for educational purposes only

1. natural rights
purpose of government
social contract
state of nature
How did the
ideas of John Locke
influence the Founders?
The Founders were students of history
and philosophy. They studied books, read
newspapers, and listened to sermons in
church. The Founders discussed and
exchanged ideas with each other
and with other people.
One philosopher whose writings
influenced the thinking of the Founders
was John Locke. John Locke was a
well-known English philosopher. He
lived from 1632 to 1704. Locke published
a book called Two Treatises of Government
in 1689. In that book Locke explained
his ideas about natural rights. Locke's
book was widely read and discussed in
the American colonies. Many of the
Founders' ideas about government
were based on Locke's philosophy.
John Locke arrived at his ideas by
imagining what life might be like if
people were living in a state of nature.
By this, Locke did not mean necessarily
that people lived in the wilderness.
Locke simply saw a state of nature as
a condition in which no governments
or laws existed at all. What did John Locke mean by a state of nature?

2. ::::-~magining life in a state of nature, Declaration of Independence to explain
=-: :~~.:: '-'.-asable to answer some impor- why Americans were opposed to British
~~=_~J" uestions like these: rule in the colonies. After winning the
Revolutionary War, the Founders used
nat is human nature? For example,
most of the same ideas to write their
are all people mainly interested in
state constitutions. The ideas of the
their own welfare, or do they tend
natural rights philosophy also are
to care for the good of others?
important to the kind of government
What should be the main purpose that we have today.
of government?
How do people who run govern- locke~sideas
ment get the right to govern?
n I
What kinds of government
John Locke believed that through
should people support and obey?
reasoning we can determine what rights
What kinds of government people would have in a state of nature.
should people resist?
Locke reasoned that in a state of
The Founders discussed and debated nature all people seek to have the
John Locke's answers to these questions. following rights:
The ideas of Locke were used in the
Life People want to survive.
People want to be as safe as
possible from threats to
their lives.
Liberty People want to be
as free as possible. People want
to be able to make their own
decisions and to live as
they please.
People want to own
the things that are necessary
to survive, such as food, houses,
tools, or land. People want the
freedom to work and to gain
economic benefits.
Locke said that the rights to life,
liberty, and property are natural rights.
These rights are a part of the law of
nature. This means that all people have
•
the rights to life, liberty, and property
What were Locke's ideas about natural rights? just because they are human beings.
1-:

3. -J'N does this illustration demonstrate what might happen in a state of nature?
The Founders believed that such or less skilled would find it very
~?hts as those to life, liberty, and property hard to protect their rights. Instead,
:.2'2 not man-made. Instead, our rights are weaker people would try to protect
= s.sedon the laws of nature, which were their rights by joining together
~~~ade y God. The Declaration of Inde-
b against the strong.
::endence, for example, speaks of "the Lockebelieved that in a state of
=-aws of Nature and of Nature's God." nature, no one's life, liberty, or prop-
= ~ says that people are "endowed by their erty would be safe. People would feel
= reator" with certain basic rights and that insecure. In a state of nature, there
=,J one may take away these rights. are no governments or laws to protect
life, liberty, or property.This is why
people agreed to form governments.
What did n ~U,ptl"I;!i:#
Accordingto Locke,governments do
say might in not exist until people create them.
Locke believed that in a state of
a state r1
nature, no one would have the right
Locke believed that most people are to govern you, and you would not
reasonable and good. Most people have the right to govern anyone else.
respect the rights of others because Accordingto Locke,there is only one
their conscience tells them that they way that people get the right to
have a duty to do so. But people are govern anyone else: the people to be
also driven by their self-interest. governed must give their consent.
A few humans are not so reasonable (;on.selJt means to approve of some-
and good. Sometimes people who are thing or allow something to take place.
stronger or more skilled abuse those If the people have not given their
who are weaker or less skilled. consent to create a government, there
Locke believed that in a state of is no legitimate government. In
nature, people protect their natural other words, the power of legitimate
rights by using their own strength government comes from the consent
and skill. People who are weaker of the people.
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4. -
_rae to wants to do. Absolute means without any
limits. In return, everyone receives the
sQ';~alcontract? security that can be provided by a gov-
Although people agreed that certain ernment. Each person consents to obey
natural rights existed, they worried about the limits placed upon her or him by the
how those rights could be protected. In a laws created by the government. Every-
state of nature, people might feel free to one gains the secur~ity of knowing that
do anything they want to do. Their rights their rights to life, liberty, and property
would not be protected, however, and are protected.
that would make them feel insecure. Government, then, is the better
For John Locke and other natural alternative to a state of nature, which
rights philosophers, the great problem would be imperfect because some people
was to find a way to protect each person's might not respect the rights of others.
natural rights so that everyone could According to Locke, the main purpose
enjoy them and live at peace with one of government is to protect those natura~
another. Locke said that the best way to rights that the individual cannot effec-
solve this problem is for each individual tively protect in a state of nature.
to agree with others to create and live In a later lesson, you will study the
under a government and give that gov- Declaration of Independence. You will see
ernment the power to make and enforce how the Founders included all the ideas
laws. Locke called this kind of agreement that you have studied in this lesson.
a social contract. You will also learn to examine questions
As in all contracts, to get something about what kind of government the
you must give up something. In a social people should support and obey and
contract everyone promises to give up the what kind they should resist.
absolute right to do anything she or he
How might individuals protect their natural rights in a state of nature?
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