Required Foundational Documents

Question 1

Declaration of Independence

Answer 1

Identifies natural rights (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness) and the government’s responsibility to protect them.
Consent of the Governed; Popular Sovereignty; Social Contract Theory.

Question 2

Articles of Confederation

Answer 2

Weak central government, states given too much power.
(Unicameral legislature; 9/13 votes needed to pass laws; No executive/judicial; no power to raise an army)

Question 3

U. S. Constitution

Answer 3

Revision of the Articles of Confederation. Three branches of government w/ checks and balances.
(Relationships between states; Amendment process; 27 Amendments (including Bill of Rights))

Question 4

Federalist No. 10

Answer 4

How 2 deal w/ factions (1787 WORKING) youtube tutorial
Factions are inevitable – if we cannot destroy them, we must manage them instead.
- Large republic is the best way to address factions – too difficult for any one of them to gain power; less likely for corruption

PLURALISM: many factions competing for influence leads to only the best ideas being enacted.

Question 5

Brutus 1

Answer 5

Constitution gives too much power to central government.
- Necessary and Proper Clause
- Supremacy Clause
- Congress cannot represent local concerns in a country so big
- Can do away with States governments, creating one powerful state
- Standing army in peacetime is a destruction of liberty
- Once you give up power the only way to get it back is by force

Question 6

Federalist No. 51

Answer 6

Checks & Balances; power is divided between:
- three branches of government
- national/state government
Government must be powerful enough to control the people, but also control itself – separate but equal powers.
PREVENTS GOVERNMENT POWER FROM BECOMING TOO CENTRALIZED

Question 7

Federalist No. 70

Answer 7

Argues for a single, “energetic” executive (president)
- Having a dual committee will lead to confusion, disagreement, and inability to act decisively.
- Debate and disagreement are good for Congress, but poison for the president.
- President needs to be able to act swiftly and decisively.
- Having a single president makes the executive easily accountable.
Rejects a plural executive to favor a Cabinet of advisors for the president instead.

Question 8

Federalist No. 78

Answer 8

Judiciary must be strong and independent enough to keep other branches in check.
- Case for lifetime appointments (to insure that judges can resist encroachments from the legislature)
- Power of judicial review – job is to interpret the Constitution.
- Judicial branch must follow the Constitution impartially.
- Protection against abuse of power by Congress.

Question 9

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Answer 9

It is up to the oppressed to demand equality; justice delayed is justice denied.
- All people should be treated the same under the law (14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause).
- Nonviolent direct action seeks to create urgency for legislative action.