What were Montesquieu's major contributions?

Montesquieu, also known as Charles-Louis de Secondat, was a major contributor to the framing of the U.S. Constitution. He was one of the leading philosophers during the Enlightenment, and his theories on the separation of powers in government directly influenced the document's authors.

The Baron de Montesquieu's most important works were "The Persian Letters" and "The Spirit of the Laws." "The Persian Letters" were his accounts of people, customs and governments of foreign lands beyond Europe. "The Spirit of the Laws" was Montesquieu's theory on non-despotic government. He claimed that stable government, allowing its citizens to live freely, was a benefit to the people and the government.