Political Philosophy: Locke and Rousseau

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What key belief distinguishes Deism from organized religions?

It promotes a hierarchical church structure.

It recognizes very few religious truths based on reason. (correct)

It emphasizes the existence of many gods.

It requires strict rituals and ceremonies.

What does John Locke argue about the concentration of power?

It promotes divine right of kings.

It leads to greater unity and strength.

It is essential for effective governance.

No individual should hold all powers. (correct)

According to John Locke, living under the King's power is comparable to what?

Living as a servant. (correct)

Enjoying equal rights.

Living in a state of freedom.

Being part of a flourishing society.

What concept did Jean Jacques Rousseau introduce concerning sovereignty?

Popular sovereignty. Signup and view all the answers

In Locke's 'Two Treatises of Government', which does the First Treatise primarily address?

Critique of Robert Filmer's view on monarchy. Signup and view all the answers

What rationale is given for raising taxes during the war?

To fund the expensive war efforts. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary component of Locke's notion regarding government?

Governments should have popular consent. Signup and view all the answers

Which term does Rousseau use to describe people in a lower social position compared to Europeans?

Noble savages. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary legal act that formally abolished slavery across the United States?

The 13th Amendment Signup and view all the answers

What era followed the Civil War and focused on rebuilding the South and integrating formerly enslaved people into society?

The Reconstruction era Signup and view all the answers

Which amendment granted citizenship and equal protection to former slaves?

14th Amendment Signup and view all the answers

What discriminatory laws emerged during and after the Reconstruction era that enforced racial segregation?

Jim Crow laws Signup and view all the answers

What event is known as the Tulsa Race Massacre, which occurred in 1921?

An attack by a white mob leading to widespread destruction of the Black community Signup and view all the answers

What does the phrase 'taxation without representation' imply?

Citizens must pay taxes without having a voice in government policies. Signup and view all the answers

What event marked the official beginning of the American Revolutionary War?

The Battle of Lexington and Concord Signup and view all the answers

Which group convened the First Continental Congress in 1774?

Colonial Committees of Correspondence Signup and view all the answers

Which act required colonists to provide food and shelter to British soldiers?

Quartering Act Signup and view all the answers

What event occurred as a direct protest against the Tea Act?

Boston Tea Party Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary reason the British marched to Lexington and Concord?

To seize a cache of arms Signup and view all the answers

What significant event did George Washington's army achieve after crossing the Delaware River?

Defeated a garrison of Hessian mercenaries at Trenton Signup and view all the answers

Which document officially declared America's independence from Britain?

The Declaration of Independence Signup and view all the answers

Why was the Tea Act particularly angering to American colonists?

It imposed a significant tax on tea, a popular beverage. Signup and view all the answers

Who was elected president of the First Continental Congress?

Peyton Randolph Signup and view all the answers

What was the main outcome of the Boston Massacre?

It united colonists in protest against British rule. Signup and view all the answers

Which foreign powers supported the 13 Colonies during the Revolutionary War?

French, Dutch, and Spanish Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of the Declaration of Independence?

To formalize the colonies' separation from Great Britain Signup and view all the answers

What was the reaction of colonists to the Townshend Act?

They protested and boycotted taxed goods. Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Paul Revere's midnight ride?

He warned the colonies about the British approach Signup and view all the answers

What notable outcome came from the Battle of Princeton?

Washington's army captured critical supplies Signup and view all the answers

Which act was enacted prior to the Boston Tea Party and was seen as a catalyst for the protest?

Tea Act Signup and view all the answers

What system helped the colonists prepare for the British advance?

Local militia alarm systems Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the Battle of Lexington and Concord?

An American victory Signup and view all the answers

What did the Boston Tea Party symbolize for the American colonists?

Defiance against British taxation and tyranny. Signup and view all the answers

Which author is primarily associated with the writing of the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson Signup and view all the answers

What year was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

1776 Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Tomas Paine's 'Common Sense'?

It called for immediate independence from Britain Signup and view all the answers

Which battle followed shortly after the American victory at Trenton?

Battle of Princeton Signup and view all the answers

What do the 13 stars on the flag symbolize?

The 13 colonies at the time Signup and view all the answers

What was a key outcome of Shays's Rebellion in 1786?

Discontent with high taxation leading to revolt Signup and view all the answers

Which document officially recognized American independence in 1783?

The Treaty of Paris Signup and view all the answers

What form of government was established by the new Constitution in 1787?

A federal system with division of powers Signup and view all the answers

Which city served as the capital of the United States before Washington D.C. was established?

Philadelphia Signup and view all the answers

The concept of American exceptionalism suggests that the U.S. has a mission to:

Promote freedom and democracy globally Signup and view all the answers

Which conflict involved the Battle of Fort McHenry?

The War of 1812 Signup and view all the answers

Triangular trade was primarily established to facilitate trade between which of the following?

Three regions with imbalanced trade commodities Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

American Revolution Background

The Seven Years' War (1756-1763), also known as the French and Indian War, was a global conflict between Britain and France.
Britain gained control of colonial territories like Canada and Florida after the war.
The war's expenses contributed to economic pressures leading to the American Revolution.
The Treaty of Paris (1763) ended the Seven Years' War, France ceded Canada and lands east of the Mississippi River to Britain, reducing French influence.
The Proclamation Line of 1763 was a boundary set by Britain to limit westward expansion of colonial settlements.

