American government/ citizenship

1. John Locke and Political Philosophy

Q: Who was John Locke, and what was his key work?
A: John Locke (1632-1704) wrote Second Treatise of Government (1690), influencing American colonial ideology.

2. State of Nature

Q: What is the "State of Nature," and which philosopher influenced it?
A: A concept from Thomas Hobbes (1660) describing humans in their natural state, driven by self-interest before entering civil society.

3. Natural Rights

Q: What are natural rights, and who influenced this idea?
A: Life, liberty, and property; influenced by Cicero (51 BCE).

4. Social Contract

Q: What is the social contract, and how does it protect natural rights?
A: A system where individuals give up some freedoms to form a government that protects their rights. Influenced by Rousseau (1762).

5. Consent of the Governed

Q: What is "consent of the governed"?
A: Government derives power from the people (popular sovereignty) and operates under limited authority.

6. The Declaration of Independence (1776)

Q: What did the Declaration of Independence accomplish?
A: It declared independence from Britain but did not create a government.

7. The Articles of Confederation

Q: What was the first U.S. constitution, and when was it in effect?
A: The Articles of Confederation (1777; 1781-1788), America’s first social contract.

8. Structure of the Articles of Confederation

Q: How was the government structured under the Articles?
A:

  • Confederation: Strong states, weak national government

  • Legislature: Unicameral, one vote per state

  • No Executive or Judiciary

9. Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Q: What were the major weaknesses of the Articles?
A:

  • No power to tax

  • No power to regulate interstate commerce

  • Economic crisis (debt, inflation)

  • Foreign policy failures (border disputes, piracy, Indian raids)

10. Did the Constitution Violate the Articles?

Q: Why is it argued that the Constitution violated the Articles of Confederation?
A: The Articles required unanimous state approval for amendments, but the Constitution was created and ratified outside this process.