Lesson 2: What Ideas about Civic Life Informed the Founding Generation?

Lesson Objectives

When you have finished this lesson, you should  be able to

• describe how and why natural rights philosophy differs from classical republicanism and how both systems of thought influenced the founding generation in America,
• explain the kinds of challenges that a society faces when it strives to preserve the rights to life, liberty, property, and “the pursuit of happiness” while at the same time promoting the common good and civic virtue, and
• evaluate, take, and defend positions on the importance of civic virtue today and the role of political philosophy in thinking about government.