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The Founding Fathers were a group of extraordinary thinkers and brilliant men, but
throughout the course of American Constitutional History, there were a number of other
writers, philosophers, and revolutionaries who helped champion or support the case for
American Independence. Two prominent thinkers, one directly and one indirectly,
played a pivotal role in the founding of the United States. These men were Thomas
Paine and John Locke.
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine was an English-born
political activist, author, and revolutionary
who came to America to support the cause
against the British. As the author of two
highly influential pamphlets, The
American Crisis and Common Sense, at the
start of the American Revolution, he aimed
to inspire the colonists to declare
independence from Britain. Although his
work influenced the Founding Fathers to
some degree, he had a much greater impact
on the common people, who, after reading
these two works, became much more
supportive of the Revolutionary cause.
Although the push for American
independence was already burning when
Paine was writing, he certainly helped to
kindle the flame.
Read His Works
Common Sense
The Rights of Man
The American Crisis
John Locke
John Locke
John Locke (29 August 1632 - 28 October 1704) was an
English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the
most influential of Enlightenment thinkers, especially
concerning the development of political philosophy. His
writings influenced Voltaire and Rousseau, but most
importantly, the American revolutionaries. Thomas
Jefferson used the thoughts first penned by John Locke
while writing the Declaration of Independence. The
phrase "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness," was an
idea first considered by Locke in his Two Treatises on
Government.
Read His Works
Essay Concerning Human Understanding
Two Treaties of Government
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