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Lesson 22: What is the role of the United States in the world today?
Lesson Purpose
Your studies would not be complete if you did not think about the role of the United States in the world today. In this lesson, you will learn some ways that countries interact with one another.
You will also learn how some of the ideas about government in the Declaration of Independence and in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights have influenced people in other countries.
You will also learn how some of the ideas about government in the Declaration of Independence and in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights have influenced people in other countries.
Lesson Objectives
When you have finished this lesson, you should be able to
- explain how other countries have influenced the United States,
- identify some of the ways countries interact with each other,
- describe what powers our Constitution gives our government to deal with other countries, and
- explain how the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights have influenced other countries.
Lesson Terms
diplomacy
The practice of managing relations between nations without use of warfare.
humanitarian
United Nations
Lesson Biographies
Locke, John (1632-1704 CE)
John Locke, a physician and philosopher, worked with famous scientists, including Robert Boyle and Robert Hooke. In contrast to Hobbes, Locke used state of nature and social contract theory to justify limited government and the preservation of individual rights, particularly life, liberty, and property. Locke is sometimes called "America's philosopher" because his Second Treatise of Government (1690) was widely read by the colonists and important ideas found in it (as well as in works of English republican writers) are found in the Declaration of Independence, especially his theories of natural rights and his defense of violent revolution after "a long train of abuses" of power by rulers. Two verbatim phrases of Locke's are found in the Declaration.
Montesquieu (1689-1755 CE)
Hidalgo, Miguel (1753-1811 CE)
de San Martin, Jose (1778-1850 CE)
O'Higgins, Bernardo (1778-1842 CE)
Bolivar, Simon (1783-1830 CE)
