Students will explain the fundamental principles of American government, as expressed in the Constitution and other essential documents of American federalism. Standard Number Content Standard Content Strand

GC.01

Examine the influences of leading European thinkers (e.g., John Locke, Charles-Louis Montesquieu, Thomas Hobbes) and other roots of American government (e.g., Greek democracy, Roman republic, Magna Carta). C, E, G, P

What am I learning today?

The beginnings of government

Why am I learning this?

History is the study of change over time. Events then are impacting our lives today.

How will I know I learned this?

Understanding WHY we have government helps understanding the purpose of government and the actions of government.

Bellwork – Your First Grade…

On the index card I need three things

Your Name that you go by.

After classes are leveled I will update my rosters to put the name you want me to call you by.

What do want to be when you grow up?

There are a lot of careers/jobs I can help you with.

What is your favorite Ice Cream Flavor?

🔔 Bell Ringer (5–7 minutes)

Think-Pair-Share
Write 2–3 sentences answering this question:
“Where do you think our ideas about government and democracy came from?”
After writing, discuss your thoughts with a partner.

📘 Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Identify the contributions of John Locke, Montesquieu, and Hobbes.
  • Recognize how Greek democracy, the Roman republic, and the Magna Carta influenced American government.
  • Analyze how these ideas shaped the U.S. Constitution.

📝 Guided Notes

Download the guided notes here: 🗂️ Click to Download Notes PDF (replace with your upload link)

1. John Locke

  • Believed in natural rights: life, liberty, and property.
  • Supported the idea that governments exist with the consent of the governed.
  • Influenced the Declaration of Independence.

2. Thomas Hobbes

  • Wrote Leviathan.
  • Believed humans are naturally selfish; governments must have strong control.
  • Supported a social contract, but favored monarchy over democracy.

3. Montesquieu

  • Promoted separation of powers.
  • Believed in a three-branch government (executive, legislative, judicial).
  • His ideas directly influenced the U.S. Constitution.

4. Greek Democracy

  • Citizens participated directly in decisions.
  • Introduced the concept of civic duty and voting.

5. Roman Republic

  • Introduced representative government.
  • Used senates and elected officials to represent citizens.

6. Magna Carta (1215)

  • Limited the power of the king.
  • Introduced rule of law and due process.

🎥 Embedded Videos (All with Closed Captions)

📺 Crash Course: U.S. Government – The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/bO7FQsCcbD8?cc_load_policy=1″ title=”Crash Course: Constitution” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

📺 History Brief: The Enlightenment Thinkers <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/yAgO8T1E-Ac?cc_load_policy=1″ title=”Enlightenment Thinkers” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

📺 Magna Carta Explained <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/OJZzP2b64VQ?cc_load_policy=1″ title=”Magna Carta” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

🧠 Quizizz Review Game

Ready to test what you’ve learned?

👉 Click Here to Play the Quizizz (replace with your Quizizz link)

You can also assign this as homework or play live as a class!

💡 Wrap-Up Discussion

  • Which Enlightenment thinker do you agree with most? Why?
  • What would American government look like without these influences?