Constitution Origins and Natural Rights – Vocabulary Flashcards

Natural Rights

  • Three natural rights: Life, Liberty, and Property.

  • From John Locke (Second Treatise, 1689).

  • These rights are God-given and cannot be abolished by anyone except God.

  • Property arises when individuals invest in land; ownership is protected by government.

Contingency in History

  • History and political ideas are contingent on prior events and conditions.

  • Example concept: many historical outcomes depend on multiple preceding factors.

Origins of the Constitution and Locke

  • The US Constitution and revolution are connected to Enlightenment ideas (John Locke) and political theory from the Glorious Revolution era.

  • Governments exist to protect natural rights; rights are inherent and not illegible to be removed by rulers.

Property, Land, and Government

  • To own land, one must invest capital (money, time) to develop it (clear trees, improve soil, build).

  • Once invested and titled, property is protected by government.

  • Native American views of land often differed from deed-based private property; land as a common resource vs. individual ownership.

English Bill of Rights and American Influence

  • 1689 English Bill of Rights influenced foundational American rights protections.

  • Early colonists were English settlers; American political ideas borrow from English legal traditions while adapting them locally.

Colonial Context and Native Land Concepts

  • In North America, abundant unsettled land attracted settlement and investment.

  • Indigenous concepts often viewed land as belonging to the land itself, not individuals; European deeds introduced private property concepts.

Causes of the American Revolution

  • Fiscal policies and taxation by Britain, plus trade restrictions, sparked colonial resistance.

  • Financial controls and perceived tyranny led to protests and eventual revolution.

Classroom Activity: Group Research

  • Students will be divided into groups (slides 2–9) to cover key events.

  • Each group identifies: date, place of the event, and the relevant act or policy.

  • Also note how colonists responded and identify the instigator or trigger for the action.

  • Plan: eight groups cover eight events; be ready to share findings.

Schedule and Field Trip Context

  • The test date will be announced soon and likely after the stated week, possibly immediately after.

  • Field trip planned to the Reagan Library during the executive branch unit (week before Thanksgiving).

  • The pace is adjusted to reach that unit on time.