G2 a. Compare and contrast the Declaration
of Independence and the Social Contract
Theory. b. Evaluate the Declaration of
Independence as a persuasive argument.
 Review
the ideas of yesterday’s
three philosophers AND explain
which one your most agree with and
WHY! GIVE Examples!
 Write
in a complete paragraph! (5-7
sentences)!
 Social
Contract Theory- The idea
that people willingly give up their
own power and rights in order to
maintain social order.
-
Two philosophers argued two
different aspects of the social
contract theory.
[Thomas Hobbes and John Locke]
•Hobbes felt people gave up their
rights and power to the government
because people were dangerous and
without government nothing would be
safe.
•In order to stay alive people form a
contract with the government, who
then becomes the authority
 Locke
agreed with the social contract theory
but argued that there should be separation
of government powers and individuals should
have protected rights.
 Locke
argued that people (citizens) should be
allowed to impeach or overthrow the
government if is harmful or doesn’t meet
their needs.
 Thomas
Jefferson: primary author of the
Declaration of Independence used ideas of
Locke’s Social Contract Theory to argue
independence!
 Purpose
of Declaration of
Independence: to state and explain
reasons for separation from the
British King.
 The
document’s ideas can be
traced to several philosophies:
John Locke:
1. Natural Rights
-believed people were born with certain natural
rights (life, liberty and property)
2. Social Contract Theory:
-that the people and the government have a
“contract”
-people had the right to overthrow a government
if it did not uphold its end of the contract




Halfway across the globe
And we're standing on new ground
Screaming 'cross the waves
You can't hear a sound
There's no fair trials, no trade, no
liberties
No tea
We've colonized America; we won't
stand for tyranny,
Oh king
And it's too late to apologize It's too
late
I said it's too late to apologize
It's too late
We've paid your foolish tax, read the
acts
And they just won't do





We want to make it clear, we believe
this much is true
All men were created with certain
Unalienable rights
Among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit
Of happiness
And it's too late to apologize
It's too late
I said It's too late to apologize
It's too late
It's too late to apologize
It's too late
I said it's too late apologize
It's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah
It's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah
Halfway across the globe
And we're standing on new ground