7-2.5 Explain how the Enlightenment influenced the
American and French Revolutions leading to the
formation of limited government, including the
relationship between people and their government
, the role of constitutions, the characteristics of
shared powers, the protection of individual rights
and the promotion of the common good.
1
T
The American and French Revolutions:
The American Revolution and the French Revolution was inspired
by The Enlightenment, as well as the success of the American
Revolution.
American
Revolution
The
Enlightenment
French
Revolution
2
• The 2 Revolutions utilized the ideas of The
Enlightenment and led to the formation of
limited governments and served as models for
future limited governments and constitutions
around the world.
• The Enlightenment presented new beliefs about
authority and the role of the individual in
government.
• John Locke presented ideas of _____, _______,
and ____________. He also declared that it is the
purpose of govt. to protect these rights.
3
• Locke also stated that if a government fails to protects these rights
of the people, then the people could ________.
• The ideas of Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Voltaire can also be seen
in the formation of limited forms of government.
• Many of the limited governments became representative
democracies where citizens choose other citizens to represent
them in the decision-making processes of government.
• These Enlightenment ideas inspired the leaders of the American
Revolution served as a model for the French and many other
revolutions that followed such as those in Latin America.
• The American Revolution drew upon John Locke’s belief in the
Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson’s made specific
references to Locke’s ideas to argue that the colonists were
rebelling because their rights had been violated and that they
therefore had the right to alter or abolish their government.
4
• A growing number of French citizens had embraced the
Enlightenment ideas of “equality” and “freedom of the
individual” as presented by Voltaire and other
philosophers.
• Contact between American revolutionaries and French
troops supported and helped spread these ideals to the
French people.
• Many French citizens began to attack the undemocratic
nature of their own government which led to the French
Revolution.
• Following these revolutions, the ideas of the
Enlightenment were used to develop limited
governments and constitutions.
5
Constitutions:
• A constitution that creates a limited govt. as the relationship
between the people and their govt. embodies Locke’s idea of a
social contract, as a constitution is an agreement between the govt.
and the people.
• The role is to place limits on the govt.’s power by outlining what
powers the govt. does/does not have, or what the govt. can/can’t
do.
• A constitution is the “law” which establishes the structure and
operation of govt. and details the relationship of the people to their
govt.
• Constitutions are critical because they provide the govt. legitimacy
in ruling but they do have provisions to several key components:
6
• Can be a single written document like in the US.
•
A collection of traditions, precedents, legal rulings and documents that
together make what is known as an unwritten constitution like in England.
• Both forms are legitimate.
• The US had the first written constitution and helped set the foundation for
what national constitutions generally address.
• Many principles and ideas of the US Constitution were based on traditions
and heritage of the unwritten English constitution.
• When govt. first became responsive to the will of the people was when
King John signed the Magna Carta (Great Charter) in 1215.
• Not all constitutions are legitimate and it is possible for a govt. to have a
written constitution , but not all follow the principles or guidelines set forth
in it. The Soviet Union is an example of this.
7
Constitutions can be classified as
either be “positive” or “negative”:
POSITIVE:
1. Centers on the roles
and responsibilities
that a government is
to perform.
NEGATIVE:
1. Focuses on the
limitations placed on
governments.
Example: Providing a
universal education for
all citizens.
8
Key Components of Constitutions:
• Provide a framework for the operation of the
legislative, executive, judicial branches.
• Establish relationships between the national govt. and
the regional/provincial govt.’s
• They define the relationship of govt. to the citizens and
the rights of the citizens.
• The characteristics of shared powers are evident in the
creation of the 3 branches of govt.
• The 3 branches clearly take influence from
Montesquieu’s idea of separation of powers.
9