John Locke Timeline

  • John Locke is born

  • After studying philosophy, medicine, law, and mathematics and graduating with multiple degrees Locke becomes a very important professor at Oxford Collage

  • Locke reads Rene Descards' discorse on the method and likes what he reads. This work includes the famous quote "I think, therefor I am"

  • Anthony Ashley Cooper "Lord Ashley" who is an important British politition meets and befriends Locke

  • Locke who is now Lord Ashley's personal physician supervises a liver operation that saves Lord Ashley's life and remarkably he lives another 15 years

  • Because of Lord Ashley's involvement in the new British colonies in America Locke is asked to write the Fundamental Constitution of Carolina

  • Locke writes his first draft of the Essay Concerning human understanding, in it are ideas on Natural Law; based partially on the writings of others.

  • Locke's begins to write and promote the idea of a Social Contract, he may not be the first with the idea but his social status will make the idea popular

  • Locke's ideas about revolution against a government are linked to a plot to kill the king. Locke flees to Holland, many that agreed with him and Lord Ashley are arrested for treason and some are killed

  • England's Glorious Revolution; Locke is welcomed by the new king and returns to England

  • Locke meets Sit Isaac Newton and they become friends

  • Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke is published

  • Two treatises of civil government by John Locke is published

  • Locke is appointed to the British Board of Trade and even though his health is failing he is its most influential member

  • John Locke dies!

  • Thomas Jefferson borrows from Locks' ideas to write the declaration of independence.