John Locke (1632-1704) was an English philosopher and physician who became one of the most important voices of the Enlightenment period and is known as the "father of liberalism." Among the first of the "empiricists," Locke was a great believer in drawing knowledge from facts and evidence rather than faith and belief. His political philosophy argued for a representational government wherein the power of the monarchy can be checked and the people had a say in the affairs of state. His writings inspired Voltaire and Rousseau - among many others - and his ideas helped the American revolutionaries craft the United States' founding documents.