John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government
Directions: The Teacher will break students into reading groups of 4 or 5. Each group will be assigned
questions 1-4. Students will independently read the sections assigned to their group. As they read the text,
student will jot down notes and begin to find the answer to the question. After everyone has read their
section, each group will discuss together what their section was about and what the answer to the question is.
Students will record their answers. Teacher will walk around and scaffold those having trouble. Once ready,
each group will take their turn presenting their answers to the class. After all have shared their answers,
teacher will lead classroom in the “SMELL” test to discover how this relates to the influence over the Founding
Fathers.
Second Treatise of Civil Government (Woll 14th ed., p. 4-10)
Author: John Locke, 1690
Of the State of Nature
1. How does Locke describe the state of nature? Given this information, is he more likely a pluralist or an
elitist?
Of the Ends (goals) of Political Society and Government
2. What, according to Locke, is the role of government? How does it address the “wants” created by the state
of nature?
3. What rights do individuals give up to live in a society? What benefits do they receive in return?
Of the Dissolution of Government
4. Under what circumstances is government authority forfeited? Who has the right to judge when this
authority is forfeited?
John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government
Directions: The Teacher will break students into reading groups of 4 or 5. Each group will be assigned
questions 1-4. Students will independently read the sections assigned to their group. As they read the text,
student will jot down notes and begin to find the answer to the question. After everyone has read their
section, each group will discuss together what their section was about and what the answer to the question is.
Students will record their answers. Teacher will walk around and scaffold those having trouble. Once ready,
each group will take their turn presenting their answers to the class. After all have shared their answers,
teacher will lead classroom in the “SMELL” test to discover how this relates to the influence over the Founding
Fathers.
Second Treatise of Civil Government (Woll 14th ed., p. 4-10)
Author: John Locke, 1690
Of the State of Nature
1. How does Locke describe the state of nature? Given this information, is he more likely a pluralist or an
elitist?
Of the Ends (goals) of Political Society and Government
2. What, according to Locke, is the role of government? How does it address the “wants” created by the state
of nature?
3. What rights do individuals give up to live in a society? What benefits do they receive in return?
Of the Dissolution of Government
4. Under what circumstances is government authority forfeited? Who has the right to judge when this
authority is forfeited?