Contributions to modern democratic thought and the formation of modern government

John Locke

689 BCE

John Locke was an English philosopher. In 689 CE, he published a book about the natural rights held by every human being. John Locke took the social contract one step further with the Natural Rights Theory. Locke's ideas about natural rights helped to form the way we think about individual rights today. American colonist used this theory to support their quest for independence from Great Britain.

Ancient Greece

510 BCE

Ancient Greece was a very important civilization that existed from around 2200 BCE to 130 BCE. In our Declaration of Independence it says that the government should get their power from the consent of the governed, this idea dates back to 510 BCE, when parts of Greece became democratic.

Ancient Roman Empire

150 BCE

The Roman empire civilization lasted from about 500 BCE to 476 CE The start of a representative government was seen in the ancient Roman empire. In about 150 CE, the Roman empire was at its highest. Originally kings ruled Rome, but eventually turned into a form of democracy. Although it was not a true from of a representative because not all of their important officials were elected, the citizens were allowed to vote and vote out representatives.

Petition of Rights

Jan 12, 628

Parliamentary declaration of the rights and liberties of the people, assented to Charles I in his start and considered a constitutional document second important to the Magna Carta. The document had four points: no free man should pay unless accordance with parliament, no free man imprisoned contrary to the law of land, sailors and soldiers should not be billeted on private persons, and commissions to punish them by martial law should be abolished.

Iroquois

Jan 12, 1142

The Iroquois are historically powerful and important northeast Native American confederacy. They consisted of five leaders that brought the Peacemaker's message, known as the Great Law of Peace, to those fighting. The American Revolution separated them because some wanted to remain along side Great Britain.

Magna Carta

Jan 12, 1215

in 1215, The English wrote the Magna Carta and included a very important section: The King was no longer allowed to do whatever he wanted. The king was supposed to follow the "law of land" when dealing with his subjects. It was one of the first formal documents that made a king subject to lay and has had a huge influence on the United States Constitution and on other constitutions around the world. The Magna Carta set forth the ideal of having government accountable to the law.

English Bill of Rights

Dec 16, 1689

The English Bill of Rights is an act that the Parliament of England passed on December 16, 1689. The bill creates separation of power from the king and enhances the democratic election. The act also bolsters freedom of speech.

Montesquieu

Jan 12, 1748

The first person to describe the two systems of checks and balances in detail was a French thinker named Montesquieu. In 1748, Montesquieu wrote that power must be divided in government to prevent one part from becoming too powerful. The founding fathers of the United States were influenced by Montesquieu when they designed our government.

Thomas Paine

Jan 12, 1776

Thomas Paine was an English-American political activist, philosopher, political theorist, and revolutionist. He was one of the founding fathers of the United states and inspired the rebels to break against Great Britain in 1776. His ideas reflected from the Enlightenment-era and rhetoric of transnational human rights.