Final answer:
John Locke's ideas inspired concepts of natural rights and limited government, shaping the revolutionary and democratic ideals in colonial America. His social contract theory emphasized the government's duty to protect life, liberty, and property, while also advocating for a representative government with checks and balances. so, option D is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ideas of John Locke greatly influenced the colonists' views on government and were instrumental in shaping the founding principles of the United States. Locke's theory of government was based on the social contract, which stated that people sacrificed some of their freedoms and agreed to be governed in return for the government's protection of their fundamental rights, namely life, liberty, and property. He rejected the notion of the divine right of kings and advocated for a government that was created and could be altered by the people it ruled. This helped justify the colonists' fight for independence and the creation of a new nation based on the protection of natural rights.
John Locke's influence was seen in the American Revolution as the colonists believed that their natural rights were not being protected by the British government. This led to the idea that a new government should be formed—a government that would serve the benefit of the people and have branches to check and balance one another. These ideas were eventually incorporated into the U.S. Constitution, paralleling Locke's advocacy for representative government, where the government has a duty to its citizens, and in failure to meet this duty, the citizens have the right to overthrow it.