John locke ap world history definition


key term - John Locke

Definition

John Locke was an influential English philosopher in the 17th century, known as the 'Father of Liberalism.' His ideas centered around the concepts of natural rights, social contract theory, and government by consent, which profoundly impacted political thought during the Enlightenment and later shaped democratic principles in the Industrial Age.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Locke's philosophy emphasized the importance of reason and individualism, encouraging people to question traditional authority and seek knowledge.
  2. He believed that government should be based on the consent of the governed and that it has an obligation to protect citizens' natural rights.
  3. Locke's writings greatly influenced revolutionary movements in America and France, as his ideas laid the groundwork for modern democracy.
  4. His work 'Two Treatises of Government' directly challenged the divine right of kings and argued for limited government and separation of powers.
  5. Locke also contributed to educational theory, advocating for a system where children learn through experience rather than rote memorization.

Review Questions

key term - John Locke

Definition

John Locke was a 17th-century English philosopher whose ideas on government, individual rights, and the social contract significantly influenced modern political thought. His concepts of natural rights and government by consent laid the groundwork for constitutionalism and challenged absolute monarchies, shaping the Enlightenment and later revolutionary movements.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Locke's work 'Two Treatises of Government' outlines his political philosophy, rejecting the divine right of kings and advocating for government accountability to the people.
  2. He argued that individuals have the right to overthrow a government that fails to protect their natural rights, influencing revolutions such as the Glorious Revolution in England.
  3. Locke's ideas on religious tolerance emphasized the separation of church and state, promoting the notion that civil government should not interfere with individual beliefs.
  4. His belief in the importance of education laid the foundation for later educational reforms, stressing that knowledge is crucial for individuals to fulfill their potential in society.
  5. Locke's influ

    John Locke

    John Locke’s Early Life and Education

    John Locke was born in 1632 in Wrighton, Somerset. His father was a lawyer and small landowner who had fought on the Parliamentarian side during the English Civil Wars of the 1640s. Using his wartime connections, he placed his son in the elite Westminster School.

    Did you know?

    John Locke’s closest female friend was the philosopher Lady Damaris Cudworth Masham. Before she married the two had exchanged love poems, and on his return from exile, Locke moved into Lady Damaris and her husband’s household.

    Between 1652 and 1667, John Locke was a student and then lecturer at Christ Church, Oxford, where he focused on the standard curriculum of logic, metaphysics and classics. He also studied medicine extensively and was an associate of Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle and other leading Oxford scientists.

    John Locke and the Earl of Shaftesbury

    In 1666 Locke met the parliamentarian Anthony Ashley Cooper, later the first Earl of Shaftesbury. The two struck up a friendship that blossomed into full patronage, and a year later Locke was appointed physician to Shaftesbury’s household. That year he supervised a dangerous liver operation

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    john locke ap world history definition