...The Antifederalist were not for the ratification of the constitution. They believed that the government could be easily corrupted. They were big believer of restraining government power. They were against the federalist papers because they had a lack of protection for individual freedoms. They wrote their own essays such as the “Centinel” against the federalist papers and it was to warn about the danger from tyranny. Samuel Bryan, the author of the letters of centinel, wrote: ‘Without presuming upon my own judgment, I cannot think in an unwarrantable presumption to offer my private opinion, and call upon others for their’s…” The Centinel purpose was to include a bill of rights in the new constitution and to adopt those rights. The Antifederalist achieve their goal and the federalists compromise with the bill of rights added to the Constitution. Many people say that the first amendment would not be here without the “intent of the Framers.”. But they did not adopt the first amendment. The Anti-federalist was still scared because the constitution did not really guarantee that the government could take people’s right to worship away. For example, the first amendment does not say that freedoms of speech or press shall not curtail, it only prevents...
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...United States Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The very first 3 articles of the Constitution make the rules and separates each of the three branches of government. They are the legislative, executive and judiciary branches. This constitution was created on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It took two years before becoming effective on March 4, 1789. The United States Constitution can be changed through the amendment process. The first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment guarantees citizens the right to practice whatever religion they choose. Therefore, the government cannot interfere in an individual’s freedom of worship. This is an example of an individual's liberty from the government. Civil rights are the positive actions the government should take to make all Americans equal. Civil rights, specified in the 14th Amendment is also in the Bill of Rights. The question is; do we need the U.S Constitution to protect our civil rights and liberties? The Bill of Rights in the Constitution is provided in Article 5. With the Bill of Rights our liberties are protected. These ten amendments are laws that gives each individual the same law to follow. Without the Bill of Rights in the Constitution, the government cannot be trusted with our given rights. If the government could be trusted, the First Amendment wouldn’t be based on what the government cannot do because we have freedom; it is said right in the Constitution. With the...
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...Rise and Fall of Soviet Russia Notes The Soviet Union started in 1917 and was led by a man named Vladimir Lenin with several other men. This group of men was known as the Bolshevik Party. They were sick of the tyranny from Tsar Ruler Nicholas the Second. (A Tsar or Czar was a totalitarian ruler of Russia which linked back to the 1500’s to Ivan the Fourth or better known as Ivan the Terrible) Lenin was fed up with Nicholas’ tyranny so he went to Karl Marx for guidance. Karl Marx or the Father of Communism was the man who came up with the idea of communism. What Karl basically said to Lenin was “All men were born free, but society has cut to such a state where majority is in chains. If people would treat people like people and we all shared...
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...The First Congress of the United States, in the heady days of 1789, faced a critical challenge: How could they guarantee that the young American government would protect the hard-won liberty, earned in the Revolutionary War years earlier, of the American people? Many had cried foul during the Constitutional ratification process, fearing that the government created under it would fail to respect the people’s freedom and fall into tyranny. Representative James Madison, who had been a leading figure in the Constitutional Convention of 1787, sought to placate them by improving the Constitution “in the opinion of those who are opposed to it, without weakening its frame.” Madison thus created a system of checks on the government’s power to ensure that it would respect individual liberties. This system was embodied by the Bill of Rights, a series of ten amendments to the Constitution establishing a vast range of inviolable rights enjoyed by the American populace. The document, ratified that year, has long served to defend Americans from intrusive encroachment upon rights and...
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...other Greeks, to and held captive in Italy. Despite his status as an enemy detainee, Polybius became a friend of the family of Scipio Aemilianus, one of Rome's most remarkable and well-connected politicians. In honor of his new home and new associates, Polybius composed a history of Rome's rise to world power in the course of his own lifetime. As an outsider, Polybius may have misinterpreted Rome's imperialistic moves in the Mediterranean, and he may have exaggerated the organizational genius of the Republic and its leaders. However, his famous analysis of Rome's "mixed constitution" has influenced political thinkers for centuries, and it was standard reading in the Age of Enlightenment, when the American Constitution was created. It is important to remember, however, that the Roman Republic, unlike that of the United States, did not have a standard document that could be used as a reference; the word "constitution" in Rome's case was meant in a general, non-textual sense, as the "make-up" or "organization" of Rome's public affairs. Source: Polybius, Historiarum reliquiae (Paris: Didot, 1839), VI, iii-xvii, 338-48, passim; trans. and condensed by Henry A. Myers. ________________________________________ With those Greek states which have often risen to greatness and then experienced a complete change of fortune, it is easy to describe their past and to predict their future. For there is no difficulty in reporting the known facts, and it is not hard to fore¬tell the future by inference...
