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Thomas Hobbes
Hobbs created the social contract. This was an agreement between the people and government. Hobbes also,believes that the people cannot govern themselves because they are inherently evil. -
John Locke
Locke beleived in a Demorcracy. He also developed natural rights of life, liberty, and property. Locke thought people could be trusted to govern themselves. -
Baron de Montesquieu
Montesquieu developed the Spirit of Laws which is now known as the three branches of governement. The seperation of powers consists of the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. -
François-Marie Arouet Voltaire
Voltaire developed the Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion and Fair Trial. Today the Freedom of Speech and Religion are in the first Ammendment of the Bill of Rights and the right to a Fair Trial is in the sixth Ammendment. -
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Rousseau developed the social contratcs for the common good that stated "Man is Born Free" with natural rights. -
Anti-Federalists- Roger Sherman
He was in the State Upper House of Connecticut, Connecticut Superior Court, Continental Congress, Signer of Declaration of Independence, Signer of Articles of Confederation, Confederation Congress, Mayor of New Haven. Sherman also prospered and assumed leadership in the community. Sherman connects back to the idea of the spirit of laws which leads the government with the checks and balances system -
George Washington
George Washingotn was a member of the First Continental Congress.He was the president of the Constitutional Convention and of course became the first president of the U.S He also helped create the precedents and foundations that would form America. George as being the first president connects to John Locke's idea of democracy. -
John Adams
John Adams was important role in the first and second continental congress. He was on the comitte to draft the Declaration of Independence. George Washington named him comander of the continental army. He was also chosen to negotiate the treaty of Pairs. John adams connects back to the idea of natural rights of life,liberty,and property. He showed this by helping draft the Decleration of independance -
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was a delage to the second continental congress. He wrote the Declaration of Independence. He became to vice president under John Adams and later became the 3rd president of the United States. Thomas Jefferson connects back to the enlightnment by writeing the decleration of independanc eand carring out the idea of "man is born free" -
Federalists- James Maddison
In 1780 Madison was chosen to represent Virginia in the Continental Congress. Although originally the youngest delegate, he played a major role in the deliberations of that body. Meantime, in the years 1784-86, he had again sat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Madison connects back to the enlightnement because, He beleived in a strong federal government with natural rights. -
Grievances in the American colonies
Colonies in North America were operated under British rule, even though the British were the last European country to colonize the Americas. The colonies themselves were, in large part, stable and profitable, and they didn't consider themselves a unified whole. This led to the revolutionary war and the declaration of Independance. This connects back to Rousseau idea of "man if born free" social contract. -
Declareation of Independence
The Decleration of Independence stated that American was indpendent from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson started drafting the Decleration of Independence beteen June 11, and June 28, 1776. The political philosophu of the Decleration of Independence was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the continental philosophers. -
Revolution!
This was a war in the United States. It was the revolt against Great Britain by the 13 American colonies which was founded the United States of America. The colonies won the war. This connects back to the idea of Social contract "man is born free" -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first written constitution of the United States. it was ratified on March 1, 1781. Under these articles, the states remained sovereign and independent. -
Consitution
The Constitution, originally comprising seven articles, delineates the national frame of government. Its first three articles entrench the doctrine of the separation of powers, where by the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress; the executive, consisting of the President; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The Constitution connects back to Montesquieu's idea of the spirit of laws. -
NorthWest Ordinance
The NorthWest Ordinance was an act of the congress of the confederation of the United States and was passed on July 13, 1787. It listed a bill of rights guaranteed in the territory. Following the principles outlined by Thomas Jefferson in the Ordinance of 1784, -
Bill of Rights
During the debates on the adoption of the Constitution, its opponents repeatedly charged that the Constitution as drafted would open the way to tyranny by the central government. They demanded a "bill of rights" that would spell out the immunities of individual citizens.In the end the bill of rights was passed as the 10 admendments. This connect back to Voltaire and his idea of freedom of speech and religion and a fair trial.
