# data[].attributes.headline
John Locke (1632–1704) is one of the greatest philosophers of our time. His impact on our political system is vast. He wrote a great number of works that had a profound effect on the governments of his time and ours. For example, John Locke's philosophy played a crucial role in the creation of the US constitution. John Locke centers his beliefs around the rights of man, but also to benefits of limiting the government's power. His many works laid down the foundations of modern empiricism and political liberalism. 

# data[].attributes.subject
John Locke (1632–1704) is one of the greatest philosophers of our time. His impact on our political system is vast. He wrote a great number of works that had a profound effect on the governments of his time and ours. For example, John Locke's philosophy played a crucial role in the creation of the US constitution. John Locke centers his beliefs around the rights of man, but also to benefits of limiting the government's power. His many works laid down the foundations of modern empiricism and political liberalism. 

# data[].attributes.body
John Locke is an advocate of the people. He believed in government consent and natural rights. There were three rights that coincided with Locke's philosophy: Life, Liberty, and happiness.  Locke used the statement that men are naturally free and equal as part of the justification for comprehending legitimate political government as the result of a social contract where people in the state of nature conditionally transfer some of their rights to the government in order to better ensure the stable, comfortable enjoyment of their lives, liberty, and property.

# data[].attributes.body
John Locke believed the governments sole duty was to protect the lives, liberties, and properties of its citizens. For Locke, the government should deem all men equal in all ways. For example, in Locke's Two Treatise of Government,"“Being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.” Locke explains that if men are equal they are subject to less violence and conflict. His beliefs were far ahead of his time and greatly impacted his society and ours.

# data[].attributes.body
The Founding Fathers drew heavily upon English philosopher John Locke in establishing America’s First Principles, most notably the recognition of unalienable, the Social Compact, and limited government. Locke's philosophy behind limited government was very apparent in both the declaration and the constitution. Also, John Locke's rights of man, life, liberty, and property, were included as well.

# data[].attributes.body
The greatest influence upon the founding of the United States was your very own John Locke. In Locke's Second Treatise of Government, he discusses the basis of having a legitimate government. According to Locke, a ruler should only be given power by the consent of the governed or the people. Also, Locke states in his book that man should not be denied their unalienable rights. If they are, Locke argues that the government should be overthrown. Founding Father Thomas Jefferson took Locke's philosophy to heart as he wrote the Declaration of Independence. For example, Jefferson's most famous statement, All men are created equal", derived from John Locke's ideas of men's natural and unalienable rights.

# data[].attributes.body
Works Cited

Ellis, Joseph J. “Thomas Jefferson.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 July 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Jefferson.

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, www.iep.utm.edu/locke-po/.

Rogers, Graham A.J. “John Locke.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 26 June 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/John-Locke/Other-works.

Uzgalis, William. “John Locke.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 1 May 2018, plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/.