1. By: Becca, Mae, Skylar, Joe, and Catherine
Baron de Montesquieu
By: Becca, Mae, Skylar, Joe,
and Catherine

2. Biography Name: Charles-Louis de Secondat
Born at the Chateau de la Bede in southwest France on the 18th of January 1689
Inherited name Baron de Montesquieu after the death of his uncle
Died on the 10th of February 1755

3. Montesquieu’s Parents
Father, Jacques de Secondat, was a soldier with long noble ancestry
Mother, Marie Francoise de Pesnel, died when Montesquieu was 7
Mother was female inheritor of a large monetary inheritance who brought the title of barony of Le Brede to the Secondat family

4. Early life and Childhood
Despite his wealthy family, Montesquieu was raised by a poor family
He went to college to study science and history, and later became a lawyer in the local government
Wrote the following:
Le Temple de Gnide in 1725
The spirit of the Laws in 1748
Persian Letters in 1721

5. Self-Government Did not believe people could govern themselves
Believed there should be a non-despotic government whose laws leave the people to live their lives mainly free
He knew the government could not have so many laws because they would oppress the people

6. Humankind: Good or Bad?
Could be good is strong set of principles from educators
Believes if you don’t have a good education then you are subject to ignorance and error
Thought some were better then others, like many during his time
Believed only white men could rule

7. Underlying Ideas Behind Thinking
Believed people from Europe were better then everybody else
People are effected by the climate
Example: people in hotter climates (Africans) were hot tempered due to the hotter climate
Believed France and Europe has the best climate making them the best

8. Beliefs in Government
He believed that all things were made up of rules or laws that never changed
Elected government was the best form of government
Three types of government:
Monarchy- ruled by king or queen
Republic- ruled by elected leader
Despotism – ruled by dictator

9. Separation of Powers
Named the idea of dividing government power into three branches “separation o powers”
Power should be balanced between three groups of officials
He thought England should have divided power between:
King- enforced the laws
Parliament- made the laws
Judges of the English court- interpreted laws

10. Powers of the Branches Each branch have equal however different powers
Too much power should not be given to one branch
Each branch could limit power of another branch
Ideas became basis of the United States Constitution

11. Symbol Representation

12. Works Cited