Philosophers of Government
Who believed life in the “state of nature” was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”?
Hobbes
Name the four features of a state.
Population, territory, sovereignty, government
What form of government is ruled by one person with absolute power?
Dictatorship
In Athens, what was the Assembly?
A legislative body where citizens voted on laws
Which philosopher most influenced Jefferson and the Founding Fathers?
John Locke
Which philosopher argued that people are born with natural rights: life, liberty, and property?
John Locke
What does sovereignty mean?
The ability to rule absolutely within a territory
A monarchy where the king/queen must follow laws is called what?
Constitutional monarchy
How was the Council of 500 chosen?
By lottery
Which natural right did Jefferson change to “pursuit of happiness”?
Property
What book did Hobbes write, where he argued for a strong central authority?
Leviathan
Give one way boundaries of a state can change.
War, negotiation, or purchase
What do we call a small group of military leaders ruling after taking power by force?
A Junta
What principle meant that everyone had to follow the laws, no matter their status?
Rule of law
What idea from Athens influenced the U.S. Constitution?
Written constitutions, rule of law, and citizen participation
How did Locke’s view of the social contract differ from Hobbes’s?
Locke believed the contract was two-way (people could overthrow a government); Hobbes believed people gave up rights permanently for protection
Name two roles of government.
Make laws, protect the state, keep order, or help citizens
What form of government recognizes religious law as the highest authority?
Theocracy
Who counted as citizens in Athens?
Free Athenian males, 18+, with Athenian parents
What was the main purpose of government according to Locke?
To protect people’s natural rights of life, liberty, and property
Which American document shows Locke’s influence, and how?
The Declaration of Independence — “life, liberty, pursuit of happiness” and the idea of overthrowing unjust government
Why is sovereignty important for a state?
It allows a state to govern itself, set foreign policy, and act without outside control
What does “anarchy” mean?
The absence of government and formal control
What was one major limitation of Athenian democracy?
Women, slaves, foreigners, and children were excluded
How did the Founding Fathers combine ideas from Locke and Athens?
They built a democracy based on citizen rights and law