...In 1982, forty-nine historians and political scientists were asked by the Chicago Tribune to rate all the Presidents through Jimmy Carter in five categories: leadership qualities, accomplishments/crisis management, political skills, appointments, and character/integrity. At the top of the list stood Abraham Lincoln. He was followed by Franklin Roosevelt, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Woodrow Wilson, and Harry Truman. None of these other Presidents exceeded Lincoln in any category according to the rate scale. Roosevelt fell into second place because he did not measure up to Lincoln in character. Washington, close behind, ranked third because of his lesser political skills. It is the general opinion of pollsters, moreover, that the average American would probably put Lincoln at the top as well. In other words, the judgment of historians and the public tells us that Abraham Lincoln was the nation's greatest President by every measure applied. Interestingly, had the average Union citizen been asked the same question in the spring of 1863, there can be no doubt but that Lincoln would have fared poorly. Not much more could have been said for him even a year later, when Lincoln thought that he would lose his bid for reelection. It would take Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse and his own death a week later to propel Lincoln into the pantheon of presidential greatness. And Lincoln's canonization began almost immediately. Within...
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...n 1982, forty-nine historians and political scientists were asked by the Chicago Tribune to rate all the Presidents through Jimmy Carter in five categories: leadership qualities, accomplishments/crisis management, political skills, appointments, and character/integrity. At the top of the list stood Abraham Lincoln. He was followed by Franklin Roosevelt, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Woodrow Wilson, and Harry Truman. None of these other Presidents exceeded Lincoln in any category according to the rate scale. Roosevelt fell into second place because he did not measure up to Lincoln in character. Washington, close behind, ranked third because of his lesser political skills. It is the general opinion of pollsters, moreover, that the average American would probably put Lincoln at the top as well. In other words, the judgment of historians and the public tells us that Abraham Lincoln was the nation's greatest President by every measure applied. Interestingly, had the average Union citizen been asked the same question in the spring of 1863, there can be no doubt but that Lincoln would have fared poorly. Not much more could have been said for him even a year later, when Lincoln thought that he would lose his bid for reelection. It would take Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse and his own death a week later to propel Lincoln into the pantheon of presidential greatness. And Lincoln's canonization began almost immediately. Within days of...
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...be addressed if a new government was to be formed. • Even though it was written in the declaration, the Constitution did not say a word about everyone being equally protected under the law. o Representation- The first issue discussed was how to set up the new Congress so that all states have an equal voice. New Jersey Plan- The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state’s population. Virginia Plan- The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to that state’s share of the U.S. population. • It is obvious to...
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...Senior Research Project: Is the right to bear arms ethical? Lucas Van Duyn Senior Seminar: Business Ethics Dr. Jewe July 31, 2012 Introduction to the Project: In the United States, research into firearms and violent crime is fraught with difficulties, associated with limited data on gun ownership and use, firearms markets, and aggregation of crime data. Research studies into gun violence have primarily taken one of two approaches: case-control studies and social ecology. Gun ownership is usually determined through surveys, proxy variables, and sometimes with production and import figures. In statistical analysis of homicides and other types of crime, which are rare events, these data tend to have poison distributions, which also presents methodological challenges to researchers. (Just Facts, 2010) Americans own an estimated 270 million firearms, approximately 90 guns for every 100 people. In 2009, guns took the lives of 31,347 Americans in homicides, suicides and unintentional shootings. This is the equivalent of more than 85 deaths each day and more than three deaths each hour. 66,769 Americans were treated in hospital emergency departments for non-fatal gunshot wounds in 2009. Firearms were the third-leading cause of injury-related deaths nationwide in 2009, following poisoning and motor vehicle accidents. Between 1955 and 1975, the Vietnam War killed over 58,000 American soldiers – less than the number of civilians killed with guns in the U.S. in an average...
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...Is the 2nd Amendment Worth Saving? Is the 2nd Amendment Worth Saving? “Good people don’t need laws to tell them to act responsibly… and bad people will find a way around the laws.” – Plato “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants” - Thomas Jefferson “The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed, which Americans possess over the people of almost every nation… (Where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” - James Madison -The Federalist Sandy Hook: Littleton, Colorado (Columbine): Newtown, Connecticut. These names strike fear in to anyone who was alive to hear about them as they happened. These were mass shootings in very public places, schools. Between the years of 1996-2013 a total of 84 attackers committed 77 attacks on schools in 15 countries killing 502 students and teachers and wounding 496 others worldwide. (See Table 1) It is my belief that these attacks were orchestrated upon the most helpless in our society in order to incite mass fear and chaos! Each crime was perpetrated with both handguns and rifles, or what these days are referred to as “assault rifles.” The term “assault rifle” is yet another mainstream media scare tactic designed solely for fear because many believe that for a civilian to possess what looks like a military weapon they must intend to murder. Hatred of other people because of race or status and the belief that “Someone” is holding them back is truly...
