1.  Enlightenment ideas helped spur the American colonies to create a new nation.  Enlightenment Period of time in Europe where philosophers looked to logic for answers.

2.  2 English political thinkers of the 1600’s debated which government was best!  Thomas Hobbes monarchy  John Locke Representative government

3.  1651 Wrote Leviathan Convinced that all humans were naturally selfish and wicked. Without governments to keep order  “life would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

4.  Argued that monarchs who were strong as “Leviathans” were important. Why? THEY KEPT ORDER!! Social contract  People give up their individual rights freely as long as a king/queen kept peace. Do you agree with this logic?

5.  Believed people have a natural ability to govern themselves. At least when it comes to their natural rights…

6.  Since humans can naturally govern themselves, they should be able to do so.  Absolute monarchies = BAD  Democracy = GOOD Natural Rights  All people are born free and equal, with 3 natural rights. The pursuit of:  Life  Liberty  Property

7.  Simply to protect the rights of its citizens.  What happens if a government fails ? Citizens have a right to overthrow it!  Wrote book called Two Treatises on Government Preached that the power of a government needs to come from the consent of the people  How can people give consent to their government?

8.  Use Reason Eliminates intolerance and prejudice  Be one with your Nature or society Good and reasonable  Bring Happiness Having a good government would make your citizens happy  Show Progress Always move forward to better your country  Protect Liberty With liberties comes freedom!

9.  Believed that they had the same “natural rights” as a British subject  Based off of John Locke’s ideas  Believed that King George broke their social contract, the colonists are justified in rebelling against the king.  Based off of Locke’s ideas

10.  Magna Carta (1215) Obligated the King of England to follow laws set by Parliament  It was a law to make sure all citizens were represented in Parliament… were we?  English Bill of Rights (1689) Kept King of England from passing new taxes or changing laws without Parliament approval  We never had representation so we had no voice to the king!!  NO VOICE = NO SOCIAL CONTRACT!!

11.  After American Revolution, America chooses republic form of government  Citizens elect representatives who are responsible to work for the people in government.  Now to just pick a capital and a Constitution….

12.  Who are the two philosophers who debated styles of government during the Enlightenment?  What is a social contract?  What are natural rights?  Why do you believe America picks a republic form of government?