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Difficulty: MediumPhilosophical Foundations of the American Revolution

Read the excerpt below.

"The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for, among old parchments, or musty records. They are written, as with a sun beam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power."
— Alexander Hamilton, *The Farmer Refuted*, 1775

Which of the following ideas of the Enlightenment is most directly reflected in Hamilton's argument in this excerpt?

  1. A
    The primary purpose of colonies is to supply raw materials and enrich the mother country's economy.
  2. Human rights are inherent by nature and exist independently of government charters or royal decrees.Answer
  3. C
    Colonial governments must be organized under a decentralized confederation to protect local sovereignty.
  4. D
    Colonial resistance should be postponed until a legal consensus is reached through established parliamentary channels.

Answer

Human rights are inherent by nature and exist independently of government charters or royal decrees.
The correct answer is correct because Hamilton's argument relies on the Enlightenment concept of natural rights. By stating that these rights are written in the 'whole volume of human nature' and cannot be erased by 'mortal power,' he asserts that fundamental human liberties are inherent and divine, rather than being privileges granted by government charters or historical legal precedents.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary source excerpt for key philosophical terms.
The text contains terms like 'sacred rights of mankind', 'volume of human nature', and 'divinity itself', contrasting them with 'old parchments' and 'musty records'.
This identifies that Hamilton is locating the source of human rights in nature and divinity rather than in legal documents or government charters.
2
Connect these findings to Enlightenment political philosophy.
The idea that rights are inherent in human nature and cannot be taken away by human ('mortal') power is the definition of natural rights, famously articulated by John Locke.
This links the historical text directly to the core Enlightenment concepts that influenced the American Revolution.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the statement that matches this philosophy.
The option stating that human rights are inherent by nature and exist independently of government charters matches Hamilton's contrast between 'human nature' and 'musty records' (government charters).
This confirms the correct option based on the analysis of the stimulus.

Key Concept

Natural Rights Philosophy
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution

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