WGU C963 AMERICAN POLITICS AND US
CONSTITUTION
Social Contract
Answer An agreement between people and government zens consent to being
in which
governed so long as the government protects rights. citi- their
natural
2.Natural Rights
Answer the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life,
liberty, and property
3.State of Nature
Answer A theory on how people might have lived before societies came into
48)
existence. is a condition in which all of us live individually and solitarily, prior to the
regards
egislative
existence of society. We are physically and mentally capable of achieving our own
, her,
survival.
4.Montesquieu (1689-1755)
Answer contribution in The Spirit of the Laws (17 the structure of political
institutions. He argues for a separation of powersl executive, and judicial.
Each will serve as a check on the power of the ot the harm each might do.
separates power to offset the power of different interests
1/
127
,Answer ordinary people, the aristocracy, and the monarch.
5.Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) bute to
the er.
Answer One of the first individuals to contri idea of the social contract Hobbes
s
was a pre-Enlightenment English philosoph argues that society is not something
something natural and immutable, but rather it i created by us. We do
this to resolve problems we collectively face, to m better. State of Nature
Answer it's "a war of all against all." Basically, the state a pretty nasty
place where lives are perpetually insecure.
6.John Locke (1632-1704)
nterest is
Answer we are autonomous individuals, capable of using reason, and aresdriven
security
ees,
to advance our personal interests. Our primary i survival, which we want saying
to
onal
people,
make secure and comfortable. To achieve thi
and comfort, we acquire property. Two Treatises of Government, disagr
the state of nature is a relatively decent place. All its inhabitants are rati
mindful of the basic law of nature to not harm another, and people will get
But our relationship in the state of nature is "inconvenient," implying an i
us to devise a better, more convenient arrangement.
7.Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
ect
Answer A French man who believed that humans are naturally good and common
free and can
2/ tted to
127
individ- g,
rather than
,rely on their instincts. He also advocated a democracy because he believed the
government should exist to prot
good. Like other Enlightenment thinkers, he was passionately commi
ual freedom, but he attacked rationalism and civilization as destroyin
liberating, the individual. He also called for a rigid division of gender r
women should be subordinate in social life. His ideals greatly influen
romantic movement, which rebelled against the culture of the Enlight
late eighteenth century. Rousseau was both one of the most influential voices of the
3/
127
, Enlightenment and, in his rejection of rationalism and social discourse, a harbinger of
reaction against Enlightenment ideas.
8.Constitution is influenced by the Enlightenment
Answer (Separation of powers) em- bodies Montesquieu's principles by separating
the legislative, executive, and judicial power, placing each into the hands of different
political actors.
9.Bill of Rights influenced by Enlightenment
Answer · The First Amendment gives us a definitive declaration for the protection of
natural rights. Protections of individual conscience as well as protections for
democratic participation (John Lock ideology).
· The Second Amendment, which also embodies Lockean ideas, permits the pos-
session of arms for the "security of a free State."14 In this Amendment, the right to
rebellion is established.
· Due process says all citizens are subject to fair and equitable treat ment.
rnment
· The Fourth - Eighth Amendments serve to both limit the power gove has with
over us and lay out procedures which must be followed when dealing
4/
127
CONSTITUTION
Social Contract
Answer An agreement between people and government zens consent to being
in which
governed so long as the government protects rights. citi- their
natural
2.Natural Rights
Answer the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life,
liberty, and property
3.State of Nature
Answer A theory on how people might have lived before societies came into
48)
existence. is a condition in which all of us live individually and solitarily, prior to the
regards
egislative
existence of society. We are physically and mentally capable of achieving our own
, her,
survival.
4.Montesquieu (1689-1755)
Answer contribution in The Spirit of the Laws (17 the structure of political
institutions. He argues for a separation of powersl executive, and judicial.
Each will serve as a check on the power of the ot the harm each might do.
separates power to offset the power of different interests
1/
127
,Answer ordinary people, the aristocracy, and the monarch.
5.Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) bute to
the er.
Answer One of the first individuals to contri idea of the social contract Hobbes
s
was a pre-Enlightenment English philosoph argues that society is not something
something natural and immutable, but rather it i created by us. We do
this to resolve problems we collectively face, to m better. State of Nature
Answer it's "a war of all against all." Basically, the state a pretty nasty
place where lives are perpetually insecure.
6.John Locke (1632-1704)
nterest is
Answer we are autonomous individuals, capable of using reason, and aresdriven
security
ees,
to advance our personal interests. Our primary i survival, which we want saying
to
onal
people,
make secure and comfortable. To achieve thi
and comfort, we acquire property. Two Treatises of Government, disagr
the state of nature is a relatively decent place. All its inhabitants are rati
mindful of the basic law of nature to not harm another, and people will get
But our relationship in the state of nature is "inconvenient," implying an i
us to devise a better, more convenient arrangement.
7.Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
ect
Answer A French man who believed that humans are naturally good and common
free and can
2/ tted to
127
individ- g,
rather than
,rely on their instincts. He also advocated a democracy because he believed the
government should exist to prot
good. Like other Enlightenment thinkers, he was passionately commi
ual freedom, but he attacked rationalism and civilization as destroyin
liberating, the individual. He also called for a rigid division of gender r
women should be subordinate in social life. His ideals greatly influen
romantic movement, which rebelled against the culture of the Enlight
late eighteenth century. Rousseau was both one of the most influential voices of the
3/
127
, Enlightenment and, in his rejection of rationalism and social discourse, a harbinger of
reaction against Enlightenment ideas.
8.Constitution is influenced by the Enlightenment
Answer (Separation of powers) em- bodies Montesquieu's principles by separating
the legislative, executive, and judicial power, placing each into the hands of different
political actors.
9.Bill of Rights influenced by Enlightenment
Answer · The First Amendment gives us a definitive declaration for the protection of
natural rights. Protections of individual conscience as well as protections for
democratic participation (John Lock ideology).
· The Second Amendment, which also embodies Lockean ideas, permits the pos-
session of arms for the "security of a free State."14 In this Amendment, the right to
rebellion is established.
· Due process says all citizens are subject to fair and equitable treat ment.
rnment
· The Fourth - Eighth Amendments serve to both limit the power gove has with
over us and lay out procedures which must be followed when dealing
4/
127
