Important Figures Flashcards
John Locke
Works: The second treatise
John Rolfe
Saved the colonies with the cultivation of tobacco in the colony of Virginia.
John Adams
The Atlas of Independence.
Advocate of the separation of powers and of checks and balances to protect agains the power of absolute government.
George Washington
The founding would have been impossible without Washington’s virtue and the virtue he inspired in others.
Emphasized the importance of self-interest as a motivating force.
Turned down the kingdom.
Optimistic about the future of America.
Consistently supported the document at the convention.
David Hume
Argued that man is “self-regarding”.
John Winthrop
Known for views on human nature.
“because you elected me, you now need to listen to me”.
People should be made to do only that which is deemed right by the authorities in power.
John Smith
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John Calvin
Preached to the puritans that God chose in advance who would be damned.
1) Charles the I
Worked for years to establish absolute rule.
English Civil War, was beheaded outside his palace.
2) Oliver Cromwell
Ruled a “commonwealth” of English Scotland and Ireland.
3) Charles II
Restored to his father’s throne.
They could not get along without a king.
4) James the II
Favored religious liberty for Catholics.
“declaration of indulgence”
Required public officials to declare themselves against Catholic doctrine.
The Whigs
Organized opposition to Charles II and James II.
Tories
Individuals drawn to the centers of power.
Loyal to Britain and the King.
Jefferson Smith
Refused to yield.
Self interested or virtuous?
Edmund Burke
Not interested in doing what the people want.
Self interested or virtuous?
Toussaint Louverture
Great revolutionary.
Wanted an economically restricted and authoritarian society with him at the center.
Jean Jacques Dessalines
Louverture’s successor.
Ruthless.
No institutions created.
John Hancock
Agreed to support ratification of the constitution despite some of his reservations.
Adam Smith
Opposed mercantilists.
Like John Locke, he places the rights of the people above the rulers.
James Madison
Father of the constitution. Authored the Virginia Plan. Instrumental in achieving ratification. Wrote the federalist papers. Changed his mind about the bill of rights and made a deal with Mason.
Robert Dahl
Points out the flaws in the constitution.
Russ Roberts
Wrote “how democratic is the American constitution?”
“marvel that the massive coordination and cooperation problem gets solved every day without anyone being in charge.”
Matthew Ridley
Wrote “when ideas have sex”
The rate of innovation is accelerated when everyone’s ideas “meet and mate”.
Connections lead to advances in technology and the standard of living.
Samuel Adams
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Thomas Paine
Wrote “common sense”
Successful piece of propaganda.
The revolution needs to be in the minds and hearts of the people.
Pauline Maier
The Declaration of Independence was designed for domestic consumption.
At firs the people disregarded it!
William Paterson
Advocated the rights of small states.
Authored the New Jersey Plan.
James Wilson
Advocated a strong, independently elected executive.
Roger Sherman
Self-taught lawyer who helped draft the Declaration of Independence.
Proposed the great compromise.
Gouverneur Morris
Drafted the constitution.
George Mason
Authored the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
Did not sign the constitution because it lacked a bill of rights.
John Rutledge
Strongly defended slavery at the convention.
From South Carolina.
Benjamin Franklin
Represented Pennsylvania at the convention.
Endorsed the constitution and backed it with his prestige.
Abigail Adams
John Adam’s wife, sometimes considered to have been a founder of the US.
Said that the women will not hold themselves bound by any laws where they have no voice or representation.
“be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors.”
Anti-federalists
Proposed a national government would be too strong and too distant.
The constitution placed very little emphasis on republican virtue: it was all about incentives and structure.
The constitution lacked a bill of rights.
Federalists
Responded to the anti-federalists agreeing to pass a bill of rights.
Auxiliary precautions are necessary! You can’t simply depend on the people’s virtue.
The division of sovereignty means that the government would never tyrannize the people.
George Mason
Refused to sign the constitution because it didn’t have a bill of rights.
