Write one or two paragraphs explaining how the Declaration of Independence and the U. S. Constitution reflect Enlightenment ideas about government. Use the following terms in your writing:

1. checks and balances

2. federal system

3. Bill of Rights

The U. S. Constitution was inspired by the enlightment ideas of John Locke, Montesquieu, among others. From John Locke, it took the idea that government should exist to protect the natural rights of people: life, liberty, and property. The protection of these rights is codified under the Bill of Rights.

Montesquieu thought that government power should be divided in three branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. The U. S. Constitution applied this system and included a series of checks and balances to prevent any of the three branches from becoming too powerful. Finally, the Founding Fathers made America a federal country with a federal system, because the American colonies had previously enjoyed a lot of independence, and they did not want to lose it.

Answer and Explanation:

The work of John Locke influenced the American Declaration of Independence. Enlightenment ideas very much influenced the American Revolution. Documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Law of Rights reflected many views of the enlightenment.

The Declaration of Independence relies heavily on Enlightenment thinkers. Jefferson wrote in the Declaration came directly from Locke's thoughts on government ... First, the Declaration of Independence states that people have certain rights simply because they are human.

Jefferson states in the statement that "all men are equal." This idea is partly inspired by Locke's concept of "tabula rasa," which means that all people were born without prior knowledge, so their status is equal.