1. Focus Questions What is a revolution?
Are people justified in choosing revolution as a solution to political
and social problems?
What social and economic situations exist in America today and
could they lead to a revolution?
Do you think a revolution would be likely in the United States?
Why or Why not?
How does our system of government prevent the need for
a revolution?

2. Enlightenment Philosophers
Influences of the Declaration
I. Enlightenment Ideals
A. Historical Documents
II. French Enlightenment Philosophes
A. Rousseau
B. Voltaire
C. Physiocrats
III. English/Scottish Enlightenment Philosophes
A. John Locke
B. Adam Smith

3. I. Enlightenment Ideals
Enlightenment Ideals – Equality, Questioning Tradition, Self-Rule, Freedoms
Deism – Natural law and reason
God created the world and let things happen naturally without interference
Separation of Church and State
Laissez-Faire – “Let them do as they please”
Rationalism – reason is the source of knowledge
(using your mind to come to a conclusion that makes sense)

4. I. Enlightenment Ideals
Reasons for enlightenment thinking –
Influenced by the Scientific Revolution – questioning accepted beliefs
Wanted to find a way to improve society
(Reason, Natural Law, Hope, Progress)

5. A. Historical Documents
Documents influencing the Declaration –
Magna Carta
English Bill of Rights
Colonial American Documents –
Virginia Constitution, Virginia Declaration of Rights
Magna Carta
considered a bill of rights for medieval England
establishing that the King was not above the law
very influential on the development of similar bills of rights, such as the first 10 Amendments to the United States Constitution
right to habeas corpus, a clause protecting the freedom of the church, and other clauses which spelled out the rules for due process of law

6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau French Philosopher
A. Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau French Philosopher
Works:
The Social Contract
Teachings:
Through a contract society agrees to be governed
Government receives power from the people
General-will represents what is best for everyone,
not just some (Majority Rules)
Women should be taught to be good mothers
and wives
Believed people were naturally good but evils of socieity especially unequal distribution of property corrupted them
Felt individual desires should be subordinate to the community good
-unlike others of the time

7. Voltaire Author/French Philosopher
B. Voltaire
Voltaire Author/French Philosopher
Greatest philosopher of Enlightenment
Works:
Pamphlets, letters, essays, novels
Led to fame and wealth
Teachings:
Criticized Christianity (Catholicism)
Religious toleration
“All men are brothers under God”
Targeted corrupt officials and idle aristocrats
Detested slave trade and deplored religious prejudice
Was imprisoned and forced into exile
Fought for freedom of speech
fought for reforms such as freedom of religion and the right to a fair trial.

8. French group of economists Teachings:
E. Physiocrats
Physiocrats
French group of economists
Teachings:
Society benefits when people are allowed
to do what they want economically
(businesses charge own prices, people buy
what they want)
Government should stay out of economic
matters
Laissez Faire: allowing business to operate with little or no govt. interference
François Quesnay

9. Essay Concerning Human Understanding Teachings:
A. John Locke
John Locke
English Philosopher
Works:
Essay Concerning Human Understanding
Teachings:
People are born with a blank mind “Tabula Rasa”
People are shaped by their experiences, environment
change environment --- change society
People were basically reasonable and moral
Natural Rights: rights all humans had from birth…life, liberty, property
Argued: People created govt. to protect their natural rights and best govt. had limited power and accepted by all citizens. Rejected Absolute Monarchy
If govt. fails to protect peoples rights, people had right to overthrow govt.

10. Adam Smith Scottish Economist/Philosopher
B. Adam Smith
Adam Smith Scottish Economist/Philosopher
Works:
The Wealth of Nations
Teachings:
State should not interfere in economic
matters
Three Roles of Government:
1. Protect society from invasion (Army)
2. Defend citizens from injustice (Police)
3. Keep up public works (Roads, Canals,
things private individuals can’t afford)
Free market should regulate business activity
Invinted: Supply and demand idea

11. BIRTH OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC
Thomas Paine : author Common Sense
Navigation Acts: Britain regulated trade in colonies
Why Problems started: 7 years war, French & Indian war drained England treasury.
-Taxes increased
-Strictly enforcing Navigation Acts

12. EARLY FIGHTS
Boston Massacre: British soldiers shoot into crowd of colonist for throwing snowballs at them
Boston Tea Party: to protest tax on tea
1st Continental Congress: Philadelphia
-to draw up grievances and send letter to Parliament
-Set up 1st continental army –George Washington
2nd Continental Congress:
-declared independence
-Thomas Jefferson –main author of Declaration of Indp
-Locke ideas main ones used
Popular Sovereignty

13. AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Britain : had soldiers in colonies
-offered freedom to slaves who fought colonist
-Loyalist
Colonist: knew the land
- fighting for personal reasons
-Guerilla tactics
Turning Point: Battle of Saratoga (colonist win)
-persuaded France to help colonist (hated England)
-supplied, soldiers, war ships and supplies
Treaty of Paris: British defeated at Yorktown forced to surrender
- 2yrs later signed treaty to end war
- recognized independence
-US land all the way to the Mississippi River

14. CONSTITUTION
Articles Of Confederation: to weak
Federal Republic: power divided between Federal (national) govt and states
Separate branches: Executive Judicial Legislative
Bill of Rights: 1st 10 amendments to constitution

15. “In general, the art of government consists in taking as much
money as possible from one class of citizens to give to the other.”
Dictionnaire Philosophique, 1764
Do you agree with this statement? Why or Why not?
What do you believe the role of government should be? Give at least
THREE examples.
Why do you think the above listed items are the role of government?
Do you believe there should be more government control in your life
or less?
Give an example of why more government control is beneficial.
Give an example of why less government control is beneficial.