NY Social Studies 9.9e

Social Studies9th GradeKey Idea 9.9

The Standard

The Enlightenment challenged views of political authority and how power and authority were conceptualized.

New York State K–12 Social Studies Framework

Key Idea 9.9

TRANSFORMATION OF WESTERN EUROPE AND RUSSIA: Western Europe and Russia transformed politically, economically, and culturally ca. 1400–1750. This transformation included state building, conflicts, shifts in power and authority, and new ways of understanding their world.

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students compare short excerpts from Hobbes and Locke on government, rights, and consent. They connect each thinker’s ideas to the English Civil War and Glorious Revolution.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students accurately explain why Hobbes favored strong rule and why Locke supported limited government. They cite evidence and link each position to political conflict in England.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think Hobbes and Locke both supported democracy in the modern sense. They may also confuse the English Civil War with the Glorious Revolution or overlook religion’s role.
How to Assess It: Give students one excerpt from each thinker. Ask them to identify the author, cite one clue, and explain who holds political power in each view.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Have pairs sort quotation cards into Hobbes, Locke, or both, then defend two choices with words from the excerpts.
Ask students to write: When, if ever, may people remove a ruler who threatens their rights?
Run a matching relay using thinker, key idea, historical event, and evidence cards from short primary source excerpts.
Present a school rule dispute and have students propose one Hobbes-style solution and one Locke-style solution.

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