US GOV H TEST 2

Popular Sovereignty

Consent of the people to the government

Influence of Great Britain on the US Constitution

Magna Carta - No one is above the law, English Bill of Rights - Life, liberty, and the pursuit of property, Constitution - Limited government, petition of rights

Natural Rights

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of property/happiness

Natural Law

the idea that all people are born with basic moral rights and a shared sense of right and wrong that do not depend on what the government says

Articles of Confederation

the first written constitution of the United States establishing a weak central government that preserved the sovereignty and independence of the thirteen individual states

Separation of Powers

suggested by Charles de Montesquieu. Three distinct branches of the government. Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branch.

Social Contract Theory

Thomas Hobbes developed the theory, which suggested that people give up their individual sovereignty to the government in exchange for the government’s provision of law and order.

Declaration of Independence

written by Thomas Jefferson. Upholds the philosophy on which the United States is based (Natural Rights). It’s a statement of the American Ideals (freedom, equality, and justice). Declares that the purpose of government is to provide order and protection.

John Locke

Natural Rights: argued that all people have basic rights to "life, liberty, and estate (property)". Thomas Jefferson adapted this into the Declaration of Independence as "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"

Montesquieu

He wrote in his 1748 book The Spirit of the Laws that power must be divided. This led to the separation of powers which led to the three branches of government.

Thomas Hobbes

Wrote social contract theory. He believed people willingly give up total freedom and submit to a central authority in exchange for peace, safety, and order.

Jean—Jacques Rousseau

Popular Sovereignty: argued in The Social Contract that legitimate political authority resides with the people, not a monarch.

The Great Compromise

1787 agreement that created a two-part Congress, giving big states more votes in the House of Representatives based on population and giving all states two equal votes in the Senate

Federalists

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay – all known as “Publius” (Federalist Papers), Property owners, landed rich, merchants, Believed in elitism. Saw themselves and those of their class as most fit to govern. Powerful central government. 2-house legislature. Representative democracy, with single representatives for 30,000 people.

Anti-Federalists

Thomas Jefferson, “Brutus” and “Cato”, Small farmers, shopkeepers, laborers. Believed in the decency of the common man and in participatory democracy (closer to direct democracy). Viewed elites as corrupt. Sought greater protection of individual rights. Wanted stronger state governments at the expense of the federal government. Frequent elections, smaller districts, more direct democracy