The ideas that formed the Constitution: Montesquieu
Montesquieu’s full name was Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de LaBrède et de Montesquieu. When he was born near Bordeaux, France, in 1689, he was merely Charles-Louis de Secondat. He received the baronry of LaBrède (with rich wine land) from his mother. He received...
The ideas that formed the Constitution: Sir Isaac Newton
Although each essay in this series is pegged to one or more individuals, the series fundamentally isn’t about the individuals, but the ideas they represent. Sir Isaac Newton wasn’t a political thinker like Marcus Cicero or John Locke. He was a scientist. Indeed, he...
The ideas that formed the Constitution: John Locke and the Ninth Amendment
John Locke (1632–1704) was one of the greatest figures in English scholarship. His influence on the American Founding was enormous. Some have referred to him as a “Founding Grandfather.” Locke shared points of similarity with many other figures profiled in this...