1. Thomas Hobbes By Nicole Service, Christine Mountain, Jessica Trevisan, and Liz Guilmette

2. Born prematurely - April 5, 1588 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England Father was the vicar of Westport – fled to London after being involved in a brawl outside his own church Left Hobbes to be raised by his wealthy uncle Great intellectual talents recognized as a boy/ cultivated through learning Latin and Greek BIOGRAPHY

3. Education • Educated at Westport Church beginning at age 4 • Attended Malmesbury School • Then attended a private school kept by an Oxford graduate • 1603 - continued education at Magdalen Hall, Oxford. • Greatly pursued his own curriculum due to lack of interest in scholastic learning of his time • Graduated from Oxford University in 1608.

4. jOB • Tutored William Cavendish and son • Then, tutored the son of Sir Gervase Clifton • Later tutored math to future King Charles II • Expanded knowledge of philosophy and tutored for the next seven years • Gave him an opportunity to make connections

5. Books • Wrote 81 books • Most famous works: Leviathan and De Cive • Focus on moral/political philosophy, religious issues • The Elements of Law: supported the King • De Homine and Behemoth: English civil wars

6. Philosophical Ideas • Did not believe people could govern themselves – they only strive for personal benefit • Believed that humankind was bad and humans were naturally selfish • Thought that humans should give their obedience to an unaccountable sovereign • If humans tried to govern themselves, they would fall into a “state of nature” similar to Civil War • “Nature should thus dissociate and render men apt to invade and destroy one another” - Leviathan

7. Governmental beliefs • Believed in absolute monarchies – humans have no ability to govern themselves due to their selfish and evil nature • Contributed to the new political idea that monarchies should make decisions based on the good of the people • If they were not trying to benefit the people, they should be replaced

8. EFFECT • Overthrow of monarchies that don’t benefit the people gives colonists ideas • English monarchy upsets the colonists • Social contract – the sovereign has a “right of nature” to judge what is right and wrong • Colonists don’t like being told what to do – leads to a want for independence