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Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes was a sigifigant figure in the philosophic world during the Enlightment era. His ideas continue to influence modern philosphy and sociology. He believed in Absolute Monarchy and that the government's purpose was to protect the people. He felt that people were selfish and cruel and thats why they couldn't be trusted to govern themselves. -
John Locke
John Locke was a very important philosopher during the Enlightment that influenced many people including many of the Founding Fathers who used his ideas in Declaration of Independence. He believed in the idea of Democracy and that all people are born with certain inalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and Property. He felt that people were good by nature and that the purpose of government is to protect the people's rights and that the people had the right to revolt against an abusive government. -
Montesquieu
Montesquieu was a French lawyer who's ideas influenced the basic structure of the U.S. Government. He produced the Idea of the Spirit of Laws which is the 3 branches of government and the separation of powers. He felt that having separate, but equal powers in government with a way to check and balence each other out would be the best way to succesfully run a democratic government. -
Voltaire
Voltaire was a French enlightment writer and Philosoph who was known for his attacks against the Catholic Church and witty remarks. He advocated Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, seperation of church and state, and the right to a fair trial with a jury. His Ideas and morals would later influence many people and be used to right the U.S. Constution and the Bill of Rights. -
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin was one of the founding fathers, he helped write the Constitution and contributed to the Declaration of Independence. He was also part of the Constitutional Convention. -
Rousseau
Rousseau was a Geneven writer and Philosoph who came up with the idea of common good, natural rights, but his main contribution to history is the idea of natural born freedom. This idea was eventually used in the United States. -
George Washinton
George was the first president of the United States and also was the president of the Constitutional Convention. He was a Revolutionary War comrade, a member of the First Continental Congress, and also a founding father. -
John Adams
John was one of the founding fathers and he was also the second president of the United States. He helped with the Constitution and was on the commitee to draft the Declaration of Independence. -
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States and was one of the founding fathers. He was one of the writers of the Declaration of Independence and was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. -
Grievances of British Subjects in the American Colonies
The grievances of the British subjects living in the American Colonies go as follows: 1. No taxation without representation which is when the British government decided not hike up the taxes on the colonies goods but gave them little to no representation in government and 2. They also forced them to quarter soldiers in there houses and 3. They took away all there weapons and treated them poorly. This eventually caused the colonies to revolt and start a new country -
Revolution!
The Revolution was the time in which the 13 colonies decided they wanted to secede from britain's abbusive reighn and fight back. The Revolutionary war started in April 19, 1775 and lasted 8 years. The colonies eventually won their freedom and went on to become the standard for all Democratic Republics to follow. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independece was a Document written by Thomas Jefferson and ratified by the Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776. It's purpose was to Announce the Thirteen Colonies seperation from Great britain and Formation of a new nation they named The United States of America. The Enlightenment influenced the Declaration pretty heavily especially John Locke's idea of Natural Rights which were "Life, Liberty, and Property" Changed to "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness" -
The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was a document that was ratified on March 1, 1781 and served as the United States first constitution. It eventually failed and was later replaced with the Constitution on September 13, 1788. The reason it failed was because it produced a weak Federal Government and gave more more to the states. -
Federalists
Federalists were people who supported the Constitution. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay published the Federalist Papers, they documented the federalist movement. Later they became called the Federalist Party. -
Anti-Federalists
The Anti-Federalists did not support the Constitution and they thought that a stronger government threatened the sovereignty and prestige of the states, localities, or individuals. -
The Constitution
The Philadelphia Convention passed a resolution on September 13, 1788 that was called the constitiution. The document that the Philadelphia Convention created was a revised version of the Articles of Confederation ment for the people's rights. The constitution was debated and critized by the anti-federalists who didn't support it. -
Northwest Ordinance
George Washington signed a replacement, the Northwest Ordinance of 1789, which the new U.S. Congress reaffirmed the Ordinance with slight modifications under the newly effective Constitution of the United States. -
Bill of Rights
United States Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights was the name given to the first ten Amendments or changes made to the U.S. Constitution. It's Main Purpose was to convince the Anti-Federalists to ratify the Constitution. This was because the Anti-Federalists felt that states should have more power than the Fed. Gov. and that there rights weren't being protected and that it would become a monarchy like England.
