How Did John Locke And Voltaire Influence America

John Locke and Voltaire: Their Influence on America In 1776 Philadelphia, the founding fathers of the future United States gathered together to change the world. With the increasing hardships of an oppressive monarchy, a group of men signed a declaration with a detailed outline for establishing a perfect country. However, the founding fathers did not come up with these ideals; instead, these concepts were created in sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe by philosophers during the movement known as the Enlightenment. John Locke and Voltaire, two prominent Enlightenment philosophers, stand out as key figures in influencing the founding fathers of America. While John Locke and Voltaire are both famous philosophers of the European Enlightenment,

Also known as the Age of Reason, the Enlightenment began with the scientific revolution of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Enlightenment gave way to thinkers all over Europe who questioned traditional authority and embraced the notion that humanity can be improved through rational change. With the production of numerous books, essays, inventions, scientific discoveries, laws, wars and revolutions, the Enlightenment advanced concepts of reason, liberty and the scientific method. In addition, Enlightenment ideas such as that governments are in place in order to serve the people and not the rightfully justified allowed the American colonies to believe that they can rise above their current circumstances. Therefore, the basic principles of the Enlightenment propelled the American Revolution and the foundation of the United

John Locke believed that in order to establish a government, citizens have to relinquish some, but not all of their original rights, so no ruler could claim absolute power over all aspects of a citizen’s life. In exchange for releasing some of their rights, individuals would receive protection from physical harm, security for their possessions, and the ability to interact and cooperate with other humans in an environment. All men are created equally and have the same rights as each other, including those in royalty. The founding fathers took and applied this idea in the Declaration of Independence: “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Under the control of Great Britain, the colonies believed they have been denied those rights, so the founding fathers took it upon themselves to separate from British parliament. With the philosophy of John Locke, the founding fathers abandoned a destructive government and embarked on a revolution to obtain the natural rights God has given