#AP US History: Revolutionary Ideas Study Guide 🚀

Hey there, future APUSH rockstar! Let's dive into the revolutionary ideas that fueled the birth of the USA. This guide is your one-stop shop for acing those exams, so let’s get started!

#1. The Enlightenment: Seeds of Revolution 🌱

#1.1. Core Principles

The Enlightenment, an 18th-century European intellectual movement, emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism. It challenged traditional authority and paved the way for revolutionary thought. Think of it as humanity's 'aha!' moment, where people started using their brains to solve problems instead of just relying on old ways. 💡

• Reason over Revelation: People began to use human logic and observation to understand the world, rather than divine explanations.
• Tabula Rasa: The idea that people are born as a blank slate without innate knowledge, shaped by their experiences. This concept challenged the idea of inherited privilege and divine right.

#1.2. Key Thinkers and Their Impact

• John Locke: Argued for natural rights (life, liberty, and property) in his "Two Treatises of Government". He believed that the government's role is to protect these rights, and if it fails, the people have the right to alter or abolish it.

• Thomas Hobbes: Believed that the natural state of humanity was a state of war and that governments were needed to provide order and stability. He argued for a strong, centralized government to maintain peace.

• Baron de Montesquieu: Advocated for the separation of powers and checks and balances to prevent tyranny. He believed that dividing government into different branches (like legislative, executive, and judicial) would protect individual liberties.

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Emphasized the social contract and the importance of the common good. He believed that people are naturally free and equal and that the government should protect the will of the people.