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...Draft 3/18/2011 Free Nation Since the first amendment of the United States Constitution was written there has been controversy over the meaning of “ congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercises thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” Many people believe that the first amendment clearly states that there is a separation between the church and state, however that language is not included in the first amendment; rather Thomas Jefferson described the separation in a personal letter to church leaders in Connecticut where he states that the first amendment erects “ a wall of separation between church and state.” The main point of contention for people interpreting the portion of the first amendment dealing with religion is the difference between the conservative and liberal points of view. The conservative view point of the first amendment, as spoken by Ronald Reagan, is that “ to those who cite the first amendment for the reason for excluding god from more and more of our institutions and everyday life, may I just say; The first amendment of the constitution was not meant to protect people of this country from religious values; it was written to protect religious values from government tyranny.” The liberal perspective more closely mirrors the perspective of Thomas Jefferson who was...
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...Phoenix Material Influences on the Constitution Table Write one or two paragraphs in each section. Include citations for your sources. Documents | Summary | What was its influence on the Constitution? | Magna Carta | Issued by King John of England in 1215 when Englishmen went to the colonies they were given charters that guaranteed them and their heirs would “have and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects.” The document clearly stated that no free man could be prosecuted by any means other than the law of the land. ReferenceAll About History (unkn) The Magna Carta. Retrieved from http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/magna_carta/ on June 6, 2011. | This was used as a template 575 years later in the Bill of Rights toward the fifth amendment. The fifth amendment guarantees “No person shall… be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” | Mayflower Compact | Drawn up by the 41 adult males from the Mayflower, the new settlers from Plymouth created a contract with fair and equal laws, for the “general good”. The Mayflower settlers knew from previous attempts without some type of government they would fail. It allowed them to practice Protestant instead of the Church of England and other liberties without command. ReferenceFeatured Documents (unkn) The Mayflower Compact. Retrieved from http://www.allabouthistory.org/mayflower-compact.htm on June 6, 2011. | The Constitution was created on the same bases as...
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...QUESTIONS – A2 (UNIT 4) Short Answers 1. Why do liberals support constitutionalism and consent? (Jan 02) Constitutionalism is a belief in limited government brought about through external (usually legal) and internal (institutional) checks on the exercise of power. Consent is the idea that govt power should be based on the agreement of the governed, usually expressed through regular and competitive elections. Liberals support constitutionalism and consent because they fear that govt may become a tyranny against the individual, based on the assumption that power is inherently corrupting and concentrations of power will lead to absolute corruption. This assumption is rooted in the liberal view of human nature: as individualism implies self- interest, those with power over others are apt to abuse it for their benefit and at the expense of others. Liberal constitutionalism is expressed through support for various external and internal devices, such as codified constitutions, bills of rights, the separation of powers, federalism or devolution, and so on. Liberal support for consent is evident in support for electoral democracy in general and, more specifically, sympathy for referendums and proportional representation. 2. Distinguish between negative freedom and positive freedom, and explain the implications of each for the state. (Jun 02) Negative freedom is the absence of external constraints upon the individual, usually understood as non-interference. It is manifest...
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...With respect to a standing army, I believe there was not a member in the federal convention who did not feel unworthy at such an institution. What remedy then could be provided?-Leave the country defenceless? In order to provide for our defence, and exclude the dangers of a standing army, the general defence is left to those who are the objects of defence. It is left to the militia who will suffer if they become the instruments of tyranny. The general government must have power to call them forth when the general defence requires it. In order to produce greater security, the state governments are to appoint the officers." Nor is there any clear cut reference to restricting the power to voluntary enlistments that the power should apply in peace as well as war; that there should be no specific limitation of numbers to be enlisted. 3 suggestion that the power embraced "the customary and ordinary modes practised, in other governments "Congress have also the power-given them to raise and support armies, without any limitation as to numbers, and without any restriction in time of peace." (I One of the grievances set forth in our Declaration of Independence as a justification for overthrowing government was: "He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies * * *" In England there had been a long opposition to standing armies. They were condemned in the Petition of Right in 1628 and the Bill of Rights; they were branded as dangerous and contrary...
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...Introduction to political science 1) In political terms, power can be explained as the control one entity has over the other. Power is sometimes confused with the term 'influence'. Where power is the ability of make formal binding decisions, influence can be taken as a means through which that power is exerted. This may be due to intimidation, threats, logical reasoning, rational persuasion or lobbying. Authority can be defined as a form of power. The difference lies within the ways through both power and authority is exerted. Where power is viewed as control through any means, authority has a moral character attached to it, and is based on a 'right to rule' notion, where the ruled see the authority as legitimate and take it as a moral obligation to obey it. Authority is essential for the ruling governments. They can maintain order in the society by sheer use of force and coercion but stability and peace can only be achieved through willing compliance otherwise chaos would follow. However, authority by some, is also viewed as an idea which threatens the notions of liberty and democracy. The idea of Authority and Power can be distinguished in theory. Authority is followed without any means, as it is seen as a moral obligation by the ruled party however power is exerted through either persuasion or force. But in the practical terms both of these terms overlap and it is difficult to distinguish them both. An authority will not be influential unless it is backed by power. A leader...
