Optional Assignment

—What is the origin of the phrase "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?" What was the original meaning (before it arrived in the Colonies)?

John Locke was a British philosopher that popularized the theory of 'tabula rasa'. Locke's political therory was based off the social contract theory. The original meaning was that Locke said that ‘life, liberty, and estate’ are necessary for survival.

  

—What were the Federalist Papers? Who wrote them and what did they say?

‘The Federalist Papers were written and published during the years 1787 and 1788 in several New York State newspapers to persuade New York voters to ratify the proposed constitution. The Federalist Papers are 85 essays saying how the government should be run. All of the essays were signed "PUBLIUS" and the actual authors of some are under dispute, but the general consensus is that Alexander Hamilton wrote 52, James Madison wrote 28, and John Jay contributed the remaining five.’ (“Federalist Papers”)

 

—Name three philosophers that were icons to the original founders of the US. What ideas were these philosophers famous for?

Immanuel Kant—‘he distinguished three forms of government, democracy, aristocracy, and monarchy with mixed government as the most ideal form of it’

Rousseau—‘argued that sovereignty (or the power to make the laws) should be in the hands of the people, he also makes a sharp distinction between the sovereign and the government. The government is composed of magistrates, charged with implementing and enforcing the general will.’

Thomas Hobbes— his theory of social contract

Works Cited

"Federalist Papers." Founding Fathers. Ed. Chris Whitten. Web. 14 Sept. 2009.

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"Immanuel Kant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Web. 16 Sept. 2009.

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"John Locke." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 14 Sept. 2009.

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"Jean-Jacques Rousseau." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 16 Sept. 2009. .

"Social contract." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 14 Sept. 2009.

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