Bell Ringer

What are the some of the advantages of living in a small, homogenous community? What are some of the disadvantages?

What Ideas About Civic Life Informed the Founding

Generation?

Students will be able to:

Compare and contrast natural rights philosophy and classical republicanism

Compare and contrast the natural rights philosophies of Hobbes and Locke

Vocabulary• Civic virtue • Classical republicanism• Common good• Consent of the governed• Divine right• Inalienable rights• Natural rights• Political legitimacy• Popular sovereignty• Pursuit of happiness • Right of revolution• Social contract theory • State of Nature

What Values From Antiquity Influenced the Founding Generation?

Roman Republic- highest good = common good

Classical republicanism- placed the needs of people as a community above individual liberty

What Values From Antiquity Influenced the Founding Generation?

History of Roman Republic

Cicero- public service is highest calling, personal sacrifice for summum bonum. Civil War ensued.

Julius Caesar- dictator appointed to impose order

Group Write- Critical Thinking Exercise (p16)

What would life be like if there were no government, rules or controls?

Would people in the situation described above have rights or duties? If so, how would those rights and duties be enforced?

What might happen if some people were stronger or smarter than others? Why?

What might weaker or less sophisticated people try to do? Why?

Why might people in the situation described above choose to trade some or all of their freedom to live in society or form a government?

What Values From Antiquity Influenced the Founding Generation?

Aspects of Classical Republicanism Relevant to Colonial America:

a. Small, Uniform Communities

- Only in small community can everyone know everyone else and therefore know the common good.

Aspects of Classical Republicanism Relevant to Colonial America:

Difference creates conflict:

Wealth class warfare

Religion holy war

Homogeneity + Interdependence= Cooperation

Q: What are the +/- of small, homogenous communities?

Aspects of Classical Republicanism Relevant to Colonial America:

b. Citizenship and Civic Virtue

Emphasized duty of citizens

- Slaves and non-citizens did all manual labor

-Emphasizes duties over rights

Models of Classical Republican Virtue

“After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one.” – Cato the Elder

Q: How does this quote illustrate classic republican virtue?

Models of Classical Republican Virtue

Cincinnatus, who left his farm to assume lawful control of Rome to meet a war emergency. When the battle was won, he returned power to the Senate and went back to plowing his fields.

“Our Cincinnatus”

-successful military leader

-acted as president for two terms then chose not to run, relinquishing power

-returned to farm

C. Moral Education

Civic virtue must be learned must be taught through shared religion

- moderation

- importance of debate/military service

- protect reputation

“It is the State which educates its citizens in civic virtue, gives them a consciousness of their mission and welds them into unity”~ Mussolini

Aspects of Classical Republicanism

What do you think?

Identify someone who you believe shows civic virtue. Explain the reason for your choice.

Critical Thinking Exercise p16

What Values from Natural Rights Philosophy Influenced the Founders?Natural Rights Philosophy

- Man began in a state of nature, any situation with no recognized authority

- Focused on Individual “natural” rights

Different ideas about why we left “state of nature”

-Hobbes

-Locke

Hobbes and the Leviathan

Hobbes argued:State of nature = state of warLife “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish,

and short”Leave S.o.N. by creating social

contract authoritarian government

“Leviathan”“Leviathan” = Government rules

through fear

Locke and the Second Treatise

Locke argued:-people are “free, equal and

rational”-possess inalienable rights

“life, liberty, property”-In S.o.N. each person has

right to punish violators. - People form government to

protect natural rights.

What if Government Fails to Protect Natural Rights?

“That to secure these [natural] Rights, Governments are instituted…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish and institute new Government” ~ Declaration of Independence

Hobbes/Locke Comparison Pt.1 Idea Hobbes Locke

State of Nature A state of war. No morality exists. Everyone lives in constant fear.

Perfect freedom to do what they want. Given up to secure the advantages of civilized society.

Purpose of Government

To impose law and order to prevent the state of war.

To secure natural rights, “life, property liberty.”

Hobbes/Locke Comparison Pt.1

Idea Hobbes Locke

Representation Governments are designed to control, not necessarily represent.

Ensures that governments are responsive to the people thus a safeguard against oppression.

Impact on Founders on Function of Government

“to protect the people from themselves.”

“to protect the people from the government.”

“to protect natural rights

Influence of Natural Rights Philosophy on Founders

Individual Rights – are inalienable, regardless of wealth, status or birth. (Slaves?)

Government by consent- government derives authority from agreement of people.

People can give consent or withdraw it (right to revolution).

Limited government- government is created by social contract and limited by needing to protect natural rights.

Influence of Natural Rights Philosophy on Founders

Human Equality – In a state of nature, all people are free from control.

“Neither God nor nature makes some people rulers and other people subjects”

More social mobility in colonies.

Women still legally dependent on men.

Slaves still legally property.

Analyzing Primary Documents

Examine the Preamble to the Constitution. What influences, if any, of classical republicanism and natural rights philosophies do you find?

Exit Card

1. Identify one similarity and one difference between natural rights philosophy and classical republicanism.

2. Identify one similarity and one difference between the philosophy of Locke and Hobbes.