1. Philosophical Background of the U.S. Constitution
GOVT 2305, Module 2

2. What do you think this means? Where do you think the king gets power?
Divine Right of Kings
What do you think this means? Where do you think the king gets power?

3. Theory Behind Divine Right
Monarch’s power comes from God
Monarch not subject to will of people
Only God can judge a king, so the people have no right to replace him
King has absolute power
Any attempt to depose the king or to restrict his powers runs contrary to the will of God
Do people in the UK think this about Queen Elizabeth? Do you think that modern educated people would buy into this theory? Why or why not?

4. John Locke is Inspiration
Seeking independence from the British king, the Americans obviously had to develop an alternative theory to the divine right of kings to justify their revolution. John Locke provided just the right ideas.

5. How does this compare with the divine right of kings?
Lockian Principles
People are born free with natural rights of life, liberty, and property
The rights come from God, not from government
Rights are “inalienable” (they can’t be taken away)
People create government to protect their rights
Power of government stems from the consent of the governed
If government fails to protect rights, then people have the right to replace it—a right of revolution
How does this compare with the divine right of kings?

6. Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence embodies Locke’s theory of revolution.

7. What Declaration Ignored
Issue of Slavery
Status of Women

8. What We Have Learned What was theory behind the divine right of kings?
How did John Locke’s theory of government compare and contrast with the divine right of kings?
What important issues did the Declaration of Independence not address?