Founders' political philosophy American philosophy

portrait of thomas jefferson rembrandt peale, 1800

about time of stamp act, interest rose in civil , political philosophy. many of founding fathers wrote extensively on political issues, including john adams, john dickinson, alexander hamilton, john jay, thomas jefferson, benjamin franklin, , james madison. in continuing chief concerns of puritans in 17th century, founding fathers debated interrelationship between god, state, , individual. resulting united states declaration of independence, passed in 1776, , united states constitution, ratified in 1788.

the constitution sets forth federated republican form of government marked balance of powers accompanied checks , balances system between 3 branches of government: judicial branch, executive branch led president, , legislative branch composed of bicameral legislature house of representatives lower house , senate upper house.

although declaration of independence contain references creator, god of nature, divine providence, , supreme judge of world, founding fathers not exclusively theistic. professed personal concepts of deism, characteristic of other european enlightenment thinkers, such maximilien robespierre, françois-marie arouet (better known pen name, voltaire), , rousseau. however, investigation of 106 contributors declaration of independence between september 5, 1774 , july 4, 1776 found 2 men (franklin , jefferson), both american practical idealists in moral philosophy, might called quasi-deists or non-denominational christians; others publicly members of denominational christian churches. franklin professed need public religion , attend various churches time time. jefferson vestryman @ evangelical calvinistical reformed church of charlottesville, virginia, church himself founded , named in 1777, suggesting @ time of life rather affiliated denomination , influence of whitefield , edwards reached virginia. founders studied or embraced johnson, franklin, , smith s non-denominational moral philosophy @ least influenced deistic tendencies of wollaston s natural religion, evidenced laws of nature, , nature s god , pursuit of happiness in declaration.

an alternate moral philosophy domestic american practical idealism, called variously scottish innate sense moral philosophy (by jefferson), scottish commonsense philosophy, or scottish common sense realism, introduced american colleges in 1768 john witherspoon, scottish immigrant , educator invited president of college of new jersey (now princeton university). presbyterian minister , delegate joined continental congress days before declaration debated. moral philosophy based on work of scottish philosopher francis hutcheson, influenced john adams. when president witherspoon arrived @ college of new jersey in 1768, expanded natural philosophy offerings, purged berkeley adherents faculty, including jonathan edwards, jr., , taught own hutcheson-influenced form of scottish innate sense moral philosophy. revisionist commentators, including garry wills inventing america: jefferson s declaration of independence, claimed in 1970s imported scottish philosophy basis founding documents of america. however, other historians have questioned assertion. ronald hamowy published critique of garry wills s inventing america, concluding moment [wills s] statements subjected scrutiny, appear mass of confusions, uneducated guesses, , blatant errors of fact. investigation of of contributors united states declaration of independence suggests jonathan witherspoon , john adams embraced imported scottish morality. while scottish innate sense realism in decades after revolution become dominate moral philosophy in classrooms of american academia 100 years, not strong influence @ time of declaration crafted. johnson s american practical idealism , edwards reform puritan calvinism far stronger influences on men of continental congress , on declaration.

thomas paine, english intellectual, pamphleteer, , revolutionary wrote common sense , rights of man influential promoter of enlightenment political ideas in america, though not philosopher. common sense, has been described incendiary , popular pamphlet of entire revolutionary era , provides justification american revolution , independence british crown. though popular in 1776, historian pauline maier cautions that, paine s influence more modest claimed , more enthusiastic admirers assume.

in summary, in middle eighteenth century, collegians studied ideas of new learning , moral philosophy taught in colonial colleges created new documents of american nationhood. generation of founding grandfathers , men such president samuel johnson, president jonathan edwards, president thomas clap, benjamin franklin, , provost william smith, first created idealistic moral philosophy of pursuit of happiness , , taught in american colleges generation of men become founding fathers.