Question

The ideas of John Locke, an English philosopher, influenced the Founding Fathers to

Answer 1

There are various ways to answer that question. The most obvious, I suppose, is hat Locke's ideas influenced the Founders to assume that people were rational and hence, to base the government on them, the people. ("We the people" is how the Constitution begins, right?) Perhaps a little less obvious is that Locke's ideas--about parenting for example--influenced them to question what was a fundamentally paternalistic relationship between the King and themselves. Locke felt that all relationships should be based on reason--so that's a challenge to patriarchy right there, right? Of course once you start down that path, there is no telling where you'll end up. It's even possible you will end up in a place where "the natural aristocracy" are not the ones "the people" choose to run things, etc. Does that help at all?

Answer 2

Oh, forgot to mention last night that it was Locke's idea that a government was a contract between the rulers and the ruled. Which again is (IMO) contrary to patriarchal arrangements.

Answer 3

@innatysoe is correct :) However you don't want to forget the main thing he influenced the founding fathers! (Thomas Jefferson practically copied locke on this when he wrote the declaration of independance). The theory that man is entitled with god given rights and obtains the responsibility to obtain the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, was a HUGE way that Locke influenced the founding fathers.