1. AP EURO Unit #2 - Absolutism Lesson #6a Thomas Hobbes John Locke

2. Philosophize the English Civil War
Why did the English fight the Civil War?
What were the opposing sides fighting for?
SIDE #1- The “Cavaliers” (the King’s men)
SIDE #2 – The “Roundheads” (the Parliamentarians)
How could our founding fathers use the English Civil War (of the 1600s) to justify the American Revolution in the 1700s?
Hint#1 – they were English Citizens
Hint #2 – they were trying to be LEGAL
Hint #2a – English law is based on “precedent”

3. Who was THOMAS HOBBES?
English philosopher
He was an early philosopher on rational government
He lived during the Scientific Revolution, when mankind was learning that the universe was more “rational” than a random creation from God
Theorized that Governments are created by the will of the people
Saw human nature as EVIL, greedy, and dangerous

4. Why would such EVIL beings need a government?

5. Hobbes’ Social Contract
Hobbes theorized that kings were put there NOT by God, but by the people
And they gave up some liberties to a completely absolute king, who was answerable to no one
That way… he could be fair to all
He called this THE SOCIAL CONTRACT
How is rebellion a breach of that contract?

6. How did HOBBES conceive his belief?
When the English Civil War broke out, he favored the King
Why would he NOT favor the Puritans and a representative government “of the people”?
He fled to Paris, and finished his most famous Leviathan.
This book clearly explained two concepts:

7. The Leviathan
Mankind needed government to keep it safe from its own greed
Only an immovable king could represent all people without prejudice
TRUST THAT THE GOVERNMENT will be fair
Why must this government be “absolute” (immovable) to work in this fashion?
The people make up the body, the king is the head.

8. WHY MUST THE GOVERNMENT BE ABSOLUTE FOR HOBBE’S PLAN TO WORK?

9. John Locke He saw Hobbes’ premise as flawed
Reminder: Hobbes had disagreed with the English Civil War – Locke would have supported it.
Locke would have thought the English Civil War was pretty cool
Locke wrote SECOND TREATISE OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT (1689) in response to Glorious Revolution (1688)

10. Glorious Revolution is SO COOL!
John Locke
Locke believed we were born with “natural rights”
And that governments existed to protect those rights
They were LIFE, LIBERTY AND PROPERTY.
And [MOST IMPORTANTLY], we have a responsibility to replace a government that does not protect them.
Glorious Revolution is SO COOL!