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...Influences on the Constitution Marlene Monarrez HIS/301 December 3, 2012 Instructor: Andrew Van Ness Influences on the Constitution Table |Documents |Summary |What was its influence on the Constitution? | |Magna Carta | Issued by King John of England in 1215 when Englishmen went to the colonies they were | The Magna Carta gave Englishmen certain human rights, | | |given charters that guaranteed them and their heirs would “have and enjoy all liberties and |freedom of religion, reform of justice system and regulated | | |immunities of free and natural subjects.” The document clearly stated that no free man could|officials. The Magna Carta limited the king’s power and created | | |be prosecuted by any means other than the law of the land. |what we know today as parliament. | | |The Magna Carta had been the very first document which proclaimed personal liberties. The | | | |Magna Carta was forced upon an English Emperor by a team of barons. This had been the first |This was used as...
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...What is the American way of life? This question can be answered in a pleather of ways from many different backgrounds of people. In my opinion, the American way of life is best symbolized by two key dates in American history. July 4, 1776 is one of the greatest days in the history of our great nation. America on this day set herself apart from the tyranny and colonial control of Europe and started a nation of core human values that would forever change the world. The founding fathers would then go on to create the constitution on September 17, 1787 which gave all Americans the freedoms and values which we still live by today. These values like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, equality, liberty, are all things that we enjoy as Americans...
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...A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION After considering the historic page, and viewing the living world with anxious solicitude, the most melancholy emotions of sorrowful indignation have depressed my spirits, and I have sighed when obliged to confess that either Nature has made a great difference between man and man, or that the civilization which has hitherto taken place in the world has been very partial. I have turned over various books written on the subject of education, and patiently observed the conduct of parents and the management of schools; but what has been the result?--a profound conviction that the neglected education of my fellow-creatures is the grand source of the misery I deplore, and that women, in particular, are rendered weak and wretched by a variety of concurring causes, originating from one hasty conclusion. The conduct and manners of women, in fact, evidently prove that their minds are not in a healthy state; for, like the flowers which are planted in too rich a soil, strength and usefulness are sacrificed to beauty; and the flaunting leaves, after having pleased a fastidious eye, fade, disregarded on the stalk, long before the season when they ought to have arrived at maturity. One cause of this barren blooming I attribute to a false system of education, gathered from the books written on this subject by men who, considering females rather as women than human creatures, have been more anxious to make them alluring...
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...they may not directly interact with them, democratic governing usually creates a better relationship between the government and people. Democracy has been around for hundreds of years. It started with philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, Rousseau, Locke, Machiavelli, and Hobbes. These philosophers all have thoughts about democracy and democratic governing, including what makes democracy better, “It is clear then that the best partnership in a state is the one which operates through the middle people, and also that those states in which the middle element is large, and strong… have every chance of having a well-run constitution… When one set of people possess a great deal and the other nothing, the result is either extreme democracy or unmixed oligarchy, or a tyranny due to the excess of either.” (Aristotle). This helps show that democracy has a well-run constitution and they operate through their people. Because they operate through their people, they are bound to have a stronger, better relationship with them. In addition, philosopher John Locke thinks other types of governing may not be as successful, “The preservation of life, liberty, and property is thus the ultimate purpose of government. These absolute and natural rights belong to all people. It is clear that an absolute monarchy, which some men consider the only government in the world, is inconsistent with the purpose of society.” (Locke). This quote talks about the basic rights of all people, which democracy has. Other...
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...The Writ of Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror Charles Chamberlin POL201 Prof. Jason Weinerman 5/12/14 Introduction The basic right to question the government and hold it accountable is a basic hallmark of American Government. The right of the individual to question those in power, whom, according to the US Constitution, are there to represent and/or serve the public, is what makes the American construct unique. Our strength as a nation is manifested in the fact that we even treated our enemies within the rule of the law, even when the Great Writ was suspended. The Writ of Habeas Corpus which is the right to question and challenge the grounds in which our government holds a sovereign free American citizen against their will, is among our most basic fundamental rights. In the following pages, we will explore the history and what has caused us to stray from this ideal and, perhaps, instill the idea in the reader that all American citizens and aliens detained under suspicion, no matter the circumstance, must be treated justly. History of Habeas Corpus The right...
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