Readings

Question 1

Damon Linker- “American Individualism Is a Suicide Pact”

Answer 1

Individualism can go too far. Drunk driving example

Question 2

Roger Williams- “The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution”

Answer 2

all individuals and religious bodies are entitled to religious liberty as a natural right, and that civil governments do not have the authority to enforce religious laws.

Question 3

John Cotton- “An Exposition upon the 13th Chapter of the Revelations”

Answer 3

written about the corruption of government/power and nature of man

Question 4

John Winthrop- “Little Speech on Liberty”

Answer 4

written to clear up what liberty means and to explain the two different types of liberty: natural and moral

Question 5

John Winthrop- “A Model of Christian Charity”

Answer 5

a sermon that focused on how the Puritan settlers should treat one another in order to help each other - and the colony - survive.

Question 6

Puritans - “Mayflower Compact”

Answer 6

religious compact. first ever law of the land

Question 7

Cotton Mather- “A Christian at His Calling”

Answer 7

A good Christian finds his calling and does it the best he can in order to glorify God
Everyone has two callings, his job, his god

Question 8

William Henry Drayton- “The Letters of Freeman”

Answer 8

written by WIlliam Henry Dayton, a conservative lawyer and plantation owner in South Carolina, writing pseudonym “Freeman”. Not everyone is suited for gov. if you are suited you need to be in legislative branch.

Question 9

“Slaves’ Petition to the Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage”

Answer 9

they want a legislative act against slavery

Question 10

Jonathan Boucher- “On Civil Liberty, Passive Obedience, and Non-Resistance”

Answer 10

written by a Loyalist Johanthan Boucher, an Anglican minister in Virginia and Maryland. Man should alway obey laws unless laws go against god.

Question 11

Gene Sperling- “Punching Steph Curry”

Answer 11

Regulation is an inherit part of the market economy. as it structures the realm in which fair competition can take place.

Question 12

Sandel- “Jumping the Queue”

Answer 12

not everything should be in the market. Free-market doesn’t allocate based on desire or need. Merit Need Chance
The market changes the nature of the good.

Question 13

Brennan and Jaworski, “Line Up for Expensive Equality!”

Answer 13

Everything should be in market. Money is limited and so is time. Innovation

Question 14

Benjamin Franklin- “The Way to Wealth”

Answer 14

enrich yourself. you are entitled to what you earn. With hard work you can rise up in the world.

Question 15

Thomas Paine- “Common Sense”

Answer 15

political pamphlet by Thomas Paine that helped convince American colonists of the necessity to fight against Great Britain and become an independent nation

Question 16

Abigail Adams and John Adams- “Correspondence on Women’s Rights”

Answer 16

Abigail argues the injustice of the declaration of independence towards women. John doesn’t listen and calls her dramatic.

Question 17

Benjamin Banneker and Thomas Jefferson- “Correspondence on Slavery”

Answer 17

Banneker argues the hypocrisy of Jefferson in the declaration. How could he say such things if he doesn’t practice them. Jefferson argues the not as equal state of blacks in society. Racist pig.

Question 18

James Madison - “Vices of the Political System of the United States”
-Federalist #10 and #51

Answer 18

a list of issues Madison found within the US under the Articles of Confederation–failure of the states to comply with constitutional requests, encroachments by the states on federal authority, violations of the law of nations/treaties, trespasses of the states on the rights of each other, want of concert in matter where common interest requires it(?), want of guaranty to the states of their constitutions and laws against internal violence, want of sanction to the laws/coercion in the government of the confederacy, want of ratification by the people of the Articles of Confederation, multiplicity of laws in the several states, mutability of the laws of the states and injustice of the laws of states
Federalist 10
Factions. To control them, create a large republic
Federalist 51
supports branches system of government with division of power, and auxiliary powers. Seperation of powers and checks and balances.

Question 19

Thomas Jefferson- “Kentucky Resolutions”

“Letter to a Committee of the Danbury Baptists”

Answer 19

Alien and sedition acts passed by Congress, people were upset that it was a direct violation of the first amendment, Jefferson claimed that through the Constitution they could push back against that since it was against the Constitution.

separate the church and state, Jefferson was not a fan of organized religion, worrying that it would control the opinion of others

Question 20

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison- “Correspondence on a Bill of Rights”

Answer 20

expresses a concern for the lack of Bill of Rights in the Constitution. Letters sent between Jefferson and Madison since Jefferson was in France during the Philadelphia Convention. Madisons three reasons for a Bill of Rights not being necessary are those rights are reserved by the way federal power is granted, explicitly stating the rights would actually limit them, limited power of federal governments cant protect rights(?) and a bill of rights is inefficient

Question 21

Alexander Hamilton- “Letter to James Duane”

-Federalist #78

Answer 21

Hamilton’s take on the issues under the Articles of Confederation, his points are the want of power in Congress, dependence on state gov over federal, Congress’ power is not defined, the authority of federal government to tax, and the issue of forming/running a federal army
Fed 78, The judiciary is the weakest branch, but also a necessary one with it’s judging power being separate from the other branches

Question 22

John Adams- “Thoughts on Government”

Answer 22

a government cannot be “good” if it centered in but one assembly/group. That group will eventually overstep their bounds and focus on only their good instead of everyone’s good. Believed that government should be made in branches and it’s leaders/offices should be rotated

Question 23

Jennifer Selin- “How the Constitution’s Federalist Framework Is Being Tested by COVID-19”

Answer 23

During the pandemic, governors’ executive powers have expanded(and federal), thousands of jurisdictions administer elections and accountability for responding to COVID-19 (whos blame is it when things go wrong?) is complicated

Question 24

J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur- “Letters from an American Farmer”

Answer 24

Letters from a fictional Pennsylvania farmer directed to a friend in England providing a description of the North American colonies and their inhabitants. Main ideas were the American Dream. Rich and poor weren’t so far removed as in Europe. “Silken bands of mild government”. ⅔ of people in America had no country before. Good laws+your industry=ability to become a citizen, the harder you work, the more you succeed.

