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Home > Foundations of Government > Why Government?
Lesson Plan
Foundations of Government
Available in Spanish

Why Government?

6-8
One class period
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Learning Objectives

  • Identify the basic ideas on government from Thomas Hobbes and John Locke
  • Define the terms: state of nature, natural rights, sovereign
  • Trace the development of the idea of the social contract from Hobbes and Locke
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Overview

Students take a look at two political thinkers that spent a lot of time trying to answer the question, "Why Government?" - Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. This lesson combines our Influence Library entries on Hobbes and Locke and adds activities that ask students to compare and contrast Hobbes and Locke and to think about how these philosophers influenced those that followed in their footsteps. 

iCivics en español! Student and class materials for this lesson are available in Spanish.

 

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