John Locke, Montetesquieu, And Voltaire And The American Revolution

The enlightenment began in the mid 1600’s about 100 years before America annexed themselves from Great Britain. Throughout that time period, thinkers such as John Locke, Montesquieu, and Voltaire would question the way the government worked and describe the way they thought the government should work. Many of these Enlightenment thinkers believed that people should have certain undeniable rights, and that an absolute monarchy obstructs those rights because the people being governed have no say in what is happening to them. This is not unlike the American Revolution which was heavily influenced by the Enlightenment. America’s founding Documents were heavily influenced by the Enlightenment thinking of John Locke, Montesquieu, and Voltaire.
It is human nature to want to live a happy life, free from an oppressive ruler, America’s founding fathers, and the …show more content…
All humans have the right and power to fight for these rights. John Locke believed that “ This power... can have no other end or measure... to preserve the members of that society in their lives, liberties, and possessions... this power has its original only from compact, and agreement, and the mutual consent of those who make up the community” (Locke). Every person has the natural right to life, liberty and things that make them happy. The government 's main job is to maintain these rights. Without these rights, we can not be successful in serving a king, or any other ruler, as humans need these undeniable rights to feel properly respected and taken care of by their government. John Locke’s writing in the Second Treatise On Government (1690) is the perfect example of how enlightenment thinking had influenced the way the founding fathers had shaped America. Thomas Jefferson had almost used Locke’s exact language when he was writing the Declaration of Independence, eighty six