Transcript Why did the founders believe that people needed a government?

WHY DID THE
FOUNDERS BELIEVE
THAT PEOPLE NEEDED A
GOVERNMENT?
HOTS QUESTIONS
1. Why do people create
governments?
2. What purpose do they
serve?
3. Where did the U.S. get its
ideas about government?
TERMS TO UNDERSTAND
• consent
•
• consent of •
the governed
• liberty
•
• life
• property
natural rights
social
contract
state of
nature
Founders’ beliefs about
rights
• The Founders believed that
people had natural rights
• Life, liberty, and property
NATURAL RIGHTS
• Life – Right to live without
fear of being injured or
killed by others
• Liberty – Right to be free
• Property – Right to own
things
PROTECTING THE
RIGHTS
• It was not an easy task
• The Founders developed a
plan to protect their rights
and the rights of others
• They found inspiration on
John Locke’s writings
JOHN LOCKE
• Englishman / 1632-1704
• Locke suggested fair type
of government
• “The people agree to give
their freedoms, but only if
the government agrees to
protects everyone’s rights”.
Locke’s reasoning
• Some people may
try to take away
other’s people’s
rights
(Social Darwinism)
Locke’s reasoning
• People would have natural
rights, but their rights would not
be safe
FOUNDERS BELIEVED WE
NEEDED A GOVERNMENT
• Locke suggested to make a
“social contract”
• A social contract is an
agreement among the people
to create a government
• Give up something to receive
something in return
FOUNDERS BELIEVED WE
NEEDED A GOVERNMENT
• The people give up their
freedom to create a government
and laws
• “Consent of the governed”
means that people consent to
obey the laws and government
• E.g. speed limit / ticket / police