Unit 1.2

1. According to Locke and the Founders, how do people get their natural rights?

People get their natural rights just by being humans. They get the rights to life, liberty, and property. Liberty means freedom.

3. Where does government get its right to govern, according to the natural rights philosophy? Explain how this works.

The government would protect each person's natural rights by giving the government the power to make and enforce the laws. That agreement is called a social contract. In this contract, everyone promises to give up the absolute right to do anything he/she wants to do. In return, the government provides the safety of the people.

4. What is the main purpose of government according to John Locke? Why?

To John Locke, the main purpose of government is to protect the natural rights that an individual cannot effectively protect in a state of nature. The reason John Locke thinks that's the government's main purpose is because some people might not respect another person's natural rights.

State of Nature

a condition in which no government or laws exist at all.

Social Contract

in a social contract everyone promises to give up the absolute right to do anything she or he wants to do.

Purpose of Government

is to protect the natural rights that each individual cannot effectively protect in a state of nature. In return the government protects the safety of its' people.

Natural Rights

the rights to life, liberty, and property.

Consent

to approve of something or allow something to take place.

5. List (in order of importance) 5 rights that you think all people in our nation should have. Explain your ranking.

1. The freedom of life 2. Freedom of speech 3. The freedom to think and believe in whatever you want 4. The freedom to own property 5. The freedom for everyone over 18 to vote I ranked the freedom of life first because I think it is very important to be able to live the life you want to live and make your own choices and live and learn from all the negative consequences. I ranked freedom of speech second because without getting a chance to say what you want to say, life would have no meaning. I ranked the freedom to think and believe in whatever you want third because there are a lot of beliefs and religions out there and I feel like everyone should get the opportunity to believe in what they want and not what someone else forces them to believe in. I ranked the freedom to own property fourth because when someone owns their own property that shows all the hard work and effort they put into saving up and being able to pay for it. Finally, I ranked the freedom for everyone over 18 to vote because we live in a country that values democracy, which I'm sad to say that not all countries around the world do, so we are very lucky to get to vote on who the leaders of our country are.

2. What might life be like for people living in a state of nature? Explain.

Life would be chaotic and violent if people were to live in a state of nature. It would be very chaotic because there would be no laws, and without laws everybody would go insane and do whatever they want. It would also turn into a blood bath because everybody would be killing one another to protect themselves, their land/property, and their families/friends.