Impact Of John Locke On Political Philosophies

As teens rebel against their mothers, so to did America rebel against the British during the 18th Century. However, also like children they followed their mother’s footsteps. Oliver Cromwell led a revolt against the Staurt monarchy and similarly colonists revolted against the British. During this time, an English philosopher named John Locke wrote works on political philosophies, mainly against the Stuarts. John Locke would have believed that the American colonists justified their resentments against the British especially, since the British stole their fundamental rights of liberty, property, and life.

After the Seven Year’s War, the British started to take away the colonists basic right of liberty. Parliament established the Proclamation Line of 1763, which prevented colonists from expanding past the Appalachian Mountains. Colonists wanted to expand and travel further inland. This act, however, restricted that choice. The British government began to tighten its reins on the colonies, and that begun with the Sugar Act of 1764, which imposed new duties on sugar and other goods. Soon, England denied America their salutary neglect and made them pay the Stamp Tax. This tax applied to any legal document. As stated in their colonial charters, only local governments could levy internal taxes. However, Parliament taxed them without any representation in the English government. They demanded actual representation instead of virtual representation in Parliament. John Locke’s writings and even philosophies back to the Magna Carta,

A prime example of this would be the Boston Massacre. Colonists protested and boycotted around the customs house, which Red Coats guarded. They threw brick filled snowballs at the red coats and then they shot at the protestors. This incident led to the death of five colonists. The British took away the life of five citizens and they did not have the right to do