Enlightenment and Criticism

Enlightenment was a European intellectual movement (17th & 18th centuries).
It emphasized reason, nature, and humanity.
The Enlightenment fostered modern theories and developments in art, philosophy, and politics.
Key ideas included the use of reason to understand the universe, the celebration of reason, and the pursuit of knowledge, freedom, and happiness.

The Age of Reason

Enlightenment featured social ideas centered around rationalism, empiricism, and political ideals.
These ideals included natural law, liberty, progress, toleration, fraternity, constitutional government, and the separation of church and state.
Roman ideas of rational order were adopted and preserved from Greek culture.

John Locke

John Locke (1632-1704) was a British philosopher and political theorist.
He explored the role of monarchy and the state of nature in his work Of Political or Civil Society.
He outlined the division of powers within a modern state into legislative, executive, and judicial.
He argued that these powers should not be held by a single person but divided among governmental bodies.

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and political theorist.
He questioned the position of colonial people compared to Europeans, highlighting the differing privileges.
His work Émile, ou de l'Éducation (1762) and The Social Contract (1762) were influential in Enlightenment thought.
He discussed concepts like "noble savage" and "national sovereignty".

Lead-up to the Revolution

Increased taxes to pay for the Seven Years' War led to resentment in the colonies.
The colonists felt they should have representation in the British Parliament (taxation without representation).

Taxing Acts

Series of acts imposed taxes and regulations on the colonies, such as the Stamp Act, Sugar Act, and Quartering Act in 1765 and the Townshend Act (1767).
The Tea Act of 1773, meant colonies were to pay taxes for tea imports.
Protests by American colonists arose over these taxing acts, such as the Boston Tea Party (1773).

Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre (1770) was a street riot between colonists and British troops.
This event escalated anti-British sentiment, influencing the American Revolution.

Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party (1773) was a protest against British taxes on tea.
Colonists disguised as Native Americans dumped British tea into Boston Harbor.

First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress (1774) was composed of delegates from the American colonies.
It issued a formal complaint to the British Crown, responding to the Intolerable Acts and voicing colonial grievances.
Delegates from the 13 colonies, excluding Georgia, met in Philadelphia to address grievances.

Battle of Lexington and Concord

The Battle of Lexington and Concord (1775) was the first military engagement of the American Revolutionary War.
American Minutemen opposed British troops, marking a significant escalation of conflict.
The British intended to confiscate colonial weapons; the colonists rallied local militias, enabling them to successfully resist.

Battle of Trenton

The Battle of Trenton (1776) was a significant American victory during the war.
General George Washington's troops attacked Hessian mercenaries, boosting morale of troops.

Tomas Paine

Tomas Paine (1737-1809) was an English-born philosopher and political activist.
His Common Sense (1776) advocated for American independence.
In Agrarian Justice (1796), he promoted minimum income.

Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was formally adopted on July 4, 1776.
It declared the American colonies' separation from Great Britain.
The document was primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson.

American Exceptionalism

American exceptionalism is the idea that the United States is unique or special compared to other nations.
It suggests that the US has a unique mission to promote freedom and democracy.

Enslavement

Triangle trade involved trade between three ports or regions.
This system transported enslaved people across the Atlantic Ocean, primarily from Africa to the Americas.
12.5 million people were enslaved in the triangle trade.

Amistad (1839)

Enslaved Africans aboard the Spanish ship Amistad revolted and took control.
The case ended up in the Supreme Court, determining the enslaved Africans were free as they had been illegally enslaved.

Uprisings of the Enslaved

Enslaved people revolted and rose up against oppressive conditions in the colonies.

Civil War (1861–1865)

The conflict arose from deep-seated divisions over slavery, states' rights, and economic systems.
There were significant human costs, damage to the South, and overall significant losses.

End of Slavery

The Emancipation Proclamation (1863) and the 13th Amendment (1865) officially ended slavery in the Unites States.

Reconstruction

The Reconstruction era (1865-1877) focused on rebuilding the South after the Civil War.
Despite the formal end of slavery, racial tensions and Jim Crow laws continued.

Tulsa Race Massacre

The Tulsa Race Massacre (1921) involved a violent attack on the Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
It resulted in $1.5 million in damage to the thriving Black community.

Emmett Till

Emmett Till (1941-1955) was a victim of a racially motivated murder.
His case was significant in the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting racial violence and injustice.

Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks' (1913-2005) refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama (1955) sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
She became an influential figure in the Civil Rights Movement.

Little Rock Nine

The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas (1957).
This event highlighted resistance to desegregation and the federal government's role in enforcing civil rights laws.

Police Brutality

Black Americans experience disproportionately higher rates of police killings than other racial groups.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Explore key concepts in political philosophy through this quiz focused on thinkers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. Test your knowledge on ideas surrounding government, sovereignty, and the impacts of historical legal acts. Perfect for students of political theory or history enthusiasts.