Founding documents

Declaration of independence

1776 Thomas jefferson

DoI theme

Need for independence

from GB

Justification for revolution

Social contract ideas of

John Locke – purpose of

government to protect

property, natural rights

Doi setting

American Revolution

DoI fears expressed

king blocked laws passed by

colonial gov’ts

• king disallowed local courts

• king bribed judges

• Americans were taxed without

being represented in Parliament

• standing army in peace time

intruded on freedom

• Americans were denied fair

trials with jury of peers

• tyranny

DoI desires expressed

creation of United States of

America

• “absolved of all allegiance to

the British crown”

• free and independent states

with power to levy war,

conclude peace, make

alliances and establish

commerce

DoI quotes

We hold these truths to be

self-evident, that all men are

created equal and are

endowed by their creator

with certain unalienable

rights, that among these are

the right to life, liberty and

the pursuit of happiness…

Articles of confederation

author:

John Dickinson

Ratified in 1781

AoC theme

Independence and

sovereignty of the states

AoC setting

New independent

United States of

America (post-

Revolution)

AoC fears expressed

Too powerful central government

aoc desires

“firm league of friendship”

committed to common defense

One vote per state

aoc quotes

Failures:

• no power to tax

• no executive or judicial

branches

• amendments required

unanimous support

• no power to draft troops

(dependent on states to

contribute forces)

• no power to regulate

interstate or international

commerce

Fed 10

James Madison 1787

Fed10 themes

How to prevent arbitrary

exercise of power by

government

fed10 setting

Debate over ratification

of the Constitution

fed10 fears

tyranny of the majority

• factions (caused by unequal

distribution of wealth)

fed10 desires

control factions through a

republic (small # of elected

representatives removed from

the people, governing over a

large # of people in a large

territory)

• job of govt is to protect

property, rights & public good

fed 10 quotes

pure democracy cannot

work because it is violent

and incompatible with

security

Brutus 1

robert yates 1787

Brutus 1 setting

Debate over ratification

of the Constitution –

Anti-Federalist point of

view

Brutus 1 fears

power over a standing army is

too much control for a single

president

• national government will

destroy state governments

• a man with power will try to

increase his power… power of the

POTUS to pardon, make appts

• the country is too large &

diverse with different laws &

customs

b1 desires

smaller, localized

democracies closer to “the

people

b1 quotes

In a large republic, the

public good is sacrificed to

a thousand views…

Every body of men, invested

with power, are ever

disposed to increase it, and

to acquire a superiority over

every thing that stands in

their way.

b1 themes

Constitution grants too

much power to the national

government

• the “necessary and

proper” clause gives too

much latitude

fed 51

james Madison 1787

fed 51 themes

Checks & balances;

separation of powers

Provide control on new

national government

fed 51 setting

Ratification of

Constitution debates

fed 51 fears

ambitious nature of humans

• potentially too-powerful

legislative branch (although

should be because it represents

the people)

• potential abuse of presidential

veto

fed 51 desires

to control legislative branch,

divide into two chambers with

different types of elections and

powers

• federal form of government

protects people from tyranny

fed 51 quotes

Ambition must be made to

counteract ambition

• We must first enable to the

govt to control the

governed; second, we must

enable the government to

control itself

us cons

framers, 1787

us cons themes

Checks and balances

• strong legislative branch

• more authority to national

government

us const setting

weaknesses of the

Articles of

Confederation

• Shay’s Rebellion

• national debt

us const quotes

Supremacy Clause

• Necessary & proper

Clause

• Commerce Clause

fed 70

hamilton 1788

fed 70 themes

Need for a strong executive

leader

fed 70 setting

No executive branch

under Articles of

Confederation

Ratification debate

fed 70 fears

Need a strong executive to:

• protect against foreign attacks

• provide steady administration of

laws

• protect private property

-secure liberty

fed 70 desires

Single executive (easier

decision making, and more

closely watched by the people)

• executive needs to be

provided with sufficient

powers and funding

fed 70 quotes

Energy and unity in the

executive

fed 78

hamilton 1788

fed 78 themes

Judicial branch is the least

threatening b/c it depends

on the executive branch to

enforce its rulings… needs

to be free & independent

from other institutions

fed 78 setting

No national court

system under the

Articles of

Confederation

Ratification debate

fed 78 fears

Judicial branch needs to be able

to defend itself against attacks by

the other two branches

fed 78 desires

has power to void all

acts/laws that are contrary to

the Constitution

• has power to interpret the

Constitution

• protected by lifelong

appointment

fed 78 quotes

Judiciary has no influence

over either the sword or the

purse

• Judiciary has neither force

nor will, but judgment

Birmingham

mlk Jr, 1963

B themes

Just v. Unjust Laws

• African-Americans role

in US history is the story of

America = pursuit of

freedom

• Action of interest groups:

-data collections

-negotiation with

elected & business leaders

-strategic planning &

preparation

-direct action

B setting

Continued segregation

in the South

Birmingham non-

violent protests and

marches

Arrests

Encouragement by

white clergy to stop &

wait for a more

appropriate time to

bring attention to

segregation

B fears

white moderates more devoted

to order than justice

• shallow understanding of whites

• appalling silence of good people

B desires

basic human dignity

• end to brutal treatment of

African-Americans

• recognition of heroes of

courage, discipline, suffering

• to tie the actions of African-

American protestors to those

of the Christian church and

early American leaders

• white churches to stand up to

power structure to support

righteousness

B quotes

Injustice anywhere is a

threat to justice everywhere.

• Wait has almost always

meant never.