Readings Flashcards
Damon Linker- “American Individualism Is a Suicide Pact”
Individualism can go too far. Drunk driving example
Roger Williams- “The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution”
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.
John Cotton- “An Exposition upon the 13th Chapter of the Revelations”
written about the corruption of government/power and nature of man
John Winthrop- “Little Speech on Liberty”
written to clear up what liberty means and to explain the two different types of liberty: natural and moral
John Winthrop- “A Model of Christian Charity”
a sermon that focused on how the Puritan settlers should treat one another in order to help each other - and the colony - survive.
Puritans - “Mayflower Compact”
religious compact. first ever law of the land
Cotton Mather- “A Christian at His Calling”
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
William Henry Drayton- “The Letters of Freeman”
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.
“Slaves’ Petition to the Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage”
they want a legislative act against slavery
Jonathan Boucher- “On Civil Liberty, Passive Obedience, and Non-Resistance”
written by a Loyalist Johanthan Boucher, an Anglican minister in Virginia and Maryland. Man should alway obey laws unless laws go against god.
Gene Sperling- “Punching Steph Curry”
Regulation is an inherit part of the market economy. as it structures the realm in which fair competition can take place.
Sandel- “Jumping the Queue”
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.
Brennan and Jaworski, “Line Up for Expensive Equality!”
Everything should be in market. Money is limited and so is time. Innovation
Benjamin Franklin- “The Way to Wealth”
enrich yourself. you are entitled to what you earn. With hard work you can rise up in the world.
Thomas Paine- “Common Sense”
political pamphlet by Thomas Paine that helped convince American colonists of the necessity to fight against Great Britain and become an independent nation
Abigail Adams and John Adams- “Correspondence on Women’s Rights”
Abigail argues the injustice of the declaration of independence towards women. John doesn’t listen and calls her dramatic.
Benjamin Banneker and Thomas Jefferson- “Correspondence on Slavery”
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.
James Madison - “Vices of the Political System of the United States”
-Federalist #10 and #51
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.
Thomas Jefferson- “Kentucky Resolutions”
“Letter to a Committee of the Danbury Baptists”
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
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison- “Correspondence on a Bill of Rights”
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
Alexander Hamilton- “Letter to James Duane”
-Federalist #78
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
John Adams- “Thoughts on Government”
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
Jennifer Selin- “How the Constitution’s Federalist Framework Is Being Tested by COVID-19”
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
J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur- “Letters from an American Farmer”
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.
John Jay- Federalist Paper #2
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
Unknown - Brutus Essays
written to express doubts about the Constitution, sovereign always has the last say, priority on man’s freedom
Elizabeth Cady Stanton- “Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments”
kinda modeled after the Declaration of Independence, speaks of all the injustices done to woman by men
Sojourner Truth- “Ain’t I a Woman”
talks about how black women are still women and have intellect and deserve the same rights as all other women.
George Washington- “Farewell Address”
a farewell to his citizens upon the end of his second term
Andrew Jackson- “Veto of the Bank Bill”
written as a campaign document explaining why Jackson wouldn’t extend the Bank of the US and it’s monopoly against poorer people
Susan B. Anthony- “Is It a Crime for a Citizen of the United States to Vote?”
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
Jane Addams- “If Men Were Seeking the Franchise”
written to explain what points men would make if they were having to fight for their rights
Henry David Thoreau- “Civil Disobedience”
prioritize conscience over laws. Ron swanson. Thoreau your support for the gov away when they do things you dont like
John C. Calhoun- “A Disquisition on Government”
discusses state’s rights and argues that concurrent majority can lead to tyranny over minority interests, meant to justify slavery
Frederick Douglass- “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”
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
George Fitzhugh- “Cannibals All! Or, Slaves without Masters”
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”
James Hammond- “Speech to the Senate on Slavery”
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.
Abraham Lincoln- “Second Inaugural Address”
-The Gettysburg Address
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
Alexander H. Stephens- “Cornerstone Address”
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.
Lysander Spooner- “No Treason”
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
Eric Foner- “Origins of the Second Founding”
talks about the foundings failure to build an egalitarian society on the ashes of slavery, leaving defining issues unresolved
Jamelle Bouie- “Why Juneteenth Matters”
slaves freed themselves, Juneteeth celebrates the day Gen Gordon Granger entered Galveston and spread the new of the Emancipation Proclamation
fisher Ames ‘mire of democrcy’
- 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.”
Charles Sumner ‘barbarism of Slavery’
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
Thaddeus Stevens ‘speech on reconstruction acts’
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
