WARM-UP

If

you were in charge of creating

a new government, what
characteristics and ideals would
you include?

THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND

THE AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY
Describe the Enlightenment and the rise of
democratic ideas as the context in which the
nation was founded.

ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS
An

intellectual movement that

spread from Europe to the
Americas.
Influenced the thinking of
leaders of the American
Revolution.

CORE BELIEFS
Truth

can be discovered through

reason
What is natural is also good and
reasonable
People can find happiness in this life
Society and human kind can
progress and improve
Peoples liberty should be protected
by the law

WHO INFLUENCED THE

FOUNDING FATHERS?

ENLIGHTENMENT
PHILOSOPHERS

What is a philosopher? Someone who likes to

think

JOHN LOCKE
An

English philosopher;
people are born with
natural rights. These
rights include life, liberty,
and property. According
to Locke, people have the
right to change or
overthrow a government
that does not protect
their natural rights.

LOCKES IDEAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT

ROLE IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The colonies broke away from England because

they believed that the
King broke the social contract with the people.

Thomas Paine: Common

CALLED FOR A
Sense
SEPARATION OF
THE COLONIES
FROM BRITAIN

BARON DE MONTESQUIEU
A

French writer and

philosopher; argued for
separation of powers
within the government.
In his view, each
branch of government
should serve as a check
on the other branchs
power.

WHAT ARE THE SEPARATION OF

POWERS IN THE UNITED STATES?

WHAT ARE THE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN

THE UNITED STATES?

JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU
Another

French
philosopher; believed in
the natural goodness of
people and in
individual freedom. He
argued that
government should be
formed and guided by
the general will of the
people.

CESARE BONESANA BECCARIA

An Italian philosopher;
promoted new ideas about
the justice system. He
argued that people
accused of crimes had
certain rights, and he
advocated abolishing
torture. His ideas were
based on the belief that
government should seek
the greatest good for the
greatest number of people.

EFFECTS OF THE
ENLIGHTENMENT

Use observation to make new discoveries, rely on reason,

and question traditional authority.

Led many American colonists to challenge the authority of

the British monarchy.

EFFECTS OF THE
ENLIGHTENMENT

When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of

Independence, he drew on the ideas of John
Locke. It states that all men have the right to
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

EFFECTS OF THE
ENLIGHTENMENT

Many

ideas in the
Constitution are based on
the Enlightenment thinkers.

James Madison
The Father of the Constitution

John Locke

Baron de Montesquieu

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

John Locke gave Madison the idea of protecting

Natural

Rights
Private Property
Liberty
Life
Social Contract

QW: Explain John Lockes contribution to the

foundations of our government.

THE OPPOSING VIEWS IN THE 1790S

WERE LED BY MAINLY TWO MEN.

Alexander Hamilton

Thomas Jefferson

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE

TWO PARTIES
Democrat-Republicans
Leaders: Jefferson,
Madison, and Monroe
Focus: common man
Believed in States
Rights
National bank: No
Agrarian emphasis
Favored direct
elections and short
terms in office.
Model: France

Federalist
Leaders: Hamilton,
Adams, Washington
Focus: the elite
Believed in strong
national government
National bank: Yes
Urban emphasis
Favored indirect
elections and long
terms in office.
Model: Britain

WHAT THEY BELIEVED

Jefferson said,
Hamilton said,
"The tree of liberty must
Why has government been
be refreshed from time to
instituted at all?
time with the blood of
Because the passions of
patriots and tyrantsI
man will not conform to
hold it, that a little
the dictates of reason
rebellion, now and then,
and justice without
is a good thing, and as
constraintA fondness
necessary in the political
for power is implanted,
world as storms in the
in most men, and it is
physical."
natural to abuse it."

CONFLICT WAS SO INTENSE THAT!

This cartoon satirizes the intense factional fighting in President John

Adamss administration (1797-1801). On the right, Roger Griswold, a
Federalist, holds a cane, while his adversary, Matthew Lyon, a DemocratRepublican, holds fire tongs.