fed 10, 50, 51, 70, 78 + Brutus 1 + Letter from Birmingham Jail

Declaration of Independence (1776)

main ideas: separate US needed from monarchy of Great Britain; individual rights violated by king; natural rights exist

-John Locke; popular sovereignty; Bill of Rights; Republicanism

Articles of Confederation (1781-1788)

first constitution failed; non ability to tax; no President/Executive; no central government as each state maintained sovereignty; one voter per state in Congress; all states vote needed to change the doc

-Shay's Rebellion; Congress; Unicameral house

US Constitution (1788)

main ideas: popular sovereignty; federalism; checks and balances; separation of powers; republicanism; no mention of judicial review; Bill of Rights not an original part (added to gain anti-federalist support)

Federalist No 10 (1787)

main ideas: mischiefs of factions can not be eliminated, but curbed; representative and pluralist democracy; factions would neutralize one another; large republic

-federalists

Brutus No 1 (1787)

main ideas: Constitution threatens states; elastic and supremacy clause are both too expansive; country too large to elect a group to represent everyone (small republic that is closer to the states)

-anti-federalists

Federalist No 51 (1788)

main ideas: separation of powers guards against tyranny; bicameral legislature elected differently with different powers ensures one branch doesn't dominate; check and balances should cause branches to compete with one another

Federalist No 70 (1788)

main ideas: one person executive ensures unity and accountability (place blame on one person is easier than blaming a group); energetic person that is efficient within times of crisis

-Chief Executive

Federalist No 78 (1788)

main ideas: judicial branch being independent is essential to securing liberties; serving for life with good behavior ensures a judicial branch free from legislative interference and politics (bias)

-judicial review

Letter from Birmingham Jail by MLK (1963)

main ideas: King's response to "A Call For Unity" (a letter penned by Southern White clergy; social movements expand civil rights; nonviolent direct action as a final means; postponed until after election to not bias the result or taint the movement as a mere political stunt