Question

What drew the Founding Fathers to the political philosophy of John Locke?

Answer 1

John Locke's concept of Social Compact (or Social Contract), among other of his ideas, highly influenced the Founding Fathers. This concept broadly describes a voluntary agreement through which a group of individuals resolve to form a state or an organized society that will guarantee their safety, welfare and freedom, and that will regulate their relations.  

The First Principle of the Social Compact is, in fact, one of America's First Principles, and it recognizes that the people establish the governments and that these institutions have power because those people have granted it to them.