U.S. History; Foundational Documents

Mr. Endres

Enlightenment

This was an era that took place during the 18th century in which a culture developed that emphasized questioning tradition and authority. Reason was an important value.

Republic of Letters

A system in Great Britain where people read newspapers and journals, talked and questioned authority and tradition, and used logic, reason, and science to make Progress so that they’re lives could be better.

The pricipa

A book by Newton giving explanations to gravity and PREDICTING the movement of planets and falling things. Led to Halley’s Comet and mathematical laws.

The Glorious Revolution

From 1603-1688, there were horrible kings on the English Throne. But when the citizens tried to kill the kings, their country erupted into even more chaos, so, in 1688, they chased King James II out of the country, and replaced them with Mary (the daughter) and William (the husband).

Constitutional Monarchy

After the Glorious Revolution, the people needed someone to keep their country in check. So they invited back Mary (the daughter of King James II) and William (the husband). Mary and William could have palaces and money, but no power to actually do anything. And Parliment would represent the people and rule from there on. This is called Constitutional Monarchy.

John Locke

People have right → rights are power → power can’t be taken unless they break the law. John Locke helped write the English Bill of Rights in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution. Nearly 100 years before the American Constitution, Locke wrote about many of the ideas we know today. America is a new country using old ideas. Locke wanted to know if Constitutional Monarchy was the best form of government; he claimed that the job of the government was to protect the people and, maybe more importantly, the people’s NATURAL RIGHTS

Natural Rights

Defined by John Locke as life, liberty, and property in 1689 in the English Bill of Rights. However, Thomas Jefferson changed it to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness because property was hard to define and make true. Life (the right to protect yourself, defend yourself, and live how you want to), liberty (you are capable of doing things as long as you don’t hurt other people), and property (owning things) or the pursuit of happiness (going after what you love or what brings you pleasure).

Royal Charter

How Britain established the original 13 colonies as their own. Directly afterwards, they would assign a Governor to enforce English laws in the colonies, but otherwise, it was a two month voyage away, and they had a lot of freedom.

Establish colonies

The culture and priorities of the 13 colonies were based on they geography. However, traders, religion, and English monarch split the colonies and established their values for later wars or conflicts.

Political entity

Make your own laws and create your own money

The French and Indian War

Part of a bigger, world conflict called the seven year war. The Brits and Frenchman fought over North American territory. The British finally won by investing a lot of money and men in the war, and they had to begin taxing the 13 colonies to get that money back.

Taxation without Representation

They taxed revenue on tea (that’s why American’s drink coffee), paper goods, and shipping. The people weren’t as mad about the tariffs as they were about Taxation without representation. Multiple people/groups came together from 1770-1775 to fight off the British and protest against the taxes. Starting with the Boston Massacre, and ending with the American Revolution, the sons of liberty dressed as Nat. Am. And wasted tea, Paul Reverie made several propagandized arguments, John Adam defended the British soldiers but to no avail, and even a wealthy man named John Hancock fleed to the colonies and gave reasons for the British to go looking.

American Revolution

Unite or die! Even though the colonies were in disagreement about uniting (it to months to decide), they finally came together and John Adam believed July 2 would be celebrated from then on. However, it is the document of independence instead of the voting to unite that is remembered on July 4.

Declaration of Independence

John Adam was to write it, but he knew he wasn’t as good as writing as Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson wrote the first draft, then there were edits made by his five closest friends (including Adam), and then it was given to a comity to be edited once more. The declaration claimed two things: separation from Britain (grievances) and their own principles. There is a lot of respect for this one piece of paper because the people have a willingness to abide by these rules.

Slavery

In the Dec. of Ind. Thomas Jefferson blamed King George II for starting slavery. However, he owned slaves, and it was that slavery had been around long before the King. The aftermath is controversial, and that edit was deleted from the Dec. of Ind., but it remains an interesting fact that South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia are all Southern States and have slaves.

Independence

To fight for their freedom with their lives, possessions, and dignity; over 30,000 people died, but they got help from the French and the British gave in. They knew no society is fair, but they decided that happiness and freedom and the continual evolution of humankind could make a better society.

The Articles of Confederation

Made in 1781, the art. Of con. Is the exact opposite from the English, with a very weak central gov. And very strong state gov.

Problems under the Art. of Con.

The states began arguing with each other, and New York and Connecticut almost went to war. Shay’s Rebellion: we fought for taxes once, and we can do it again! - lost, but important to note. They came back together in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and, after three days of trying to revise the Art. Of Con. They threw them out, and wrote the Constitution.

Western Expansion

The British said the Appalachian mountains were the border, but after the American Revolution, people began to cross the border and claim land as their own. In the past, the West had simply been for poor farmers, but know all the states wanted land as an expansion. Small, eastern, states, like Connecticut, however, also wanted land, and so the Western Ordinance (the one, only, and greatest document passed under the Art. Of Conf.) outlined the rules of the Western Expansion.

Western Ordinance

The Western Ordinance applied to the Western Expansion, and outlined a few simple laws. There must be 60,000 men to make up a new state, no slavery were allowed in this territory (which was a precedent to the civil war), there was to be religious freedom, and public education (funded by taxpayers) because people had to be educated to create a strong democracy.

Constitution

After the Art. Of Conf. Were thrown away, it took 116 days to outline the structure of the Constitution. And, even then, it was incomplete. The Constitution addressed two major ideas: The Separation of Powers, and then, later, the Bill of Rights.

“We have given you a republic, if you can keep it.”

Benjamin Franklin famously said, outlining how rare a democracy was in History.

The Spirit of the Laws

Written by Baron de Montesquieu, this book outlined a more rational way to make laws so that there was no single ruler. The term Baron suggested that three branches of government balance each other out instead of a single monarchy or elite individual. It is the least worst form of government because the power is divided so everyone is free.

Legislative Branch

Makes the laws, consists of Congress, the House of Representatives (elected every three years), and senators (elected every six years. Over time, questions of power-loss in Congress has been known.

Executive Branch

One individual that kind of rules and helps enforce the laws. Over time, it had been known that the Executive Branch claims more-power than originally allowed in the name of “I had to do this to help the country”

The Supreme Court

9 judges, who are appointed by the president, and approved by the senate. They are judges for life so that they can make the right decision, not the decision best for their publicity. They interpret the laws, but have been mocked by the other two for having very little power.

Democrats vs Republicans

One thing that was not outlined in the Constitution, and the puts a strain between the powers of government is the Democrats and the Republicans who mess up the balance of power with biased stand-points. Even congress is now divided over the president: friend or foe?

Affordable Care Act

Obama wanted health insurance for everyone, and demonstrates a good example of working with the other two branches of government to make it happen. Obama talked to Congress and got a few republicans on his side, passing it as a law in March 2010 after introducing the idea in June 2009. However, there was a small pushback of “the president can’t tell us what to buy” and in July 2012 it was brought to court. The Supreme Court ruled it Constitutional. There is a question of the future of healthcare as Obamacare could be replaced or improved with Trumpcare.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely

This phrase became popular as the idea of king/monarch/the elite or a single individual ruling will always go down because we are humans with faults and downfalls take become defined as we gain power.

Questioning tradition and authority

An idea that was invited long before the U.S. government, questing tradition and authority was popular during the Enlightenment, and is one value of the Constitution and the U.S. that still continues today.