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...Executive Power and the Constitution Michael Gray HIS 303: The American Constitution Professor Ginger Jarvis November 29, 2012 Executive Power and the Constitution “The Constitution has never greatly bothered any wartime president,” wrote Francis Biddle, Attorney General during World War II, in his memoirs (Smith, 1999, pg.24). Biddle’s comment was in reflection on President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s decision to relocate Japanese-Americans. An examination of American history reveals the Constitution does not appear to bother president during periods of national survival. In fact, Presidents seize crisis in domestic and foreign affairs as the opportunity to expand executive power. This paper provides a brief history on powers in the Constitution, examines use of executive power in domestic and foreign affairs, and concludes with an argument on how the issue should be interpreted. Framers of the Constitution believed separation of powers and a system of checks and balances would keep one branch of government from having more power then the others. Noah Feldman (2006) writes “nothing is more basic to the operation of a constitutional government than the way it allocates power” (Our Presidential Era, para.2). Constitutional Framers created three separate branches of government independent of each other. According to Cornell University Law School (2012), the first three articles of the “Constitution outlines the branches of the U.S. Government...
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...maintained as a fundamental right of the imprisoned, this protection has been tampered with in our history, making habeas corpus sometimes a casualty of our desire for security during times of crisis. Constitutional Principles Several constitutional principal are expressed through habeas corpus, the foremost being checks and balances and that the accused are afforded due process. The framers of the Constitution knew that governments become abusive of the rights of citizens when there is no power to check that abuse and when the treatment of the accused is arbitrary. The use of habeas corpus is in fact one of the few constitutional rights enshrined in the main body of the Constitution instead of the amendments, and is established in each state constitution as well. Article I, Section 9, of the U.S. Constitution provides that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of rebellion or invasion, when the public safety may require it. In some states suspension of the writ is forbidden in any case (House). What the framers of the constitution hoped for was to...
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...(the courts) to check and balance the actions of another (the police) in criminal proceedings. And yet, while habeas corpus has been maintained as a fundamental right of the imprisoned, this protection has been tampered with in our history, making habeas corpus sometimes a casualty of our desire for security during times of crisis. Constitutional Principles Several constitutional principal are expressed through habeas corpus, the foremost being checks and balances and that the accused are afforded due process. The framers of the Constitution knew that governments become abusive of the rights of citizens when there is no power to check that abuse and when the treatment of the accused is arbitrary. The use of habeas corpus is in fact one of the few constitutional rights enshrined in the main body of the Constitution instead of the amendments, and is established in each state constitution as well. Article I, Section 9, of the U.S. Constitution provides that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of rebellion or invasion, when the public safety may require it. In some states suspension of the writ is forbidden in any case (House). What the framers of the...
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...UNIT 1 Answer Key CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 1 Section 1 Prereading and Vocabulary 2 Reading Comprehension 3 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. oligarchy citizen democracy constitution state two basic levels; certain decisions; only the federal government; each of the states Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central government and several regional, or state, governments. 1. Population; the people who live within the boundaries of the state 2. Territory; land with known and recognized boundaries 3. Sovereignty; the supreme and absolute power within a state’s territory to decide its own foreign and domestic policies 4. Government; the institution through which society makes and enforces public policies 5. Force theory; the state was born of force, when one person or a small group gained control over people in an area and forced them to submit to that person’s or group’s rule. 6. Evolutionary theory; the state evolved from early families that united to form clans. Later, clans united to form tribes. As tribes settled into agricultural groups over time, they formed states. 7. Divine right theory; God created the state and gave a chosen few the right to rule. 8. Social contract theory; people voluntarily agreed to create a state and give to the government just enough power to promote the safety and well-being of all. Government exists to serve the will of the people, and the people are the sole source of political...
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...exists to serve the American people, protect enduring national interests, and fulfill the Nation’s military responsibilities. FM 1 is one of the Army’s two capstone field manuals. It contains our vision for the Army. While the entire manual is important, I would direct your attention to four particular items. FM 1 establishes the fundamental principles for employing landpower. The most important of these are the Army’s operational concept and the fundamentals that support it. They form the foundation for all Army doctrine. All Soldiers should understand and internalize them. FM 1 describes the American profession of arms, the Army’s place in it, and what it means to be a professional Soldier. Central to this discussion are the Soldier’s Creed, Warrior Ethos, and Army Values. These three statements establish the guiding values and standards of the Army profession. To understand Soldiers, you must know about them. To be a Soldier, you must live them. FM 1 discusses Army contributions to the joint force. As the Armed Forces achieve even greater joint interdependence, the Army will depend more on the other Services and vice versa. For this reason, the Army is currently transforming its units and institutions to enhance our campaign qualities for sustained operations and to achieve greater expeditionary and joint capabilities. It is important for Soldiers and all who support or are associated with the Army to understand these contributions and how the Army is transforming to better meet...
