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Adams, John
Second President of the United States, a Founding Father, and a key advocate for independence from Britain.
Declaration of Independence
The document adopted on July 4, 1776, which announced the thirteen American colonies' separation from British rule and articulated the principles of individual liberty and government by consent.
Franklin, Benjamin
a brilliant inventor and senior statesman at the Constitutional Convention who urged colonial unity as early as 1754, twenty-two years before the Declaration of Independence
Grand Committee
A committee formed during the Constitutional Convention that was responsible for drafting the final version of the United States Constitution.
Hamilton, Alexander
A founding father of the United States, serving as the first Secretary of the Treasury. He played a crucial role in establishing the nation's financial system and advocating for a strong central government, which influenced the development of American political and economic policies.
Hobbes, Thomas (The Leviathan)
In his famous work The Leviathan, Hobbes argues that when humans live in “a state of nature” rather than in a governed state, the result is anarchy and war, and human life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
Jefferson, Thomas
Principle drafter of the Declaration of Independence; second vice president of the United States; third president of the United Sates from 1801 to 1809. Co-founder of the Democratic Republican Party created to oppose Federalists
limited government
A political principle that restricts the powers and authority of government, ensuring that it cannot infringe upon individual rights and freedoms.
Locke, John (Second Treatise of Civil Government)
NATURAL LAWS should govern society (life, liberty, property); the governed should consent to the government.
Madison, James
The fourth President of the United States and is often called the 'Father of the Constitution' for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. His contributions to the formation of the government are foundational to the principles of democracy, federalism, and governance in America.
Montesquieu, Baron de (The Spirit of the Laws)
A republican government with limited & separated powers (the three branches).
natural law
A philosophical belief that certain rights are inherent by human nature and can be understood through reason, often associated with the principles of justice and morality.
life,liberty & property
popular sovereignty
The principle that the authority of a government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives.
representative republic
A type of government in which elected officials represent a group of people, combining elements of democracy with a republic, and ensuring that the rights of individuals are protected from the majority.
republicanism
A political ideology centered on the idea of a government in which the people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf, upholding the principles of liberty and the rule of law.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques (The Social Contract)
The social contract Rousseau describes is the agreement of free and equal people to abandon certain natural rights in order to find secure protections for society and to find freedom in a single body politic committed to the general good. He envisioned popular sovereignty—the people as the ultimate ruling authority— and a government of officials to carry out the laws.
U.S. Constitution
The supreme law of the United States, established in 1787, which outlines the framework of the national government, its relationship to the states, and the rights of the citizens.
Washington, George
George Washington was the first President of the United States and a key figure in the founding of the nation, serving from 1789 to 1797. His leadership during the American Revolutionary War and his role in shaping the ideals of democracy, as well as his influence on the ratification of the Constitution, established precedents that continue to impact the presidency and governance today.
Anti-Federalists
A political movement opposed to the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government under the Constitution, advocating for more power to be retained by the states and emphasizing the need for a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.
elite democracy
A model of democracy that emphasizes the role of a small number of elite individuals who hold power, influencing policy decisions and political outcomes, often prioritizing the interests of the elite over the broader population.
Federalists
A political faction that supported the creation of a strong national government under the U.S. Constitution, emphasizing the need for a system of checks and balances and advocating for the ratification of the Constitution.
initiative
A process that allows citizens to propose legislation or constitutional amendments and submit them for a vote by the electorate, empowering direct participation in the political process.
interest group
An organized group of individuals who share common objectives and actively seek to influence policymakers to achieve those goals, often representing specific causes or issues.
participatory democracy
A model of democracy in which citizens have the power to make decisions directly or influence policy through direct participation, rather than through elected representatives alone.
pluralist democracy
A model of democracy that emphasizes the role of diverse and competing interest groups in influencing the political process, allowing multiple voices and viewpoints to coexist and be represented in government.
referendum
A direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal and can result in the adoption of a new law or policy.
representative democracy
A system of governance in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on their behalf.
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