Question 25

John Jay- Federalist Paper #2

Answer 25

written to encourage the public/the states to ratify the proposed US Constitution. The states are connected, whether they realize it or not. The country and it’s people were made for each other

Question 26

Unknown - Brutus Essays

Answer 26

written to express doubts about the Constitution, sovereign always has the last say, priority on man’s freedom

Question 27

Elizabeth Cady Stanton- “Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments”

Answer 27

kinda modeled after the Declaration of Independence, speaks of all the injustices done to woman by men

Question 28

Sojourner Truth- “Ain’t I a Woman”

Answer 28

talks about how black women are still women and have intellect and deserve the same rights as all other women.

Question 29

George Washington- “Farewell Address”

Answer 29

a farewell to his citizens upon the end of his second term

Question 30

Andrew Jackson- “Veto of the Bank Bill”

Answer 30

written as a campaign document explaining why Jackson wouldn’t extend the Bank of the US and it’s monopoly against poorer people

Question 31

Susan B. Anthony- “Is It a Crime for a Citizen of the United States to Vote?”

Answer 31

a speech explaining how Susan voting was not a crime, and only her exercising her citizens right. Uses the Constitution to support her arguments, exposing the blatant sexism in the US

Question 32

Jane Addams- “If Men Were Seeking the Franchise”

Answer 32

written to explain what points men would make if they were having to fight for their rights

Question 33

Henry David Thoreau- “Civil Disobedience”

Answer 33

prioritize conscience over laws. Ron swanson. Thoreau your support for the gov away when they do things you dont like

Question 34

John C. Calhoun- “A Disquisition on Government”

Answer 34

discusses state’s rights and argues that concurrent majority can lead to tyranny over minority interests, meant to justify slavery

Question 35

Frederick Douglass- “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”

Answer 35

praises the founding fathers, but then condemns that American attitude against slavery. His arguements include slavery being untrue to it’s foundign principles, condemns the profits made from slavery and talks about how the 4th of July is a holiday for free white men, and is more like “hollow mockery” to black slaves

Question 36

George Fitzhugh- “Cannibals All! Or, Slaves without Masters”

Answer 36

a pro slavery writing, cites the Bible and classical/historical examples as proof that slavery is okay. Says that it is more efficient and helps support the economy, says that slaves are happy and free, argues that any punishment or sexual abuse of slaves is “education”

Question 37

James Hammond- “Speech to the Senate on Slavery”

Answer 37

pro-slavery writing, lays out the Mudsill theory, and argues that every society must have a class that does menial duties, in order for the higher class to move civilization forward.

Question 38

Abraham Lincoln- “Second Inaugural Address”

-The Gettysburg Address

Answer 38

discusses the civil war and the similarities and differences between the two sides.

talks about the civil war and how we still have a future to build

Question 39

Alexander H. Stephens- “Cornerstone Address”

Answer 39

argues that the Confederate government is based on the truth that negroes are not equal to white men, subordination is a blacks place. slavery is the cornerstone of the south.

Question 40

Lysander Spooner- “No Treason”

Answer 40

treason against the US is separate from the issue of slavery, asks what is our gov founded on now that those principles have been challenged?, five main points being two men with natural rights cannot exercise power over each other, gov should not be established over smaller parties (strong over weak), Constitution established by the people, not by minority/majority, founding fathers didnt recognize majority power over minority, and majorities do not guarantee justice

Question 41

Eric Foner- “Origins of the Second Founding”

Answer 41

talks about the foundings failure to build an egalitarian society on the ashes of slavery, leaving defining issues unresolved

Question 42

Jamelle Bouie- “Why Juneteenth Matters”

Answer 42

slaves freed themselves, Juneteeth celebrates the day Gen Gordon Granger entered Galveston and spread the new of the Emancipation Proclamation

Question 43

fisher Ames ‘mire of democrcy’

Answer 43

• The voice of the people is blasphemous, and can easily be swayed by demagogues with empty promises/ the worst blasphemy is that the voice of the people is the voice of God: we need to pay attention only to those who know politics, not just the common people
• The framers of the Constitution “intended our government should be a republic, which differs more widely from a democracy than a democracy from despotism.”

Question 44

Charles Sumner ‘barbarism of Slavery’

Answer 44

slavery is wrong, we cannot wait to fix this, cites slavery as of the devil and “sum of all villainies”, slavery’s practical results does not mean the South is more prosperous than the North

Question 45

Thaddeus Stevens ‘speech on reconstruction acts’

Answer 45

lead efforts to reconstruct the south after the civil war
imposed martial law: former confederacy members were not allowed to participate in new civilian gov and the former slaves would be given the vote
asking for a conclusion on what to do with the rebel states, the longer they wait the more people will die, allow for loyalists to defend themselves/their families