Which Enlightenment philosopher's ideas about natural rights and government by social contract influenced the founding of the United States?

• A. Baron de Montesquieu
• B. John Locke
• C. Voltaire
• D. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how natural rights and government by consent shape political legitimacy. John Locke argued that individuals have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property, and that governments exist only by a social contract to protect those rights. If rulers abuse this trust or fail to safeguard rights, the people have the right to alter or replace the government. This framework directly influenced American thought and documents, with the Declaration of Independence drawing on Locke’s language and reasoning about consent and rights, and the Constitution creating a limited government whose powers are checked and accountable. While other Enlightenment thinkers contributed in important ways—such as Montesquieu with separation of powers, Voltaire with civil liberties, and Rousseau with his own take on the social contract—the emphasis on natural rights and government by consent makes John Locke the best fit for this question.