The Enlightenment & British Government Traditions

Unlock Enlightenment ideas shaping government! Learn about Locke, Hobbes, and British traditions.

The Age of Reason The Scientific Revolution helped start a new era called the Enlightenment, or the Age of Reason. People believed reason and logic could be used to study all areas of life, not just science. Scientists talked about the laws that govern nature, so philosophers looked for laws of human behavior. Some Enlightenment thinkers studied government and politics. Which period of history had the greatest influence on the Enlightenment ideas of natural law and reason? Protestant Reformation Middle Ages Age of Exploration Scientific Revolution Philosophers of the Enlightenment wanted to use _ inall areas of life. government economics politics reason Important Enlightenment Philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were two English political thinkers who started the Enlightenment. Both men had seen the Civil War and political changes of England in the 1600s. However, they came up with two very different ideas about government and human nature. After seeing the violence of the English Civil War, Thomas Hobbes believed that all humans were naturally selfish. He thought that the best government was one with total control over the people. Hobbes thought that people needed government to keep law and order. Without it, they would fi ght each other all the time. To avoid this type of life, people invented government and gave up their rights to a strong ruler. Hobbes said that this agreement was a social contract.Many of their ideas came from the ideas of the Enlightenment. The Founding Fathers of American government blended colonial government (which had borrowed from Common Law and the parliamentary system) with ideas of the Enlightenment.John Locke was the most influential of the Enlightenment philosophers. His ideas helped to shape our government. He believed the following:* All people are free, equal, and have “natural rights” of life, liberty, and property that rulers cannot take away.* All original power resides in the people, and they consent to enter into a “social contract” among themselves to form a government to protect their rights. In return, the people promise to obey the laws and rules established by their government, establishing a system of “ordered liberty.”* Government’s powers are limited to those the people have consented to give to it. Whenever government becomes a threat to the people’s natural rights, it breaks the social contract and the people have the right to alter or overthrow it. Locke’s ideas about the sovereignty and rights of the people were radical and challenged the practices throughout the world of dictatorial rule by kings, emperors, and tribal chieftains. His ideas about natural rights, social contract, the separation of Church and State , a separation of powers, and consent of the governed are the principles of our current government. _ believed that without government, people would fighteach other all the time. Locke Hobbes Montesquieu Smith Which statement describes John Locke's beliefs about self-government? The people make a social contract with the government to protect basic rights. When the contract is broken, the people can establish a new government. The people make a social contract with one another to protect individual property rights. When the contract is broken, the government can control the property. The government makes a social contract with other nations for mutual protection of borders. When the contract is broken, peace is threatened. According to John Locke, which idea is the foundation of the social contract between individuals and their government? Violence and disorder are natural to humans, and without absolute monarchy violence and chaos will happen. People have the right to break with their government if it fails to uphold their natural rights All government actions can be understood by applying human logic and reasonable analysis. All of these Enlightenment ideas influenced the Declaration of Independence EXCEPT - people have natural rights that rulers cannot take away people should obey monarchs because their power comes from God people can overthrow a government if it threatens their rights Questioning the Old Ideas about Government The thinkers of the Age of Reason did not like old beliefs. They thought things like the divine right of kings and strict class systems were unreasonable. Enlightenment thinkers came up with new ideas about government, religion, economics, and society. These theories inspired the American and French Revolutions and other revolutions of the 1800s. TRUE OR FALSE: Thinkers of the Age of Reason believed that the divine right ofkings was a good idea. True False Colonial American Government Watch the video and complete the questions. Sort the following descriptions into the proper categories. Magna Carta The roots of limited government in England. Charter created under King John in 1215 Called the "Great Charter" The government could not imprison a free man The government could not seize property without a jury of peers. Petition of Right Created in 1628 No taxes without consent Imprison persons without legal cause Martial law could not be used during peace time Signed under Charles I English Bill of Rights Passed in 1689 Established people had basic rights (civil liberties) Right to a fair trial No excessive bail No cruel and unusual punishment Created the blue print for the American Bill of Rights Virginia House of Burgesses First Colonial Government Met in 1619 White Male land owners voted for representatives The Mayflower Compact Signed by males only First plan for self goverment Created colonial law for the colony Colonial Assemblies Royal Colony with an appointed governor by the king Governing carried out by the individual colonial assemblies Law making powers Power to tax Represented the will of the colonies Now, consider these historical facts: The 18th century (1700s) was the Age of Reason or the European Enlightenment. Look at the chart below. Do you remember these Enlightenment thinkers?John LockeBaron de MontesquieuJean-Jacques RousseauVoltaire1- Believed governments obtain their authority from the consent of the people they govern2- Opposed to Divine Right of Kings3- Natural Rights: Life, Liberty, Property1- Separation of powers2- Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branch of Government3- To prevent tyranny1- Popular sovereignty2- A doctrine in political theory that government is created by and subject to the will of the people1- Religious Freedom2- Freedom of SpeechHow did these Enlightenment ideas influence the colonists? What's your name and block?