The famous philosopher whose works influenced the founding fathers of the United States is John Locke. Locke's ideas, particularly those articulated in "Two Treatises of Government," emphasized natural rights—life, liberty, and property—and the social contract theory. His belief that government's legitimacy stems from the consent of the governed deeply resonated with the American colonists leading up to the revolution. Locke's advocacy for individual rights and limited government significantly shaped the philosophical underpinnings of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, providing a framework for democratic governance and liberty that remains influential today.