Unit 2: Enlightenment and Exploration

Natural Law

• certain rights exist naturally

• govern human nature

Natural Rights

• rights given to you from birth

• life, liberty, and property

THINKER: Thomas Hobbes

• people need government for order

• social contract

  • people agree to give up some freedoms and follow laws, in return the government protects them and keeps order

  • → giving up state of nature

• “people are dangerous, so we need a strong government”

THINKER: John Locke

• natural rights

• government exists to protect rights

• people can overthrow bad governments

• “people have rights, so government should protect those rights”

THINKER: Montesquieu

• separation of powers

THINKER: Voltaire

• freedom of speech of religion

THINKER: Mary Wollstonecraft

• equal rights for women

THINKER: Rousseau

• government gets power from the people

THINKER: Adam Smith

• free-market economy

Locke: Impact on US Government

• declaration of independence

• unalienable rights

Voltaire: Impact on US Government

• 1st amendment freedoms

Montesquieu: Impact on US Government

• 3 branches of government

Rousseau: Impact of US Government

• popular sovereignty

Spanish Exploration

• search for wealth, land, conversion of Native peoples

• expansion of European influence

Spanish Exploration- Native Interactions

• trade, alliances, conflict, disease

• native populations greatly affected

Spanish Exploration- Impact on America

• colonization patterns

• cultural exchanges

• future conflicts over land