The Origins Of American Democracy

The United States Constitution has endured as a covenant between the government and the people of the union for hundreds of years, evolving with the changes from culture to industry. As a result, the true origins have become misconstrued to the people. Common citizens allot credit to the great John Locke for philosophies regarding the earliest influences of the colonial ideals of government; however no sole contributor created the fire that started for American liberty and relationship to a new government (11). Another misconception lies within the idea that American democracy exercised and established in the Constitution lives as a derivation from Greek and Roman ideals, yet many European philosophers and politicians such as Montesquieu provoked
Locke himself believed firmly in a strong and trusting relationship between the government and the people it protects, specifically that the government should indeed protect its people. These views align with the party platform of the English Whigs, as stated by David Lutz (131). Another important influence was Algernon Sidney, where he was noted to be “Jefferson’s source for seeing” Aristotle and Cicero, being some of the Roman republican thinkers (118). Sidney specifically references the Bible in a manner that “he combines reason and revelation in his analysis,” being a common influence of the beliefs instilled in the Declaration of Independence (119). Montesquieu held ideas about an administrative government leading to the creation of a three branch system. This system would check each branch, keeping the government balanced. Other influences noted by Lutz are Blackstone and Hume, who commented “strong[ly] on governmental process and the operation and interaction of political institutions,” rising in popularity throughout the 18th century (144). With Federalism at the core of the Constitution, there lies Madison also. Commonly known as the Father of the Bill of Rights, Madison believes that “the Constitution has two