Question

question 12 of 20
how did thomas jefferson influence the development of
democracy in the united states?
a. he published essays that formed the basis of the u.s.
legal system.
b. he criticized the constitution for not giving enough
power to the federal government.
c. he popularized the belief that political revolutions
should always be nonviolent.
d. he used enlightenment principles to explain why the
united states was demanding its independence.

Explanation:

Thomas Jefferson, influenced by Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, used Enlightenment principles such as natural rights (life, liberty, property - though Jefferson wrote "pursuit of happiness") in the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was a statement of why the United States was seeking independence from Britain, and it laid out democratic ideals about government deriving power from the consent of the governed.

• Option A: The U.S. legal system has roots in English common law and the Constitution, not Jefferson's essays as the "basis".
• Option B: Jefferson was more concerned with states' rights and limiting federal power in some respects (especially early in his political career) rather than criticizing the Constitution for not giving enough power to the federal government.
• Option C: Jefferson was involved in a political revolution (the American Revolution) which was violent. He did not popularize the belief that political revolutions should always be non - violent.

Answer:

D. He used Enlightenment principles to explain why the United States was demanding its independence.