# data[].attributes.body
Born on August 29, 1632, in Wrington, Somerset

In 1647 he enrolled at Westminster School in London

He was then known as “King’s scholar”

Both parents were Puritans

In 1668 Locke was elected a fellow of the Royal Society

Philosopher from (1632-1704)

# data[].attributes.body
John Locke's political theories and influences helped the US form the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

# data[].attributes.body
The obvious influence Locke had on the US Constitution was the special contract that offered protection to the people's natural rights. This was very important because this "naturally held a strong influence on over the developers of the Constitution."

# data[].attributes.headline
Beliefs Descriptions Continued: (Influential Works) 

# data[].attributes.subject
Beliefs Descriptions Continued: (Influential Works) 

# data[].attributes.body
Locke’s wrote many different books and essays that have to do with his beliefs.  For example, Locke’s essay “Essay Concerning Human Understanding” (1689) outlined a theory of “human knowledge, identity and selfhood”

Another writing John Locke did was “Letters Concerning Toleration” (1689-92), Locke proposed that governments should respect freedom of religion aside from when the dissenting belief was a danger to public order.

Locke's most influential writings were his First and Second Treatise of Civil Government

# data[].attributes.body
John believed in Social Contract Theory

Social contract theory was the view that people's good as well as political commitments are reliant upon an agreement or understanding among them to frame the society in which they live in.  Locke’s believed this because The State of Nature was totally intolerable, thus normal men would submit themselves even to total authority in order to escape it. For John Locke, the State of Nature is an altogether different sort of place, and his argument concerning the social contract and the idea of men's relationship to authority are therefore very unique.

# data[].attributes.body
Other founding fathers drew upon John Locke because of his first principles.

Relied on many of Locke's ideas because his ideas may easily be discovered in the Declaration of Independence.

Founding father's that were influenced were George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and there were 9 more founding fathers.

# data[].attributes.body
Believed that all people should be given natural rights:

Important to him because he discussed “natural rights” in his work identifying them as being, life, liberty, and property.  He argued that “such fundamental rights could not be surrendered in the social contract. Preservation of the natural rights to life, liberty, and property was claimed as justification for the rebellion of the American colonies.”

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.biography.com/people/john-locke-9384544

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke-political/

https://study.com/academy/lesson/social-contract-theory-definition-examples.html

http://www.americassurvivalguide.com/john-locke.php

http://www.americassurvivalguide.com/founding-fathers.php

# data[].attributes.body
Believed that the government's job should be to protect the people.  This was important because Locke was one to always believe what was right and wrong for the people and he always wanted people to have their own rights.  This belief was imperative to him since he explained “natural rights” in his work recognizing them as being life, freedom, and property.  He argued that “such fundamental rights could not be surrendered in the social contract. Preservation of the natural rights to life, liberty, and property was claimed as justification for the rebellion of the American colonies.”