TITLE:     How Man Negotiates Away His Natural Freedom

AUTHOR:    ED CANNADAY, Oklahoma

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:      11 - 12    U.S. History

OVERVIEW:  Students are assigned readings on John Locke's
views on the political nature of man.  This is followed by
class discussions on ways in which his views were
incorporated into the early U.S. political framework and
philosophy.  Specifically, we analyze the concepts of LIFE,
PROPERTY, AND LIBERTY.  An emphasis is placed on Locke's
view that man, in a purely natural political state, is a
totally free being.  However, he quickly recognizes the
necessity of negotiating away a portion of freedom in an
attempt to protect his other natural interests of life and
property.

PURPOSE:  The relevance of this lesson is that students are
asked to recognize that our legal-political system has
developed through a process of moving from philosophical
ideals to compromised working models.

OBJECTIVES:  Students will be able to:
1.   identify John Locke's views of the nature of man.
2.   describe the application of these views to the
     development of U.S. political theory and systems.
3.   evaluate the differences between the importance of
     LIFE, PROPERTY, and LIBERTY, and conclude which of
     these aspects of the nature of political man is most
     highly negotiable.
4.   develop a political philosophy by working with their
     assigned cooperative group.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
1.   U.S. History text
2.   U.S. Government text
3.   Readings on Western Political Thought

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1.   reading resource material
2.   entire class discussion
3.   work on group political philosophy in their
     cooperative groups.
4.   These groups are joined with others (2 groups) to
     form their political philosophy into specific
     governing laws.
5.   Discussion with the entire class based on the groups
     presentation of their laws (acceptance,
     modification, or rejection).

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER
In practice Activity 5 usually fulfills this criteria.  (a
note of caution:  It is often at this point that animosities
which have developed between group members during the course
of the study may reach a flash point and the teacher would
be prepared to deal with this issue.)