answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

john Locke was an extremely influential 18th century philosopher and was greatly admired by the Founding Fathers of the United States. Voltaire once praised him as â??the man of the greatest wisdom. What he has not seen clearly, I despair of ever seeing.â??

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

While many point to the British philosopher John Locke (1632-1704) as an inspiration for the American philosophy of govrnment, it was no one individual but rather a number of historical precedents and ideas.

Our founding fathers political choices derived from their roots, English law. The governmental structure of old English systems set the basic structure in which our earliest form of government operated, these political offices and units include such offices as Sheriff, Coroner, Assessor, and Justice of the Peace.

The biggest difference between the Parliamentary government of the English and the new government of the Americas was the idea of Limited Government, being that no single body of government holds too much power (as did the King). Along with political influences of old English office and unit systems, there were several philosophical theories that have influenced our founding fathers, including:

Magna Carta- fundemental rights including Trial by Jury, Due Process of Law, Protection against Arbitrary taking of life, Liberty, and Property

Petition of rights- Limiting the kings power by demanding that the king may not imprison or otherwise punish any person, but that person be lawfully judged by his/her peers. As well as Martial law ( AKA: military law) no rule by military force.

English Bill of Rights- (1668) (AKA "The Glorious Revolution") More individual rights added, Parliament drew up this document in 1689 in effort to avoid the abuse of power throughout political offices.

In 1774, the first Continental Congress listed the Declaration of Rights (and Grievances), followed in 1776 by the Virginia Bill of Rights, and the collective Bill of Rights provided in 1789 by the first ten Amendments to the Constitution.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

John Locke's ideas concerning natural rights greatly influenced the creation of the U.S. Constitution. John Locke believed that it was the government's job to protect the natural rights of the individual, that is rights that they are born with.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Beccaria.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

John Locke

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

John Locke

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago

Ivan Perez

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Which enlightenment philosophers greatly influenced the US Constitution?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

How did the liberalism of the early 1800 reflect Enlightenment ideals?

The Founding Fathers were greatly influenced by the works of Enlightenment philosophers like john Locke and other Enlightenment principles that championed the rights of men. Liberalism beliefs in the rights of individuals was a direct offshoot of values developed during the Enlightenment.


What greatly influenced Thomas Jefferson political ideas?

the enlightenment


Who were the major enlightenment philosophers?

Some major Enlightenment philosophers include Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Locke, and Immanuel Kant. They were known for their ideas around reason, individualism, liberty, and social contract theory, which greatly influenced the politics and philosophy of the time.


What was greatly influenced by the enlightenment?

The Enlightenment greatly influenced the scientific method, principles of democracy, individual rights, and secularism in Western societies. It also promoted the idea of progress through reason and knowledge.


What is the literary or philosophical movement of the declaration of independence?

The Enlightenment was the literary and philosophical movement in Europe that greatly influenced the Declaration of Independence. The idea of the consent of the governed, for example, was drawn from philosophers of the movement.


Who were the major contributors of the enlightenment?

Major contributors to the Enlightenment include thinkers such as John Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. These philosophers promoted ideas such as individual liberty, reason, and the separation of powers, which greatly influenced the intellectual and political landscape of their time.


Which country or revolution was greatly influenced by the enlightenment?

The American Revolution was greatly influenced by the Enlightenment ideals of liberty, democracy, and individual rights. The thinkers of the Enlightenment, such as John Locke and Montesquieu, inspired many of the key ideas that shaped the American Revolution and the founding principles of the United States.


What was the most significant thing about the Enlightenment?

The European Enlightenment was most important for the ideas of government. New thinkers led the way for governments that were more responsive to the needs and rights of citizens. The writings of John Locke, for example greatly influenced the Framers of the US Constitution.


Enlightenment ideas influence the bill of rights?

enlightenment ideas greatly influenced the bill of rights, dec. of independence constitution and most of our other important documents. without the enlightenment ideas, our country would not be the same as it is now, if it existed at all. some ideas that were influential in our country are:-the rights to life and liberty-freedom of speech-freedom of religion-freedom of thought-democracy-"we the people"and many others. our country has been influenced by the enlightenment and it's ideas greatly.


Movement focused on reason and questioned the power of monarchs?

The Enlightenment valued reason and questioned the power of monarchs. The proliferation of Enlightenment ideals greatly influenced the creation of the United States.


Who influenced John Adams?

Madison was greatly influenced by the works of such Enlightenment thinkers as Joseph Addison, David Hume, John Locke, Isaac Newton


What philosophical movement greatly influenced Thomas Jefferson?

Michael bloxx Two works of political science that greatly influenced the constitution of the united states were: Cyropedia by Xenophon The Prince by Machiavelli