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John Locke was born on August 29, 1632, near Bristol, England. His father was a successful small landowner and attorney in western England. Locke was growing up during the English Civil War, in which Parliamentary forces battled King Charles I over matters of taxation, political power, and true religion. His father argued and fought with the Parliament, and showed his Puritan religious views. Before college, Locke reviewed a basic education from his father before entering the Westminster School. There he studied, and prepared for Oxford college, because his family was wealthy enough to send him there. At college, he was known to be troublesome, and paid little attention to his studies. Although he did not pay attention, he read many books and became familiar with the thinking of Rene Descartes. This led him to a great interest in medicine and science. After he completed his studies, he became a professor of philosophy at Oxford from 1661 to 1664. He taught both Greek and rhetoric. Soon after that, he decided to commit his life to medicine. He treated the first Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord Ashley, and achieved their trust and admiration. Locke remained a physician, tutor, and political advisor to the Shaftesbury family until the Ea