Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson (primary)- authorized by Second Continental Congress

Declared Independence from Britain - justification for “divorce”Identified Natural Rights - Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness and gov.’s job to protect themInfluenced heavily by John LockeConsent of the Governed; Popular Sovereignty; Social Contract TheoryLimited government

Articles of Confederation

John Dickerson- authorized by Second Continental Congress

Confederal Government; Weak- Congress not given many powersUnicameral LegislatureEach State = 1 vote (2-7 delegates); 9/13 votes needed to pass lawsNo Executive / No JudicialNo power to raise an army

U.S. Constitution

Written by Constitutional Convention

Outlines the structure of the governmentThree branches of government w/ check and balancesRelationships between statesAmendment process27 Amendments (including the Bill of Rights)

Federalist No. 10

James MadisonFederalist Papers

Factions are inevitable - cannot destroy them, so must manage themLarge Republic is the best form of government to address factions - too difficult for any one faction to gain power; less likely for corruptionPluralism --> many factions competing for influence leads to only the best ideas being enactedPrevents tyranny of the majority; Views of people will be “refined and enlarged” by their elected representatives

Brutus 1

Robert YatesAnti- Federalist

Constitution gives too much power to central governmentNecessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause) is a blank check to CongressSupremacy Clause -- state governments will be obsolete; impotentToo large a country for Congress to represent local concerns; ineffective because too many views (factions) form consensusCan do away with States governments, creating one powerful state.Standing Army in peacetime is a destruction of libertyOnce you give up power the only way to get it back is by force -- “Many instances can be produced where the people have voluntarily increased the powers of their rulers; but few, if any, in which rulers have willingly abridged their authority.”

Federalist No. 51

Madison or HamiltonFederalist Papers

Power is divided betweenthree branches of government, each w/ little control over the othernational/ state government; House and Senate are divided & elected in different ways (back then)Checks and Balances -- Gov. must be powerful enough to control the people, but also control itself -- separate but equal powersAll keep power from becoming too centralized -- prevent one person/one group from taking over the government“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. ...”“you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”

Federalist No. 70

Alexander HamiltonFederalist Papers

Argues for a single, “energetic” executive (president)“energy in the executive is the leading character in the definition of good government.”President must be single person; having a dual executive or committee will lead to confusion, disagreement, and inability to act decisivelyDebate and disagreement are good for Congress, poison for the presidentPresident needs to be able to act swiftly and decisively to respond to crisesHaving a single president makes the executive easily accountable; multiple presidents = finger-pointing and shifting blameRejects a plural executive, instead a Cabinet of advisors to the President

Federalist No. 78

Alexander HamiltonFederalist Papers

“The least dangerous branch” -- Independent and inherently weaker than the other 2 branches -- cannot enforce its decisions“no influence over either the sword or the purse,…It may truly be said it have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgement.”Judiciary must be independent; case for lifetime appointmentsThe power of judicial review -- job is to interpret the ConstitutionArgues that the federal courts have the duty to determine whether acts of Congress are constitutional and to follow the Constitution impartially. Hamilton viewed this as a protection against abuse of power by Congress.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Justice delayed is justice denied; “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. ...”“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed”All people should be treated the same under the law (14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause)Nonviolent direct action seeks to create urgency for legislative actionCountered the claim that civil rights protesters were agitating, they were merely pointing out tensions that already existed (uncomfortable truths)Owns extremism in support of a noble cause, such as fulfilling the promise of America (so long as it fits the tenets of nonviolence)