1. Philosophers Who Influenced the Constitution

2. Thomas Hobbes (England)
Lived during the English Civil War in the 1600s
Without government, life would be “nasty, brutish, and short.”
People form governments as a “social compact,” or a promise to work together to have a functioning society instead of chaos and constant competition.
People need a strong government and laws to help them live together peacefully

3. John Locke (England) All people are born free, equal, and independent
Natural Rights that no government can take away:
Life, liberty, and property
If gov’t tries to take away natural rights, they are breaking the social contract
People give up part of their freedom in exchange for protection of natural rights

4. Baron de Montesquieu (France)
Separation of Powers: divide the gov’t into different branches to balance each other
No branch can become too strong or threaten individual rights
How many branches of government does the U.S. have?