD ON COLONIST’S VIEWS OF GOVERNMENT.

THE ENLIGHTENMENT - 1715 A PERIOD OF TIME, IN WHICH PEOPLE BEGAN TO QUESTION THEIR IDEAS ABOUT BASIC RIGHTS, GOVERNMENT, PHILOSOPHY, AND THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE… GREATLY IMPACTED THE IDEAS AND CONCEPTS OF GOVERNMENT FOR OUR COUNTRY…..

MAGNA CARTA 1215 KING JOHN – ENGLAND – FORCED TO SIGN BY THE NOBILITY. A. LIMITED THE KINGS POWER. B. NO TAXES WITHOUT CONSENT OF PARLIAMENT. C. GAVE RIGHTS TO ALL FREE MEN – EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER THE LAW. D. GAVE NOBELS THE RIGHT TO REBEL IF THE KING BROKE THE AGREEMENT.

MAGNA CARTA 1215 MAIN IDEA – established the principle of “limited government. IMPACT – the colonist’s used this as an example for their right to rebel and declare their independence from Great Britain.

MAYFLOWER COMPACT 1620 PILGRIMS SAIL FROM ENGLAND SEEKING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. LANDED IN PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS. KNEW THEY NEEDED TO FORM A GOVERNMENT IN THIS NEW “WILDERNESS.” AGREED TO SIGN A “COMPACT” – ALL WOULD AGREE TO FOLLOW THE LAWS.

MAYFLOWER COMPACT- 1620 MAIN IDEA – ESTABLISHED A “DIRECT DEMOCRACY” IN THE NEW WORLD (COLONIES). THE PEOPLE CREATING AND DETERMINING THEIR OWN LAWS WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF BIRTHRIGHT OR WEALTH. IMPACT – ESTABLISHED THE PRECEDENT OF PEOPLE CREATING THEIR OWN LAWS – NO NEED FOR A KING.

ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS – 1688 King Charles removed from power in England. Parliament (Congress) forced the new Monarchs to agree to certain rights and freedoms for the people.

ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS - 1688 MAIN IDEA – RIGHTS FOR THE COMMON MAN – APPROVED BY THE KING. (RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL, NEW TAXES MUST BE APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT, NATURAL RIGHTS THAT NO KING COULD TAKE AWAY. IMPACT – PARLIAMENT GAINED POWER OVER THE KING, THE PEOPLE IN THE COLONIES TAKE THIS CONCEPT.

“NATURAL RIGHTS OF MAN” THE BELIEF THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN WITH BASIC RIGHTS. THESE RIGHTS INCLUDE THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY, PROPERTY, AND THE FREEDOM TO FIND HAPPINESS. OTHER RIGHTS INCLUDED THE RIGHT TO SPEAK FREELY, MOVE FREELY, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT.

“NATURAL RIGHTS” JOHN LOCKE – BELIEVED IN “NATURAL RIGHTS.” (Life, Liberty, Property) MAIN IDEA - EACH MAN POSSESSES NATURAL RIGHTS THAT NO GOVERNMENT (KING) CAN TAKE AWAY. IMPACT – THE CONCEPT OF NATURAL RIGHTS WAS INCLUDED DIRECTLY IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND MANY OTHER DOCUMENTS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS.

“SEPARATION OF POWERS” BARON DE MONTESQUIEU MAIN IDEA– THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE BROKEN UP INTO DIFFERENT BRANCHES SO NO ONE BRANCH WOULD BE MORE POWERFUL THAN THE OTHER. IMPACT – SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES.

SOCIAL CONTRACT CITIZENS AGREE TO GIVE UP SOME OF THEIR NATURAL FREEDOMS TO GOVERNMENT IN EXCHANGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS. THE CITIZENS AGREE TO OBEY A SET OF RULES….THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT TAKE AWAY LIBERTIES.

SOCIAL CONTRACT IMPACT - INFLUENCED THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND THE CONCEPT OF A “SOCIAL CONTRACT” WAS PART OF THE CONSTITUTION.