Mr. M's Social Studies Blog

Read the pages attached below highlighting the impact the Enlightenment had on the way people think about government.  These documents will discuss some of the great political philosophers of the Enlightenment period and their views on the purpose of government.  You can also google search these philosophers for additional info if you wish.

The Task:  Your task is to create a digital “poster”.  You can use whatever format you wish…(google slides, google sites, prezi, glogster…there are other good digital poster programs out there).  This “poster” must highlight each of the main philosophers mentioned in these documents and their main ideas about government by creating a “profile” for each.

You must include the following for EACH philosopher’s “profile” the following:

1. Their name
2. Their picture
3. Year of birth
4. Year of death
5. Nationality (Where are they from)
6. Summary of their main ideas on government

*Each of the following need to be represented: Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Voltaire, Baron de Montesquieu, Jean Jacques Rousseau.

*Optional for bonus:  Include any of the enlightened despots mentioned as well.

Use articles below to answer the following…

After watching the intro video and reviewing the brief information provided, list 5 reasons (total) for why we should study government and politics.  Choose the concepts that resonate the most with you and give a brief explanation for each (a sentence or two for each concept you choose will do).

Video:  Crash Course Government Introduction

Brief Articles:

What is the importance of studying government?

Reasons To Study Politics

Reasons you should care about politics and government

Video (for fun):

Ron Swanson’s (TV show Parks and Recreation) Crash Course on Government (funny)