Few ideas in the Second Treatise have proven as influential or as provocative as Locke's defense of the right to resist a tyrannical government. The closing chapters lay out when a government dissolves and what the people may do in response. Students find the topic engaging, which makes it a good subject for an essay. It also raises tough grading questions about how to assess arguments on a charged subject.

Begin by helping students understand Locke's actual position. He argues that when rulers act against the trust placed in them, such as by invading property or ruling arbitrarily, they put themselves in a state of war with the people. That condition returns power to the community, which may then establish a new government. Students who oversimplify this into a general right to overthrow any unpopular ruler are misreading the conditions he sets.

Locke also addresses the worry that this doctrine invites constant rebellion. He replies that people are slow to rise up and generally prefer to endure inconvenience, so revolution happens only after a long train of abuses. Essays that engage this reply show deeper understanding than those that treat resistance as casual. A rubric should reward attention to these safeguards.

Prompts That Work

Prompts should ask for judgment, not only exposition. A question like whether Locke's right of revolution can be exercised by anyone who feels wronged or only by a broad community pushes students to consider who holds the right and how it works. Another approach is to ask whether Locke's theory is too permissive or too cautious. Either prompt requires the student to take and defend a position.

• Does Locke give the people a workable way to judge when a government has broken its trust?
• How does Locke answer the objection that his theory invites frequent rebellion?
• Would Locke's theory justify resistance to a democratic majority that violates minority rights?
• What role does the appeal to heaven play in Locke's account of last resort?
• How did Locke's ideas about resistance fit the political conflicts of his own day?

Handling Sensitive Content in Grading

Because revolution is a charged topic, students sometimes bring in contemporary political examples that can trigger disagreement. Grading should focus on the quality of the argument and the use of the text, not on whether you agree with the student's example. State this in your rubric so students know that any position is acceptable if it is reasoned and grounded. That transparency reduces anxiety and protects your credibility.

Encourage students to test their examples carefully. If a student claims that a modern protest movement fits Locke's criteria, ask them to identify which specific abuses and which failed appeals correspond to his conditions. This requirement keeps the essay tied to the text and prevents it from turning into an opinion piece. Even strong contemporary claims must earn their place through analysis.

Scoring the Response

Focus scoring on accuracy of the theory, quality of reasoning, and use of evidence. A response that captures Locke's conditions for resistance, considers a counterargument, and cites relevant sections should score well regardless of its conclusion. Deduct for common errors such as attributing to Locke a right to violence at any time. Comments should show the student where the text limits the claim.

Rubric-based tools such as GraideMind can help apply these criteria across many essays, flagging where a paper skips the conditions for resistance or omits textual support. Teachers can then focus on the more subtle judgments about argument quality. The rubric, not the tool, defines the standard. Clarity in your criteria makes the process fair.

Extending the Assignment

This topic pairs well with primary sources from later revolutions, such as the American and French declarations. Students can compare how each draws on ideas like Locke's while adapting them to new circumstances. A short comparative assignment after the main essay can deepen understanding. It also gives strong students something more demanding to attempt.

Whatever extension you choose, keep the focus on close reading. Locke's arguments on resistance are compact and can be misrepresented easily in summaries. Students who work from the text will write more accurate and interesting essays. A careful rubric reinforces that expectation.