Required Docs

Question 1

What is the Declaration of Independence?

Answer 1

• Social contract theory: requires consent of the governed
• People can abolish destructive government
• Informs British of grievances: ignored colonists - in war = enemies, in peace = friends

ARGUMENTS:
- Unalienable rights: life, liberty, property
- Establish government to protect rights
- Government derives power from the people
- Right/duty to overthrow

(Last 2 = Social Contract Theory)

GRIEVANCES:
- Taxation without representation
- Quartering troops
- Trial without jury
- Dissolving colonists’ representative bodies
- Controlling judges

DJJTQ:
- (Dissolving government, judge control, jury (none), taxation, quartering troops)

Question 2

What are the Articles of Confederation?

Answer 2

1st guiding document for U.S. government.
* Equal representation in one-house Congress.
* Strengths: Northwest Ordinance - slavery/splitting new territory.
* Weaknesses:
1. No power to tax (states broke).
2. No executive branch.
3. No judiciary.
4. No power to regulate interstate commerce.
5. 9/13 states needed to pass laws.
6. 13/13 states needed to amend.
* Limited powers of Congress:
1. Can borrow money.
2. Can declare war.
3. Can sign treaties.
4. Can create a national army/navy (unpaid/cannot draft).
* Shown weak by Shays’ Rebellion (national government struggles to raise an army/stopping rebellion).
* (JIET - 9-13) Judiciary, Interstate Commerce, Executive, 9/13 law, 13/13 amend.

Question 3

What is the Constitution?

Answer 3

Framework for U.S. government:
* Article 1: Legislative branch (Congress)
- House: 2-year terms, 25 years old, citizen for 7 years
- Senate: 6-year terms, 30 years old, citizen for 9 years
* Article 2: Executive branch (President)
- 4-year terms, born in U.S., 35 years old
* Article 3: Judicial branch (Supreme Court)
- Life terms
* Amendment process: 2/3 Congress or 3/4 states approve.

Includes key powers and limitations of each branch.

Question 4

What is Federalist No. 10?

Answer 4

• Factions are inevitable.
• Cure for factions: eliminate freedom (not viable) or use representative democracy to control them.
• Pure democracy can’t manage factions.
• Pluralist theory: competing groups in a republic lead to compromise.
• Federalism: if representatives focus on national issues, state governments can control factions (power is splintered).

Question 5

What is Brutus I?

Answer 5

• Written to dissuade support for the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention.
• Necessary & Proper Clause and Supremacy Clause grant federal government unlimited power.
• Representatives in a large republic are too distant from the people.
• Key powers concentrated in the federal government.
• Opposes federal taxation (increases other powers).
• A standing army (professional soldiers in peacetime) threatens liberty.
• Federal courts undermine state courts.
  (IACRUT - Important Powers, Army, Courts destroy courts, Representation, Unlimited Power, Taxation)

Question 6

What is Federalist No. 51?

Answer 6

Establishes checks and balances:
* Three branches of government
* Each branch is self-sufficient but can check others to prevent tyranny
* Congress, being most powerful, should be divided into House & Senate
* This government style controls factions.

Question 7

Federalist No. 78

Answer 7

life terms (tenure) for judiciary:
-prevent legislative encroachment
-necessary if courts are going to be able to defend the constitution
-Judiciary is naturally weakest of branches
-Judiciary must be independent to rule laws that violate the constitution, unconstitutional

Question 8

Federalist No. 70

Answer 8

Strong executive does not contradict republican government
Good government= energy (power, influence, flexibility, quick execution of powers- protect national security) in the executive branch
Energy needed to
-carry out laws
-protect property
-prevent anarchy
-national security
-protect liberty
-make quick decisions
-have secrecy
-take action
need energy= energy means unity= unity equals one person
Plurality in CONGRESS good- promotes deliberation
Plurality in executive would slow decision making

Question 9

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Answer 9

In Birmingham because injustice there is injustice everywhere
Steps of Nonviolent Action:
-Collection of the facts
-negotiation
-self-purification
-direct action
Constructive nonviolent tension- breaking the status quo to lead to change- having a dialogue about the issue, not a monologue
Lists injustices
For example, being called “boy,” not able to sleep in motels, not allowed into amusement parks
Unjust laws= don’t follow moral code
-break them to maintain justice/ integrity of the law
Don’t settle for negative peace- peace that perpetuates social injustices
Accept nonviolent protests to avoid violent protests
Being labeled as an “extremist” is okay because they produce social change