principles of dem. govt

articles of confederation (1781)

• no executive branch

• no national court

• supermajority to make laws (9/13)

• needed all 13 states to amend AOC

• no ability to regulate commerce

articles of confederation weaknesses

• no national military

• trade and commerce

• taxation

• one vote per state

• had trouble raising money

shays rebellion

farmers rebelled against courts foreclosing on farms

tbc

tbc

government

the institution through which society makes and enforces its public policies

legistlative branch

• power to make law and frame public policies

excecutive branch

power to execute, and administer law

judicial branch

power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within society

population

a group of individuals living in a defined area, often forming a political community

territory

land and recognized boundaries

sovereignty

has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies

democracy

• supreme political authority is held by the people. Government is run by the people

direct democracy

people work together in mass meetings to make laws, typically only works in small communities

indirect democracy

• representative democracy - representatives are elected in order to make laws for their people

dictatorship

• where the government doesn’t really care what the people want

autocracy

•  a single person holds unlimited power

oligarchy

•  the power to rule is held by a small, typically self appointed, elite group

unitary

• centralized government - all powers held by the government belong to a single, central agency

federal

• power is divided between a central government and several local governments

confederation

• an alliance of independent states

the 1st colonial legislature

Virginia house of burgesses

athens, greece

direct democracy

-only male citizens with military training could vote

rome italy

indirect democracy

-only qualified men could vote

magna carta(great charter)

signed in 1215 by English Barons & King John

• trial by jury

• due process of law

• protection of life, liberty, property

• protections only for privileged people

english petition of rights

1628 - sent to king charles I complaining of broken laws

recognition of 4 principles

• no taxation without consent of the parliment

• no imprisonment without cause

• no quartering of soldiers by citizens

• no material law in peacetime

king accepted - later ignored the petition

limited the kings power

english bill of rights

written by members of parliament during the reign of william and mary to prevent abuse of powers

• prohibited standing army in peacetime without consent of parliament

• guaranteed the right to a fair trial, freedom from excessive bail, and from cruel and unusual punishments

13 colonies

virginia, rhode island, conneticut, new hamp, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, delaware, maryland, north carolina, south carolina, and georgia, massachusetts

• each settled with grant by king

• the king named the governor - advisory council named by the king to advise governor

virginia colony

• virginia began as commercial venture

• later on it was not profitable enough so charter was revoked

• colonists were employees of the VA company of london

massachusetts colony

• settled because seeking religous freedom

bicameral govt

a lower house was the obdy elected by property owners qualified to vote forming this house

pennsylvania colony

• settled as proprietary colony settled by an owner appointed by the king

• had a unicameral govt

thomas hobbes

• believed that people were inherently wicked and selfish

• Thinks that people gave up their individual sovereignty in exchange for peace and order provided by the state

• Helped to create the ideas of popular sovereignty and limited government

john locke

• Believed that people are born with 3 natural rights - life, liberty, and property

• Believed in the idea of limited government that relies entirely on the consent of the governed

• Government has legitimacy because the people give it authority, not God

baron montisque

• believed in a separation of powers to protect people’s freedoms

• Influenced the idea of checks and balances

george mason

• was responsible for the Virginia Declaration of Rights

• Stated that Virginians should have certain rights including freedom of religion and freedom of the press

thomas jefferson

• wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

• He believed that all people should be free to worship however they wanted

• This was the first time that religious freedom was protected by law

• This also became part of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution

james madision

• who later became the 4th President of of the US, is considered the “Father of the Constitution”

• He wrote the “Virginia Plan” during the Constitutional Convention, which proposed much of what became our national government

• He proposed a federal government with 3 separate branches:

  • Legislative 

  • Executive

  • Judicial

• He also wrote much of the Bill of Rights

rousseau

• believed that “All Men are Created Equal”

• Did not believe in rights for women, slaves, or people who did not own land