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...Madison[1] INTRODUCTION A written constitution is a reminder that governments can be unreasonable and unjust. By guaranteeing that "[a] well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed," the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution provides the citizens a means of protection against the unjust excesses of government.[2] The Framers placed this guarantee in the Bill of Rights because they considered the right to keep and bear arms peculiarly important and also uniquely vulnerable to infringement. The Amendment's command protects individuals against even popular conceptions of the public good. In addition to this protection within the United States Constitution,[3] the constitutions of forty-three states guarantee the right to keep and bear arms.[4] Despite the constitutional authority for this right, legislators and judges have consistently attempted to devalue it. Methods such as giving misleading labels to select firearms like "assault weapons"[5] or "Saturday Night Specials"[6] have been used to justify incremental disarmament.[7] American jurisprudence has deliberately devalued the right to keep and bear arms by disingenuously interpreting the right so as to effect a gradual change in American culture. To this end, for example, the Seventh Circuit has already upheld a civilian handgun ban by dismissing an historical analysis of the Constitution: "The debate surrounding the...
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...engage in a legal duel. A shopkeeper who pulls out a gun and shoots a young teenager to death because he caught her trying to steal more than five hundred dollars in goods. Or how about a good old fashioned shoot out? If you were thinking that I was referring to a small western town back in the late eighteen hundreds, you'd be wrong. The wild, wild west has made a comeback to modern America. That era, synonymous with lawlessness and vigilante justice is being revived in essence by the introduction of legislation called "Stand Your Ground". Currently, there is a debate raging in our country over the rights of gun owners in regards to gun control and startling increases in justifiable homicides all over the United States. Recently, there was an incident that sparked a huge backlash against the National Rifle Association (NRA) and their support of a law called "Stand Your Ground". The law states that "... a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if: (1) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony...". (FL Statute, 776, 2011) The incident involved an armed self appointed Caucasian neighborhood watchman named George Zimmerman and an unarmed seventeen year old African American male, named Trayvon Martin. The situation began as the watchman patrolled the neighborhood and spotted the young...
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...The United States Military Police Corps History and steps to being a Member of the Military Police Corps Why do we study history? the answer to that question is a three-part answer, one not to repeat the mistakes of the past, second to understand how the past affects today and the future and third to see where we are going as we must know where we have come from. The Military Police Corps was established The Military Police Corps is one of the youngest branches of the United States Army. It was officially established on 26 September 1941. It is traditions of duty and service is unsurpassed in our armed services. Soldiers have been performing police duties from the time of the Revolutionary War, when these duties were assigned mainly to a mounted police force called the "troops of the Marechaussee.” Soldiers as the Veteran's Reserve Corps and Provost Corps performed military police duties during the Civil War. MPs served with distinction in the Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, the Korean Conflict, and in Vietnam. Because of their distinguished service in Vietnam, the Military Police Corps was designated a combat support and service of the Army on 14 October 1968. Whenever the United States engaged in warfare, some form of police element emerged to assist its leaders in maintaining various aspects of discipline. Surfacing when necessity dictated, the Military Police Corps evolved through several phases, each meeting the needs of a particular period in American history. Assuming...
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...The Federal and Constitutional Republic of the USA 3. Political Parties in the USA 4. The Current Political Situation in the USA I. The United Kingdom 1. The Make-Up of the UK The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy and unitary state. It is made up of four individual countries, which are England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is governed by a parliamentary system and its seat of government is in London. There are also three devolved powers outside of the capital, located in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh (the three capital cities of Ireland, Wales and Scotland respectively). There are also a number of islands that are constitutionally tied to the United Kingdom constitution, but that are not part of the UK. They are the bailiwicks (headed by a bailiff, appointed by the crown to administer) of Jersey and Guernsey (to the south of the UK) and also the Isle of Man, which is off the north-east coast of the British mainland. However, it is true to say that the majority of British might even get confused as to the difference between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the British Isles. In fact, it should be remembered that there is a difference between nationality and citizenship. A Scots and Welsh should correctly give the answer that they are of British citizenship. But, they should reply that they are either Scottish or Welsh regarding their nationality. The English all tend to give the same answer to...
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...The Constitution of the United States by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and 35 others With a Side-by-Side Translation in Simple English by ELizabeth Claire, MA TESOL Editor, Easy English NEWS The Constitution in Simple English ©2010 Elizabeth Claire, Inc. 1 A Note from Elizabeth Claire Thank you for your interest in the Constitution. It is the foundation for the government of the United States. The Constitution was written in 1787. This was four years after the U.S. signed a peace treaty with Great Britain. This peace treaty gave the thirteen British colonies their independence. They formed a new country, the United States of America. The men who wrote the Constitution are called our “Founding Fathers.” Some of them were: George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Gouveneur Morris, and Benjamin Franklin. The Founding Fathers took ideas from many places. They took parts from their state constitutions. They took parts of Britain’s Magna Carta. They studied the governments of ancient Greece and Rome. They got ideas from philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Charles de Montesquieu and Thomas Paine. They used some ideas from Iroquois Indians union of tribes. Cover painting; “The Signing of the Constitution” by Chandler Howard Christie hangs in the House of representatives...Courtesy TeachingAmericanHistory.com 2 The Constitution in Simple English ©2010 Elizabeth Claire, Inc Fifty-five delegates...
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