1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau By Christine Graziano, Belle Newman, and Kiwi Buckler “One of the most influential thinkers during the enlightenment in 18th century Europe”

2. Biography • Born in Geneva, Switzerland on June 28, 1712 • Mother passed away shortly after birth • No formal education, taught by father until he was exiled when Rousseau was 10. • First job: apprentice to an engraver • Found work with a shopkeepers wife

3. Biography (Continued) • Left city at 16 • Worked as a domestic servant in Turin; falsely accused another servant of theft- affected him deeply • Was a composer and a music theorist, pioneered the modern autobiography, wrote novels, and experimented in botany. • Major works: Discourse on the Origins of Inequality, The Discourse on Political Economy, The Social Contract, and Considerations on the Government of Poland

4. Philosophical Ideas • GENERAL WILL • Believed people could govern themselves • Disagreed with Hobbesm- believed people were good by nature • His first philosophical work was A Discourse on the Sciences and Arts. In this work, he states that advancements in sciences and arts has corrupted virtues and morals of common people.

5. Beliefs in Government • Believed in a Democratic government • Thought they should be governed by the general will of the people; majority rule

6. Beliefs in Government (Continued) • Social Contract - 1762 • State can be legitimate only if guided by its members. • By contributing their ideas, the people form their own government. • The people have to give up certain rights and freedoms to their government in return for protection and safety. • They agree to act for the general will of the people, doing what is best for society.

7. Our Opinion • Principle of general will proclaimed people should be governed by majority rather than monarchy • Individual thinking combined with salutary neglect and formed idea that colonies were better off without England

8. List of Works Cited • “Jean Jacques Rousseau.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Psychology. Metaphysics Research Lab, CSLI, Stanford University. 27 Sep 2010. Web. 10 Oct 2012. •  “Jean Jacques Rousseau.” The History Guide. n.p. 4 Aug 2009. Web. 10 Oct 2012. • “Jean-Jacques Rousseau.” Internet Encyclopedia Philosophy. n.p. 21 Oct 2005. Web. 11 Oct 2012. • Delaney, James J. "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712—1778)." www.iep.utm.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://www.iep.utm.edu/rousseau/>.