Final answer:
John Locke's ideas influenced America's founders in the American Revolution, the Enlightenment was a time of discussing new ideas, Montesquieu approved of checks and balances, and the principle of the separation of powers in the Constitution was influenced by Locke.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Locke's part in the American Revolution was that his ideas influenced America’s founders. Locke's writings on government and individual rights, such as the idea of natural rights, the social contract theory, and the consent of the governed, had a significant impact on Thomas Jefferson and other Founding Fathers. These ideas shaped their understanding of the relationship between the colonies and the British government and influenced the development of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
The Enlightenment was a time when people began discussing new ideas. It was a philosophical and intellectual movement in Europe that emphasized reason, logic, and the pursuit of knowledge. Enlightenment thinkers challenged traditional beliefs and sought to apply reason and science to understand and improve society. Their ideas about human rights, government, and the relationship between individuals and the state had a profound impact on both the American and French Revolutions.
Montesquieu, an Enlightenment thinker, would have approved of checks and balances in government. He argued for a separation of powers into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial, with each branch having its own powers and responsibilities. This system of checks and balances was designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful and to safeguard individual liberties.
The principle of the separation of powers in the Constitution was influenced by John Locke. Locke's ideas on government emphasized the importance of separating the powers of government to prevent tyranny and protect individual rights. The Constitution established three separate branches of government with distinct powers, helping to ensure a system of checks and balances and the protection of individual liberties.