Answer :
Final answer:
The core principles of the United States government were profoundly influenced by the European Enlightenment, with political theorists like John Locke advocating for social contract and natural rights of life, liberty and property. Despite these progressive principles, the implementation was contradictory due to existing social systems such as slavery.
Explanation:
The founders of the United States were greatly influenced by the principles of the European Enlightenment in developing the core principles of their new government. Thinkers such as John Locke and Montesquieu, both part of this intellectual movement, proposed concepts of social contract, separation of powers, and natural rights - life, liberty, property - which significantly molded America's political philosophy.
John Locke's social contract theory, proposing that government is created by and for the people, was particularly influential. Locke maintained that if a government violates the rights of the people, they have the right to form a new government, a principle that resonated with the colonists and fuelled their desire for independence.
Although the Enlightenment ideals were transformative, their application was inherently contradictory due to the existing societal systems such as slavery. The profound aspiration for political liberty coexisted with the institution of slavery, exposing a stark contradiction between principle and practice.The struggle to reconcile these tensions formed a significant part of America's journey toward developing a functional and just system of governance.
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