By Kat Staley, Jamie Shirtz and Kaitie Hess
Biography
Born Jan. 18, 1689 in La Brede, France to a wealthy
family
Sent to Tully, near Paris to receive a classical education
Became lawyer
Marries Jeanne de Latrigue and recieves great wealth
Uncle dies, leaving him his title, fortune, and office
Publishes his work, including “Persian Letters” and
“The Spirit of Laws”
Dies February 10 in Bordeaux
Philosophical Ideas
People Cannot Govern Themselves:
Solid government ruling over people
Freedom is the right to be left alone
England’s government was well off
Philosophical Ideas
Humankind is Bad:
Savage without art or science
“Eat or be eaten”
Civilizations devour each other
Beliefs in Government
Best form of government: one in which power is
balanced among three groups of officials
-contributed checks and balances
1.) Executive - enforced laws- King, President
2.) Legislative - made laws- Parliament, Congress
3.) Judicial – interprets laws- Supreme Court, English Court
Beliefs in Government
Contributed New Ideas:
- political liberty- people have the right “to do
what one should want to do, and not being forced to do
what one should not want to do”
- laws are not divinely inspired-they evolved
naturally out of life
- “the separation of power”: balancing power so
one does not abuse it
Affect on the Revolution
Colonists struggling under taxes and restrictions
Beliefs quoted in the media to support colonists’
protest
Use model government and constitution to
contradict English government
“They should be adapted in such a manner to the
people for whom they are framed that it should be a
great chance if those of one nation suit another”
Work Cited
Baron de la Brède et de Montesquieu. Law Brain, 11 Dec. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2012.
<http://lawbrain.com/wiki/Baron_de_la_Br%C3%A8de_et_de_Montesquieu>.
“Charles de Montesquieu.” Liberal Internation. Liberal International, 2012. Web. 11 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.liberal- international.org/editorial.asp?ia_id=675>.
Montesquieu. Cartage, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/biographies/mainbiographies/m/monte
squieu/1.html>.
Schaub, Diana. “Montesquieu’s Popular Science.” The New Atlantis - Montesquieu. The Center for
the Study of Technology and Society, 2008. Web. 11 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/montesquieus-popular-science>.
“Spirit of Laws - 1748.” Montesquieu, Natural Law, and Natural Rights. The Witherspoon
Institute, 2012. Web. 11 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.nlnrac.org/earlymodern/montesquieu/primary-sourcedocuments>.
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