John Locke And The American Revolution

The founding principles on which the United States were established belong to the ongoing human quest for political and religious liberty. That quest has been the central theme of Western civilization. When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620, they were seeking religious freedom. When the American Revolution was fought, it was fought for political freedom. The American Revolution is inconceivable in the absence of the context of ideas, which have constituted Christianity, such as Martin Luther's 95 theses, John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, as well as the social theory from the Puritan Revolution. The leaders of the Revolution in every colony were imbued with the precepts of the Reformed faith.

The American Revolution
Locke’s views of on the church and state followed those of Martin Luther. Locke also insisted on liberty of conscience and creator/redeemer distinction. Locke also had a great influence on the United States, considering that Charles II enlisted him along with Lord Shaftsbury to draft a constitution for the new colony, Carolina.

Although Locke may not have been an orthodox Puritan like his father, there is no question that he was a true Christian. Locke believed that the Bible was infallibly true. He explicitly relied on the Bible for all his political theories: “The Holy Scripture is to me, and always will be, the constant guide of my assent; and I shall always hearken to it, as containing the infallible truth relating to things of the highest concernment… And I shall immediately condemn and quit any opinion of mine, as soon as I am shown that is contrary to any revelation in the Holy
This climate made the colony ripe for a witch-hunt. Why? Their community was slowly collapsing and in their minds, only one perpetrator could be responsible: the devil. When a West Indian servant maid named Tituba was observed engaging in her Native American practices, a terrible crisis ensued. A group of teenaged girls who witnessed Tituba’s practices accused her of witchcraft to avoid being suspected themselves. The attention the girls received gave them a sense of power. They began accusing others of witchcraft, perhaps for amusement. The judges at the court of Salem were Puritans looking for a scapegoat to blame for the decline of society. The notorious trials and executions of Salem became a permanent blot against the Massachusetts Puritans. The witch trials had a profound influence on the founders of our nation. The way the trials were mishandled pressed hard on the minds of the founders. The trials showed the founders what they needed to protect against if they were to preserve liberty and