The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment, or The Age of Reason, was a movement of European and American thinkers in the 1600s and 1700s that wanted to reform society away from irrationality, superstition, and dogmatism. Enlightenment thinkers used logic and reason to challenge ideas based on ignorance and superstition.
(To see and hear the definition of difficult words, double-click on the word).

Related to government, these thinkers included John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jeffereson, Benjamin Franklin, etc. Their major contributions to government include social contract theory and the idea of natural rights. Their ideas were used throughout Europe by kings and queens as Enlightened Absolutism, and were the central ideas in the American and French Revolutions.

Slides for Week 1

Students,

Here are the slides from this week's class. Know them! Love them! Use them to help you remember the Origins of the State and the Functions of Government.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

Bell Ringers - Week of August 26th - 30th

Students,

In case you are absent or late for American Government class on Tuesday or Wednesday this week, here are the bell ringer assignments. They are due to me by the end of the day on Friday, August 30th.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

Key Vocabulary - Week of August 26th - 30th

Students,

Here are the most important vocabulary words that you will know by the end of this week. Use the flashcards, and other study games, on Quizlet to help you learn them.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

What is a Contract?

A contract is an agreement between two people that says what one person will get in return for what the other person will give. An example of a contract is a contract to play a sport for a professional team.

In the same way, John Locke suggested that government should be a social contract between the people and the government. The people give up some power to the government in order for the government to maintain order, and the government promises to protect the natural rights of the people as written in the contract. An example of a social contract is the Constitution of the United States of America.

SFL Standard Playing Contract - Southern Football League

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