Foundations of Foundations of American GovernmentAmerican Government

I. EnlightenmentI. Enlightenment

Began in Europe in the 1600sBegan in Europe in the 1600s ““Age of Reason”- a political & Age of Reason”- a political &

philosophical movementphilosophical movement Influenced by the Scientific RevolutionInfluenced by the Scientific Revolution

Scientists began using logic through Scientists began using logic through observation and experimentation to explain observation and experimentation to explain how the physical world workshow the physical world works

I. EnlightenmentI. Enlightenment

By the late 1600s political philosophers By the late 1600s political philosophers used the same ideas, applying them to the used the same ideas, applying them to the social and political worldsocial and political world

Used logic to find the laws of nature the Used logic to find the laws of nature the control the social worldcontrol the social world

Overall impact= questioning traditional Overall impact= questioning traditional practices and thoughts, including the practices and thoughts, including the authority of the British Monarch in the authority of the British Monarch in the coloniescolonies

II. Enlightenment II. Enlightenment PhilosophersPhilosophers

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

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes Famous work: Famous work: LeviathanLeviathan

argued that if humans are argued that if humans are left to their own devices, left to their own devices, chaos and violence would chaos and violence would ensueensue

In a state of nature, life is In a state of nature, life is “solitary, poor, nasty, “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”brutish, and short.”

Argued that the best way Argued that the best way to protect life was to give to protect life was to give total power to an absolute total power to an absolute monarchmonarch

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John LockeJohn Locke

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

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

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John LockeJohn Locke

Enforcement comes from the Enforcement comes from the social social contract:contract: gov’t must enforce natural laws gov’t must enforce natural laws through mutual agreement of the peoplethrough mutual agreement of the people

Man has Man has inalienable rights/natural inalienable rights/natural rights of manrights of man: which include life, liberty, : which include life, liberty, and the right to propertyand the right to property

The purpose of gov’t is to protect these The purpose of gov’t is to protect these rights and in return the citizens will obey rights and in return the citizens will obey the governmentthe government

John LockeJohn Locke

If the gov’t doesn’t protect these If the gov’t doesn’t protect these rights/violates them, the citizens/people rights/violates them, the citizens/people have the right and duty to overthrow the have the right and duty to overthrow the gov’t and create a new one --> true gov’t and create a new one --> true democracydemocracy

Probably the most influential Probably the most influential Enlightenment philosopher on the Enlightenment philosopher on the American colonists during the American colonists during the revolutionary erarevolutionary era

Baron de MontesquieuBaron de Montesquieu

French philosopher, French philosopher, wrote wrote Spirit of LawsSpirit of Laws (1748)(1748)

Advocated for a Advocated for a separation of powers separation of powers within a central within a central government to prevent government to prevent the abuse of power so the abuse of power so that no one branch (or that no one branch (or person) would become person) would become too powerfultoo powerful

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Baron de MontesquieuBaron de Montesquieu

One branch to make the laws: legislativeOne branch to make the laws: legislative One branch to enforce the laws: executiveOne branch to enforce the laws: executive One branch to interpret the laws: judicialOne branch to interpret the laws: judicial

Jean Jacques RousseauJean Jacques Rousseau

French philosopher, French philosopher, wrote wrote EmileEmile (1762) & (1762) & Social ContractSocial Contract (1762) (1762)

Idea of Idea of popular popular sovereignty:sovereignty: people people decide how to live decide how to live together with gov’t, together with gov’t, decide what type of decide what type of system they want--> idea system they want--> idea of self-government, rule of self-government, rule by the people, and by the people, and consent of the governedconsent of the governed

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Jean Jacques RousseauJean Jacques Rousseau Also believed in the Also believed in the

social contract:social contract: mutual agreement mutual agreement between citizens to between citizens to obey the gov’t and the obey the gov’t and the government’s duty to government’s duty to protect the citizens protect the citizens and make decisions and make decisions based on the based on the common good/ common good/ general willgeneral will

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III. Colonial InfluencesIII. Colonial Influences

Mayflower Compact (1620)Mayflower Compact (1620) Set up the first “social contract” for a New Set up the first “social contract” for a New

England colonyEngland colony Set up a democracy with ideas of consent of Set up a democracy with ideas of consent of

the governed and that the majority rules for the governed and that the majority rules for the good of the colonythe good of the colony

Drafted and signed by adult males on the Drafted and signed by adult males on the MayflowerMayflower

III. Colonial InfluencesIII. Colonial Influences

Colonial Assemblies (1620-1776)Colonial Assemblies (1620-1776) American assemblies seized the opportunity American assemblies seized the opportunity

created by the lack of strict imperial control to created by the lack of strict imperial control to increase their own powersincrease their own powers

Colonial legislatures started on control taxes Colonial legislatures started on control taxes and consult of political appointmentsand consult of political appointments

1700-1750 gradual shift from English-1700-1750 gradual shift from English-appointed governors and councils to appointed governors and councils to American-elected assembliesAmerican-elected assemblies

IV. ConclusionIV. Conclusion

All of these influenced All of these influenced the Founding Fathers the Founding Fathers as they headed as they headed toward revolution and toward revolution and ultimately in creating ultimately in creating the Constitutionthe Constitution

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