Philosophers

Question 1

Name the 5 philosopher’s that helped shape American identity.

Answer 1

Baron de Montesquieu
Voltaire
John Jaques Rousseau
Thomas Hobbs
John Locke

Question 2

Montesquieu’s major ideas about government

Answer 2

• separation of powers (legislative, executive & judicial)
• a man is innocent until a jury finds him guilty
• no increase in military power to prevent war
• no absolute rulers due to one-man rule

Question 3

Montesquieu’s place/document/government structure found in the US

Answer 3

• Constitution-checks and balances
• The Spirit of the Laws (book) was popular among American colonies
• influenced many prominent American figures

Question 4

Voltaire’s major ideas about government

Answer 4

• social reform (civil liberties, freedom of religion, and free trade)
• people have the right to freedom and speech-civil rights
• distrusted democracy-believed that an enlightened monarch was better
• science over religion

Question 5

Voltaire’s place/document/government structure found in the US

Answer 5

• influenced American philosophers
• freedom of speech and freedom of religion
• explained injustice of slavery and religious prejudice
• Candide

Question 6

Rousseau’s major ideas about government

Answer 6

• popular sovereignty-government ruled by people
• direct democracy (majority rule)- citizens gather to create laws and vote
• social contract-people allow government to have power; government then promises to protect the rights of the people
• unfair that rich gets special privileges

Question 7

Rousseau’s place/document/government structure found in the US

Answer 7

• Discourse of Arts and Sciences
• The Social Contract
• US Constitution; embodied “we the people”
• social contract in Declaration of Independence

Question 8

Hobbs’ major ideas about government

Answer 8

• all people should come to form a commonwealth with a sovereign to lead- a sovereign is the embodiment of an orderly government and should have absolute power
• individuals establish government to maintain peace
• only government can hold society together “the war of all against all”-humanity without government
• thoughts of man run all over the place

Question 9

Hobbs’ place/document/government structure found in the US

Answer 9

• unalienable rights and limited government
• Constitution
• America’s First Principles
• Leviathian

Question 10

Locke’s major ideas about government

Answer 10

• men are by nature free and equal and shaped by environment-same rights
• natural rights-after birth; life, liberty, property, pursuit of happiness
• no monarch has a God-given right to rule because the government is created and approved by the people, therefore, people should have to power to change it

Question 11

Locke’s place/document/government structure found in the US

Answer 11

• Thomas Jefferson
• Declaration of Independence
• preamble “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”
• Constitution
• An Essay Concerning Human Understanding