Foundations of American Government s1

A.P. Gov’t Name:

Ms. Newman Period:

Foundations of American Government

I. Enlightenment

II. Enlightenment Philosophers

· Many of the philosophers of this period would have a large influence on our Founding Fathers of the American Revolution and the eventual creation of the American Constitution and our new government

Thomas Hobbes

· Hobbe’s famous work Leviathan: argued that if humans were left to their own devices, chaos and violence would ensue.

John Locke

· English philosopher who wrote Essay on Human Understanding (1690) & Two Treatises on Civil Government (1690)

· Believed God made natural laws to run the social world, and it is up to man to enforce these laws of society

· Social contract

· Inalienable rights/natural rights of man

· The purpose of government is to protect these inalienable rights and in return the citizens will obey the government.

· If the government does not protect these rights/violates them, the citizens/people have the right and duty to overthrow the government and create a new one à true ______

· He was probably the most influential on the American colonists during the revolutionary era

Baron de Montesquieu

· French philosopher, wrote Spirit of Laws (1748)

· Advocated for a ______within a central government to prevent the abuse of power, so that no branch (and eventually a person) would become to powerful

Jean Jacques Rousseau

· French philosopher, wrote Emile (1762) & Social Contract (1762)

· Popular sovereignty:

· Social contract:

III. English & Enlightenment Traditions: Video Clip

IV. Colonial Influences

· Mayflower Compact (1620)

o Set up a democracy with ideas of consent of the governed and that the majority rules for the good of the colony.

o Drafted and signed by adult males on the Mayflower

· Colonial Assemblies (1620-1776)

o The American assemblies seized the opportunity created by the lack of strict imperial control to increase their own powers.

o The colonial legislatures insisted on controlling taxes and on being consulted on appointments to public office.

o 1700-1750