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Through out the United States history there have been many innovators, philosophers, and trailblazers that have shaped the way America has come to be. One of the main factors in the formation of America has to be credited to the founding of the American Political thought derived from the minds of this nation s founding fathers. It was their ideas that influenced and shaped the thoughts on political matters emanated from European political philosophers. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were British Political thinkers who had the greatest affect on the American political philosophy. Through the dialect of these philosophers, a recurring theme of natural rights teaching was conveyed. It was later to become know as classical political science. It was by these documents that the nation was founded, and the constitution was formed. So as America wanted to break away from the British rule, documents such as the Federalist essays were used to convince the people that sovereignty was necessary to break away from a monarchy rule in order to gain a liberal regime.

The natural rights teaching point out that there was only one legitimate form of government and one that originated from the sovereignty of the people. Fundamental principals were set, and philosophers referred to natural rights in three distinctive ways: preservation (life), freedom (liberty), and equality (pursuit of happiness). Since natural rights were God given, philosophers stressed to the people that no one especially government, could deny an individual these rights. Many of these arguments in which natural rights are stressed about are visible in the documents, constitutions, and writings of American political philosophers such as John Wise, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine.

John Wise (1652-1725), who wrote Democracy Is Founded in Scripture, argued explicitly for a democratic mode of church governance. His arguments were based on biblical sources, the principle of natural rights, and reason. Defending the status quo of congregational churches, Wise used democracy as a foundation at the time when religion and politics were closely interwoven. He reasoned that, when men (being originally in a condition of natural freedom and equality) had thoughts of joining a civil body (Dolbeare, p.26). What Wise is trying to state here was that in the Law of Nature we are all free and equal. However, once we join a government we are secured of those rights. He uses Locke s fundamental principles of natural freedom and equality as a state of being, arguing one must partake in a state of democracy in order to have these rights secured. Wise states in his closing argument, And it is as plain as daylight, there is no species of government like a democracy to attain this end (Dolbeare, p.31).

Benjamin Franklin (1706-90), who wrote Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind, the Peopling of Countries, etc., and The Albany Plan of Union, focused on early colonial union. He played an important role in brining the lessons of the long-established Iroquois Confederacy into mainstream American political discussions. Forming intellectual, literary, and benevolent organizations, Franklin also promoted civic causes such as library, a hospital, and an educational system. As his essay on Mankind focuses on the increase of population of people, Franklin articulated reasons for a nation to collapse. He mentions being conquered, loss of territory, loss of trade, loss of food, bad government and insecure property, along with the introduction of slaves. In his essay, The Albany Plan, he stresses the separation of powers, federalism, painstaking, consensus building, and the concern for public opinion. Meaning that in order for a union to survive, the people will need to constitute a government for all states. Once again, Franklin, an American philosopher, is trying to set a new path in government using Locke s state and law of nature, demonstrating the common theme of property, protection, and life, which are all essential for survival of the fittest.

Samuel Adams (1722-1803), who wrote The Rights of the Colonists was devoted to local and state politics and the twin causes of democracy and independence. He believed not only in liberty and independence, but also in reconstruction of the society to establish a thoroughly egalitarian and democratic social order. Adam mentions, All men have a right to remain in a state of nature When men enter into a society, it is by voluntary consent (Dolbeare, p.44). This here was derived from Locke as the social contract. Meaning that, once we enter a government we would lose every natural right, but that government would have to conform as far as possible, to the law of natural reason and equity. Among the Natural Rights of the Colonist are these First: a Right to Life; Secondly to Liberty; thirdly to Property; together with the Right to support and defend them in the best manner they can Those are evident Branches of, rather than deductions from the duty of Self Preservation, commonly called the first Law of Nature (Dolbeare, p.44).

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), who wrote A Summary View of the Rights of British America and Virginia Bill of Rights, was a powerful advocate of liberty. As the “silent member” of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the declaration of

Independence. In years following he labored to make its words a reality in Virginia. Most notably, he wrote a bill establishing religious freedom, enacted in 1786. Wanting to rid America from British rule, Jefferson stated and stressed to the people especially those of Virginia That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity (Virginia Bill of Rights).

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