Alexander’s Almanac

Beliefs of Enlightenment thinkers:

·         All the world runs by natural laws, such as the law of supply and demand in economics.

·         The scientific method is used to find these natural laws.

·         All people can be educated.

·         Sovereignty rests with the people.

·         Government should ensure separation of church and state.

·         Government is whatever the people want; then a contract is made whereby government protects natural rights of life, liberty, and property.

John Locke’s role in influencing Enlightenment thinkers:

      Locke believed in the “contract theory of government” and held that sovereignty rests with the people. He opposed absolutism. His book: Two Treatises on Government.

Other Enlightenment thinkers:

·         Montesquieu—He wrote Spirit of the Laws and called for separation of powers.

·         Rousseau—He wrote The Social Contract where he discussed majority rule and his belief that the government is a contract between the people and the government.

·         Voltaire—He suggested religious toleration and believed in separation of church and state.

With a partner, find places in the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution that were influenced by the Enlightenment thinkers.

http://www.constitution.org/us_doi.htm

http://www.constitution.org/us_doi.htm