Letters Concerning TolerationLetters Concerning Toleration pushed for religious tolerance in Europe during the 17th century. Locke believed the government should be tolerant of different religions. In other words, allow religious freedom to all people. Locke's work claimed the government had no power to mandate who practiced what religion. At the time this document was published, it received a lot of criticism as Europeans did not believe in religious freedom . It wasn't until later that people began to accept religious freedom. An early example of this is Roger Williams, as he put Locke's ideas into play in a New Hampshire colony.
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Impact on the Bill of RightsThe Bill of Rights enacted ideas seen in John Locke's Letters Concerning Toleration. The Bill of Rights granted rights to the American citizens to protect them from the harms of big government. For example, The Bill of Rights gave men the right to bear arms, the right to a speedy and public trial, and granted freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of religion. The Letters Concerning Toleration are directly related to the Bill of Rights as they both promote individual liberty and independence. Not only did these documents protect peoples' natural rights, but also empowered the people to have a voice in their government.
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