Road to the American Revolution

Enlightenment Thinkers and Ideas

With a group, you will research, analyze, and present the information about one assigned Enlightenment thinker to the class. Your presentation must teach the class about the thinker and include the following:

 Information about your thinker and his/her ideas (refer to the chart—locate information from the assigned handouts and your textbook).  Select a few important quotes from your philosopher, read them in a dramatic way during your presentation, and then analyze their meanings for the class.  Be prepared to answer questions posed by the class.  All group members must speak.

Name Who Was This Main Beliefs about Government Can People Be Whose Authority Did Person? (Which form of government is best? Why? How did they Trusted to Their Ideas (nationality, contribute to this discussion in their lifetime?) Govern? Challenge? profession, family Why or Why not? background)

Thomas Hobbes

John Locke Who Was This Main Beliefs about Government Can People Be Whose Authority Did Name Person? Trusted to Their Ideas Govern? Challenge?

Baron de Montesquieu

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Mary Wollstone- craft

Questions for Discussion after Presentations: 1. Whose ideas did you like the best? Why?

2. Whose ideas did you like the least? Why?

3. How did the time period in which they lived affect the historical figures’ views on government?

4. Which of these thinkers’ ideas have been most influential in the modern development of democracy and in what ways?