LockE was an influence of the founding fathers of our country. What two ideas did he contribute to the enlightenment where in the founding documents of the United States do we see each of those ideas demonstrated
John Locke was indeed an influential thinker on the founding fathers of the United States. He contributed several ideas to the Enlightenment philosophy, two of which are prominently featured in the founding documents of the United States: the concept of natural rights and the social contract theory.
1. Natural Rights: John Locke argued that individuals possess certain inherent rights simply by virtue of being human. These rights are not granted by any government or authority but are instead fundamental and inalienable. They include the rights to life, liberty, and property (later modified to "pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence). The idea of natural rights is explicitly demonstrated in the Declaration of Independence, where Thomas Jefferson wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
2. Social Contract Theory: Locke's social contract theory holds that societies are based on an agreement, or contract, between the government and the people. According to this theory, individuals willingly surrender certain rights and freedoms to the government in exchange for protection and the promotion of the common good. The idea of the social contract is implied in the opening words of the U.S. Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity." This demonstrates the foundational belief that the power and legitimacy of the government ultimately derive from the consent of the governed.
Both of these ideas laid the groundwork for the principles underlying the founding of the United States and are reflected in the founding documents, particularly the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.