Unit 1 Docs/Cases in the News

Declaration of Independence

The reason for why the colonists wanted their independence was because they thought the way the king was ruling was infringing on their natural rights. For example, the king was abusing his power over them by not allowing laws to be passed that would make life easier for the colonists upon many occasions because the king did not want those laws to be passed, along with other tyrannical actions. 

Gettysburg Address

Lincoln is stating  the colonists still have to work towards the equality of being independent from Britain. For instance, through the battle. Their men have been fighting for a long time to prove their want for independence. Whether they win or not there will be evidence that they at least tried, the memory of it, the lives lost, the colonists will remember their trials. It was also a way to potentially bring the hopes of the colonists up.

Articles of Confederation

The first written constitution and plan of government for the United States. Drafted during the Revolutionary War to unite the 13 newly independent colonies. Created a very loose association where each state kept its own freedom, independence, and power. Congress could not raise money by taxing citizens and had to beg the states for funds. There was no president to enforce laws and no national court system to settle legal disputes.

Federalist No. 10

James Madison wrote this as a way to get the states to ratify the constitution and see the benefits. The advantages of having a well-constructed form of government through the constitution because when the majority has aligned thoughts it will help the country as a whole rather than having factions that disturb the flow of the government and use it to get what they want instead of wanting the betterment of the whole. Representatives will listen to their states and report back on what the most amount of people favored so they could have an overall strong  central government.

Brutus No. 1

Argues against ratifying the U.S. Constitution because it creates a central government that is too powerful and too distant to protect people's freedom. Argued that the Necessary and Proper Clause and the Supremacy Clause would give the national government total, uncontrollable authority, eventually wiping out the power of individual states. Lack of a Bill of Rights: Without explicit protections, citizens' fundamental liberties were left exposed to a powerful new government.

Federalist No. 51

Separating powers will keep the government from abusing their power. Madison says that is the only way to keep the people safe and have their best interests because humans naturally want power and control. 

Federalist No. 39

An argument as to why the states would be better if they ran as a republic because it would be better for them as a whole. It was also written to persuade the people/states of America  that they should ratify the constitution that was created at the Constitutional Convention. Ratifican would be a national system because Madison and other federalists hope the states and federal governments will work together so the new constitution can be applied in the United States.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Supreme Court case that established two key constitutional principles: Congress has implied powers not strictly written in the Constitution, and federal law is supreme over state law. A federal bank cashier named James McCulloch refused to pay the tax, and Maryland sued him. Implied Powers: Under the Necessary and Proper Clause, Congress has the right to create a national bank because it helps carry out its explicit powers (like collecting taxes and borrowing money).

U.S. v. Lopez

Lopez proved that Congress's powers did not have the authority to regulate interstate commerce unless local commercial activity had the possibility to lead to significant consequences that would affect interstate commerce and impact future economy of the United States.

10th Amendment

Any power not specifically given to the federal government by the Constitution belongs to the states or to the people. The national government only has the powers listed in the Constitution. If a rule is not mentioned or banned by the Constitution, the state decides it. It keeps a balance of power between national and local governments.