1. Warm up
The English Bill of Rights and Bill of Rights in the US Constitution established –
The government has absolute power over the people.
The best government is a democracy.
Limited government by securing basic, guaranteed rights for the people.
Absolute rule by the people.
The Magna Carta is significant because it-
Limited the power of the monarch for the first time.
Showed that monarchs were reasonable people and therefore are the preferred form of government.
Established the first dictatorship
Was required to be written on a timeline by my amazing government teacher.
The Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, and “intolerable Acts” all led to which document?

2. Origins of American Government
Chapter 2

3. Enlightenment philosophers
During the Age of Enlightenment men and women started questioning the role of the government and absolute monarchies.

4. Thomas Hobbes Wrote Leviathan
Argued that people were naturally cruel, greedy and selfish
Thought people needed to be controlled or they would fight, rob, and oppress each other.
Believed that life in the “state of nature” without laws or control would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
Social Contract: give up freedom for an organized society

5. John Locke Wrote Two Treatises of Government
Argued that people formed governments to protect their natural rights.
Natural rights = Life, Liberty, and Property
Believed that the best governments limited power and would be accepted by all citizens
If government fails its obligations or violates it people’s natural rights, the people have the right to overthrow that government.

6. Baron de Montesquieu Wrote Spirit of the Laws
Argued the best way to protect liberty was divide powers of government into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
Branches should check the power of each other
Separation of powers: different powers and functions for each branch
Checks and Balances: each branch checks the power of the others giving balance to the system

7. Voltaire “My trade is to say what I think.”
Targeted corrupt officials, aristocrats and the Catholic church
Defended freedom of speech
Against the slave trade and religious prejudice

8. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Wrote The Social Contract
Argued that natural innocence was corrupted by evils of society
Government should have minimal controls and that only freely elected governments should impose these controls
General will is the best conscience of the people

9. Parts of the Declaration
Founded on principles of human liberty and consent of the governed
Four parts:
Preamble- “the Laws of Nature” source of natural rights
Statement of Purpose and Basic Human Rights- unalienable rights that cannot be taken away
List of Grievances- against King George III
Conclusion- states no peaceful solution was reached, this is the only way

10. Declaration of Independence

11. Activity: What influenced these words?
Read the quotes from the Declaration of Independence
Summarize them in your own words
What events or philosophers do you think influenced these words?

12. Assessment: Create your Own Declaration of Independence
Preamble: (What and why)
From what are you declaring your independence?
What are the general conditions causing the desire to separate?
Nature of the Complaint (Describe in detail and ideal solution)
Describe the intolerable situation
Describe the remedy to correct the complaint
Grievances: (What specifically made you upset)
Specifically describe 3-5 grievances
Formal Statement of Independence
Describe how all other efforts have been tried and failed
Therefore the only acceptable solution remaining is to declare independence