1. The Declaration of Independence

2. Thomas Hobbes Lived from 1588 to 1679
Lived through the British Civil War and believed that people were naturally selfish
Believed that a social contract was necessary or people would basically resort to evil

3. John Locke Lived from 1632 to 1704
Tabula Rasa –blank slate that would be filled
Natural rights “life, liberty, and property”

4. Jean Jacques Rousseau Lived from 1712 to 1778
Also a philosopher who had ideas about the relationship between the government and the governed
Natural vs. social freedom
Representative vs. direct democracy
General will and majority rule

5. Which philosophy do you agree with more?
Take a moment to think about which of these men you agree with the most
Why do you agree?

6. Why are we talking about old dead philosophers?
These men lived around the same time as the founding fathers
When creating a new government, America looked to the philosophies of these men
Who do you think the founding fathers agreed with more?

7. Second Continental Congress
After Lexington and Concord there was a second continental congress called and it was decided that there needed to be a break from Britain
Thomas Jefferson along with John Adams, Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston were appointed to write the document to break from the British

8. The Declaration of Independence
Out of the five, Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration
Before presenting it to the congress, he asked Franklin and Adams to read and edit for him
It was accepted on July 4th but not signed until probably August 2nd

9. The signing of the Declaration of Independence

10. The American flag The flag’s colors didn’t initially mean anything
It was the seal that had meaning
The seal was commissioned during the Second Continental Congress as well
The colors were symbolic in this way:
White: “Signifies purity and innocence”
Red: “hardiness and valor”
Blue: “vigilance, perseverance and justice”