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 John Locke

Info Ideas Impact

Philosopher
Born August 29, 1632
Studied at Westminster School and
Christ Church, Oxford
Single
Photo from iep.utm.edu

Snapshot
DOB: August 1632 Wrote Two Treatises of
DOD: October 1704
From: England Government
Networks: Westminster
School, Christ Church,
Oxford, Royal Society
 Ideas

Locke had multiple ideas that influenced the
Founders:

Natural Rights/Law

Social Contract
First, we need to answer one question

Individually, answer this question:

What are natural rights?

How would you define it?

What is natural law?

How would you define it?
 Natural Rights

John Locke believed all humans have natural rights,

those being:
Life
Liberty
Property

He believed all people have these rights just because they

are human beings.
 Natural Law

Natural law is
A higher, unchanging set of rules that govern human
relations
Click on the picture below to learn more
about natural NATURAL
law and natural/human
LAW
rights.
 Natural Rights/Law

Imagine a group of people are out at sea and their

boat is shipwrecked on a deserted island
There is no government
There are no laws
According to Locke, this is known as a state of nature

What are some of the advantages and

disadvantages of living in a state of nature?

What rights would you expect to have?

In a group of 5, complete your

State of Nature worksheet*
 Natural Rights/Law

Answer these questions on your worksheet

individually:
What are 3 rights that you think every person has or
should have?
How are those rights guaranteed?
Now, in a group of 5:
Decide on 5 rights every person should have.

Now, as a class:
Decide on 5 rights every person should have.
Now think about this question

Individually, answer this question:

What is the purpose of

government?
 Social Contract
Locke proposed that in order to keep our natural
rights, the people must engage in a social contract
The people agree to
create and live under a
government and obey
its laws.
They also must give
that government the
power to make and
enforce laws.
In return, the people gain the
protection of the government
Go To Natural Rights/Law
 Impact
According to Locke, the purpose of
government is to protect the natural rights
of individuals
that all men are created equal, that they
The Founders agreed and included these
are endowed by their Creator with certain
natural rights and social contract in the
unalienable Rights, that among these
Declaration of Independence.
are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
The Founders also included the idea of social
Happiness. That to secure these rights,
contract in the first three words of the
Governments are instituted among Men,
Preamble to the United States Constitution
deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed
The Constitution also
limits the powers of
government to protect
the rights
of the people.