This two page resource is focused on Baron de Montesquieu, an Enlightenment philosopher who had great influence on the United States. Montesquieu's work "The Spirit of Laws", and theories about power ( and the need for safeguards such as separation of powers and checks and balances) were very important to the nation's founders. Evidence of his influence is clear in both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Part One- Details Montesquieu's background ( birthplace, education, occupation), his work during the Enlightenment, what the Enlightenment was (an intellectual movement that stressed reason and the pursuit of knowledge) and what it advocated (scientific inquiry, human rights, and political reform), his 1748 seminal work "The Spirit of Laws and its importance, the ideas he expressed in The Spirit of Laws related to separation of powers (dividing government into three branches and the purpose of doing so), using separation of powers to prevent tyranny, definition of tyranny, how the U.S. government features three branches and the role of each one, the ideas he expressed related to checks and balances (how such a system would enable the different branches of government to monitor and limit the power of each other), how the U.S. government features a system of checks and balances and how it functions, Montesquieu's impact on several key founding fathers (Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison), and the impact Montesquieu had on the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Part Two- 28 questions based on part one. This resource is ready for immediate use, no prep. required. This resource is useful as a review, as an independent work packet, as an in-class assignment, as a homework assignment, and for quiz/test prep. Each section of part one can be cut up and easily turned into review flashcards. Suggested complimentary resources available for sale at my store: John Locke, The Constitution- Separation of Powers, The Constitution-Checks and Balances, and The Constitution Review Bundle ( 21 resources, 22 pages).