The document discusses the foundations of the American system of government and key influences on its development. It examines concepts from ancient Athens and Rome like democracy and republicanism that were influential. It also analyzes documents like the Magna Carta, English Petition of Rights, and English Bill of Rights that protected rights and limited monarchal power. Philosophers like John Locke, who proposed theories of natural rights and social contract theory, are discussed as being highly influential on the Declaration of Independence and American principles of government.

5. Let ’ s Begin With The Ancients gracchii.blogspot.com

9. The Magna Carta The English Petition of Rights The English Bill of Rights

13. masterpiece-productions.co.nz Before the Enlightenment (in the dark ages when they threw the dead bodies in the drinking water) people ’ s rights were very limited and selective. They were special privileges enjoyed by certain groups of people.

14. The Enlightenment - an age of arrest and torture imposed on citizens who expressed opinions that stood in opposition to prevailing religious, social, political views But what about that world of torture?

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16. Though it might seem easy, today, to criticize such a passionate emphasis on reason, remember that Voltaire's society tortured people who went against the accepted norm. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PAY THAT PRICE TO CHANGE SOCIETY IN WAYS YOU DEEM NECESSARY? Every man is guilty of all the good he didn ’ t do. God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him. It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong. Love truth and pardon error. I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to my death your right to say it.

22. Natural Rights Philosophy Locke ’ s answers to these questions were widely shared by Americans in the 1700s

23. Natural Rights Philosophy 1. Upon arrival would there be any gov ’ t or laws to control how you lived, what rights or freedoms you exercised, or what property you had? Why? Locke believed there were rules in a state of nature. He called these rules the law of nature. “ The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it which obliges every one.... No one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.... ” They were “ the Laws of Nature and of Nature ’ s God, as Thomas Jefferson called them in the Dec of Independence. Jefferson believed they were laws made by a Supreme Being for the benefit of human beings.

24. Natural Rights Philosophy 1. Upon arrival would there be any gov ’ t or laws to control how you lived, what rights or freedoms you exercised, or what property you had? Why? Locke believed that most people understood this law of nature through their use of reason and b/c their consciences told them to. BUT not all humans are reasonable or good... There might be a disagreement about the laws of nature. If there was no gov ’ t then no one could interpret or enforce the laws. Of course, said Locke, there would be no gov ’ t in nature because it had yet to be created. A legitimate gov ’ t cannot exist until the people have given their consent to be ruled by it. TJ included this in the D of I when he wrote, “ Gov ’ ts are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.... ”

25. Natural Rights Philosophy 2. Would anyone have the right to govern you? Would you have the right to govern anyone else? Why? No one would have the right to govern you, nor would you have the right to govern anyone else. The only way would be if consent had been given. If the people to be gov ’ nered have not consented then there is no legitimate gov ’ t

26. Natural Rights Philosophy 3. Would you have any rights? What would they be? Using his reason to determine what rights where provided for by the laws of nature, Locke asked himself, “ What are things that all people always need and seek, no matter what they believe, no matter when or where they lived? ” Life people want to survive and they want their lives to be free as possible from threats to their security Liberty People want to be as free as possible from the domination of others, to be able to make their own decisions Property people want the freedom to work and gain economic goods such as land, houses, tools, and money which are necessary to survival

27. Natural Rights Philosophy 4. What might people who were stronger or smarter than others try to do? Why? Locke believed that people are basically reasonable and sociable, but they are also self-interested. Since the only security people would have for the protection of their natural rights would be their own strength or cunning, people who are stronger or smarter would often try to take away the life, liberty, and property of the weak

28. Natural Rights Philosophy 5. What might the weaker or less sophisticated people try to do? Why? Weaker or less sophisticated people might try to protect themselves by joining together against the strong

29. Natural Rights Philosophy 6. What might life be like for everyone? Since there would be no laws that everybody agreed upon, and no gov ’ t to enforce them, everybody ’ s rights would be very insecure

30. What do you think? 1. What are some examples of conflicts that might occur when one individual ’ s rights to life, liberty, property conflict with those of another individual? 2. Should some rights be given more protection than other rights? Why? 3. The natural rights philosophy claims that gov ’ t is based on consent. How do we give consent? How do we withdraw it? 4. Many people today believe the rights to life, liberty, and property include the right to public education and health care. Would the founders have agreed? Do you agree? Why?

31. In summary... how mob rule, civic virtue, and torture led to the foundations of our form of gov ’ t

33. * Gov ’ ts and societies based on natural rights guarantee specific rights to preserve our natural rights. * Under the US Constitution, you possess civil rights, securing such things as freedom of conscience and privacy, and protecting you from unfair discrimination by gov ’ t or others * You also possess certain political rights like the right to vote or run for office, which give you control over gov ’ t. Such civil and political rights serve to protect natural rights to life, liberty, and property

34. * For Locke and others the greatest problem was finding a way to protect each person ’ s natural rights (since not all people are good.) * The best way to solve this is for each individual to agree with others to create and live under a gov ’ t and to give it power to enforce laws. This kind of agreement is called a social contract. * Of course you have to give up your absolute right to do anything to receive the protection. You have to agree to obey the limits put on you by the laws created by the gov ’ t.