1. Roots of American Government
4.2

2. Today’s Assignment Revise your FCAT writing from last class.
Chapter 4, section 2 (pg )
Today’s vocabulary:
Direct Democracy
Republic
Natural Rights
Separation of Powers
Magna Carta
English Bill of Rights

3. Discussion Read the quote from John Adams (pg. 74).
Do you think looking at the past can help shape the future?

4. Discussion cont. The city-state of Athens (Ancient Greece)
World’s first form of Direct democracy
Ancient Rome created a Republic
A system of government in which representatives were elected to make laws.
Sound familiar?

5. Discussion cont. England in the Middle Ages
In England, people were subjects – they were subjected to the king’s opinion and wants.
Two documents limited the power of the monarchy (king/queen).

6. Discussion cont. Magna Carta (Great Charter) – 1215
British noblemen forced King John to sign a document that listed rights to noblemen that could not be revoked
Rights such as:
Right to travel freely
Right to a fair trial

7. Discussion cont. English Bill of Rights – 1689
Passed by the Parliament, a group of elected representatives (similar to Congress)
Listed rights that apply to ALL English citizens

8. Discussion cont.
Natural rights – A right that people are born with that no government cannot take away.
Is free speech a natural right?
Driving?
Walking?

9. Discussion cont.
What people were inspirations to the Founding Fathers?
We will talk about two.

10. Discussion cont. John Locke (1632-1704)
Representative Democracy is the only natural government
It is from the people
Gov’t must protect natural rights

11. Discussion cont. Montesquieu (1689-1755)
Proposed a separation of powers, or dividing the government into three parts
Legislative – makes laws
Executive – enforces laws
Judicial – interprets the meaning of laws

12. Discussion cont. Other thinkers: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712- 1778)
Believed that direct democracy was the best way to ensure the freedom of the people

13. Discussion cont. Thomas Hobbes (1588- 1679)
Believed an absolute monarch could best keep the “social contract”
An imaginary contract that everyone agrees to submit to one person to keep peace and order

14. In Class Assignment
Pick one of the four philosophers we just discussed .
Using a sheet of paper, make an illustration that shows their ideas that influenced (or did not influence) the founding fathers.
Put the philosopher’s name at the bottom center of the sheet.
All of your information goes on the upper right as usual.

15. In Class Assignment
Locke – Representative Democracy is the only way, government must protect natural rights
Montesquieu – Three branches of government
Rousseau - Direct democracy is the only way
Hobbes – All should submit to a monarch with absolute power