Glossary
Baron de Montesquieu
A French Enlightenment thinker who advocated for the separation of powers and checks and balances within government to prevent tyranny and protect individual liberties.
Example:
The U.S. Constitution's design, with its distinct legislative, executive, and judicial branches, directly reflects Baron de Montesquieu's ideas on governmental structure.
Checks and Balances
A system designed to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful by allowing each branch to limit or 'check' the actions of the others.
Example:
The presidential veto of a bill passed by Congress, which can then be overridden by a two-thirds vote, is a classic example of checks and balances in action.
Committee of Five
A group of five delegates appointed by the Second Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence, consisting of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston.
Example:
The Committee of Five worked together to outline the grievances against King George III and articulate the philosophical basis for American independence.
Common Sense
A highly influential pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776, which used simple, direct language to argue forcefully for American independence from British rule.
Example:
Common Sense was so widely read that it helped to galvanize public opinion across the colonies, turning many undecided colonists into fervent supporters of revolution.
Declaration of Independence
A formal statement adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, announcing the thirteen American colonies' separation from Great Britain and explaining the justifications for doing so.
Example:
The Declaration of Independence served not only as a statement of sovereignty but also as a powerful appeal to international powers for support in the American Revolution.
Enlightenment
An 18th-century European intellectual movement that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism over traditional authority. It challenged existing norms and laid the groundwork for revolutionary thought.
Example:
The ideas of the Enlightenment inspired many American colonists to question the authority of the British monarchy and seek self-governance.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
A Genevan philosopher who emphasized the social contract and the importance of the 'general will' or common good, believing that government should protect the collective will of the people.
Example:
The idea that citizens should actively participate in their government and that laws should reflect the collective good of the community aligns with Jean-Jacques Rousseau's philosophy.
John Locke
An influential Enlightenment philosopher who argued for natural rights and the idea that government's legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed.
Example:
The American colonists frequently cited John Locke's theories to justify their resistance against British policies, asserting that their natural rights were being violated.
Lee Resolution
A resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee to the Second Continental Congress on June 7, 1776, formally proposing that the colonies declare independence from Great Britain.
Example:
Although the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4th, the Lee Resolution on July 2nd was the actual vote that legally severed ties with the British Crown.
Natural Rights
Inherent rights possessed by all individuals from birth, typically identified as life, liberty, and property, which governments are obligated to protect.
Example:
The Declaration of Independence famously rephrased Locke's concept of natural rights to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' making them central to American identity.
Reason over Revelation
A core Enlightenment principle advocating for the use of human logic and empirical observation to understand the world, rather than relying on divine or supernatural explanations.
Example:
Benjamin Franklin's scientific experiments, like his kite experiment with lightning, exemplified the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason over revelation to understand natural phenomena.
Second Continental Congress
A convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that met in Philadelphia starting in May 1775, which managed the colonial war effort and eventually adopted the Declaration of Independence.
Example:
It was the Second Continental Congress that appointed George Washington as commander of the Continental Army and later debated and approved the formal break with Great Britain.
Separation of Powers
The division of governmental authority into distinct branches, typically legislative, executive, and judicial, each with its own responsibilities and limitations.
Example:
The U.S. Congress's power to make laws, distinct from the President's power to enforce them, is a clear application of the separation of powers principle.
Social Contract
A theoretical agreement among individuals to give up some personal freedoms in exchange for the protection and benefits provided by a shared government.
Example:
By agreeing to abide by laws and pay taxes, citizens implicitly participate in the social contract, expecting the government to provide security and public services in return.
Tabula Rasa
The philosophical concept, meaning 'blank slate,' that individuals are born without innate knowledge and are shaped entirely by their experiences and environment.
Example:
The belief in tabula rasa suggested that societal improvements could create better citizens, challenging the idea that people were inherently destined for certain roles based on birth.
Thomas Hobbes
An English philosopher who believed that humanity's natural state was one of war and chaos, necessitating a strong, centralized government to maintain order and stability.
Example:
Unlike the American revolutionaries who sought limited government, Thomas Hobbes would have argued that a powerful monarch was essential to prevent society from descending into anarchy.
Thomas Jefferson
The primary author of the Declaration of Independence and a key figure in the American Revolution, later becoming the third U.S. President.
Example:
Thomas Jefferson's eloquent prose in the Declaration of Independence articulated the core American ideals of liberty and equality, drawing heavily from Enlightenment thought.
Thomas Paine
An American revolutionary writer and philosopher whose pamphlet 'Common Sense' was instrumental in persuading American colonists to support independence.
Example:
Thomas Paine's powerful rhetoric in 'Common Sense' made complex political arguments accessible to the average colonist, sparking widespread calls for separation from Britain.