Unit 1 Topic 2; Political Philosophy

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Unit 1 Topic 2; Political Philosophy SSCG2 Demonstrate knowledge of the political philosophies that shaped the development of United States constitutional government. a.Analyze key ideas of limited government and the rule of law as seen in the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the English Bill of Rights. b.Analyze the impact of the writings of Hobbes (Leviathan), Locke (Second Treatise on Government), Rousseau (The Social Contract), and Montesquieu (The Spirit of the Laws) on our concept of government. c.Analyze the ways in which the philosophies listed in element 2b influenced the Declaration of Independence Unit 1Topics 1. Distribution of Power ✔ 2. Political Philosophies ✔ Key Document-Magna Carta • King John’s Absolute Power • Excessive taxes • Forced to sign the Magna Carta • List of things King can’t do. • “No Tax without Consent” Key Document-Petition of Right •King kept wanting money to wage wars. •Forced to sign to get money •No imprison without reason, cruel punishments. Key Document-English Bill of Rights •Consent to tax becomes the Parliament. •Parliament has free speech. •King is not divine, serves at the permission of Parliament Political Philosophers; Thomas Hobbes •Wrote The Leviathan •In State of Nature Life was “Nasty, Brutish, and Short” •People gave up all their rights and created an absolute government to rule over them. •Once created could not get rid of this government. Political Philosophers; John Locke •Wrote 2nd Treatise on Government •“People created governments to protect their rights” •Rights were “life, liberty, and property” •If government failed to protect these rights, people had a right to get rid of the government. Political Philosophers; Jean Rousseau •Said that people should abandon their natural rights in favor of a social contract. •Said that the best government to protect rights under a social contract was a direct democracy. •Under a direct democracy all men would be equal Political Philosophers; Charles Montesquieu •Wrote The Spirit of Laws •Best way to protect the people’s rights, was through separation of power. •If power separated, no one part of government could become tyrannical. Influence on United States Government •Thomas Put these ideas together in Declaration of Independence. •All men are created equal (Rousseau) •Unalienable Rights of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness (Locke) Influence on United States Government •Governments are instituted among men deriving their power from the consent of the governed (Hobbes) •When governments become destructive to these ends it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it (Locke).

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