Enlightenment Thinkers

I can list and describe the political

theories of Hobbes, Locke, &

Montesquieu

ISN pg. 39Thinker Idea

Thomas Hobbes

O People are greedy and

selfish by nature.

O Believed that the best

government has

complete control.

O Governments exist to

prevent people from

doing bad things.

Thomas Hobbes

O Government should

be as powerful as a

Leviathan.

John Locke

OBelieved that the best

government is one run by

the people.

OPeople were born with a

blank slate, experience

makes you who you are.

OGovernments exist

because people allow

them to.

John Locke

OEveryone has natural

rights:

O Life, liberty, and the

pursuit…

OYou have the “right” to

rebel…

O Influenced the

Declaration of

Independence

John Locke “Two Treatises on Civil Government”

“The reason men enter into society is to protect their

property. And the reason they choose a government is to

make laws to guard that property…..Certainly society

does not want to give the government the power to

destroy the very property which it was chosen to protect.

Therefore, whenever government tries to take away and

destroy the property of the people, or reduce the people

to slavery, it puts itself in a state of war with the people.

The people are freed from any further obedience to that

government…and have the right to establish a new

government.”

Montesquieu

O Best governments separate

their powers.

O Executive

O Legislative

O Judicial

O No one person should have

complete control.

The PhilosophesO French Philosophers

O Writers

O Teachers

O Journalist

O Discussed & debated new

ideas

O Freedom of Speech

O Ideas spread across

Europe

Scenario

Imagine that you are shipwrecked in a foreign

land with 100 other people. They could be

strangers or people you know, but you all have

one problem in common: there is no way to leave

this foreign land. Therefore, you must decide

upon a constitution that will protect the rights and

freedoms of all 100 people. All 100 must agree to

this constitution!

In group…

Step 1: Discuss what might happen if all 100 people live together with no rules and laws. Record your responses as you consider:

a) What might the stronger, more dominant people do?

b) What might the weaker people do?

c) Would there be criminals?

d) Whom or what would protect people?

Step 2 On a sheet of paper, your

group will record a list of rights that

everyone in the new land should

have. Create a separate list of basic

rules (laws) that everyone must

follow.

Step 3 How should the

group of people decide on

the laws and rules?

Record your ideas!

Summary

Thinkers during the Enlightenment brought many

political changes. They started to think that

individuals/citizens have rights and that it was the

government’s job to protect them. This set up a

launching pad for America’s “radical” form of

government.

Exit Ticket

O Which philosopher describes you more: Hobbes

or Locke?

O Explain in at least 2 sentences.