...most important and wide known document in American history. On July 4, 1776 this document signaled America’s separation from the British Empire to the world. America is defined by the men and the minds, behind the declaration; most notably by the author, Thomas Jefferson. The boundaries of the government and rights of its citizens were crucial during the formation of this constitution since these principles were exactly the reason for the uprising of the original thirteen colonies. Thomas Jefferson dedicated most of his life to the crucial needs of America and its government in order to form a true republic of the people. Like many of the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson strengthened his beliefs through personal studies and deep examination of European history. Many history books will tell that the contributing factors that formed Thomas Jefferson’s ideas of the identity of America were linked to events such as the Reformation, the Renaissance, and the British Country party. However, one man’s works continually surfaced in Jefferson’s political and even private writings. John Locke, a British Enlightenment philosopher, was repeatedly referenced in documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Notes on the State of Virginia, and the Summary View of the Rights of British America. Jefferson repeatedly used Locke’s concepts as would even sometimes use the exact same phrases. This would make Thomas Jefferson, the first ever American to plagiarize! The irony in this is that...
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...When the Light Shines on Literature The Enlightenment Era is a period of philosophic and scholarly excitement which took place globally in the early eighteenth century. In a historical context, the American Enlightenment led to the American Revolution, American Independence, and the creation of the Constitutional Republic of the United States America (Bailyn 26-27). Influenced by those of the European Enlightenment, such as John Locke and Isaac Newton, and fueled by the colonist’s growing frustrations with the English Crown, the literary soil of the New World was a fertile garden. From this newly enriched land sprung both flowers of poetry and the nutritious fruits of the realistic pen that were deeply inspired by the American Enlightenment. The literature of the Enlightenment period was powerful indeed, as it motivated people to think and to take action. Two superlative examples of American Literature and the influences of the Enlightenment Era are Philip Freneau’s poetry and Thomas Paine’s prose. The influence of enlightenment ideas is in the works of both of these important literary figures. Philip Freneau was the poet of the American Revolution (Bowen 213). From Freneau’s naturalistic poetry, such as “The Wild Honeysuckle, we can see the Enlightenment idea that nature is a revelation of God that holds instructions for mankind. “The Wild Honeysuckle" was America's first major poetic account on the themes of life and death. The poem begins by discussing the types of death...
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...religions principals. Many of the writings of the founding fathers, including our own Declaration of Independence, include religious doctrine as not only the partial justification for our separation from mother England but also as a part of the vision of how our new nation would be successful. Over time, our society and culture have changed so that today, even though people claim to be religious, religion is certainly not as main stream in our culture as it once was. By better understanding our society in colonial America, how the denominational makeup of churchgoers has changed, how our legal system has both protected and not protected religion’s presence in our daily lives, the influence of different organizations and social movements on religious practices and perceptions, the change in how Christians are perceived and finally the changes in the message that the church is preaching the reader will be able to understand not only how America has changed but also how contemporary Christian leaders and organizations are trying to remain relevant and consistent with God’s word. Colonial America & Our Founding Fathers From the settling of our nation to the Revolutionary War, religion was much more a part of mainstream society. The pervasive nature of religion had an impact on those who led the fight for our freedom. The period of history leading up to the Revolutionary War is commonly referred to as the Great Awakening due to the rise in popularity of evangelical preachers challenging...
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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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...Wood, Gordon. The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage Books, a Division of Random House, Inc., New York, 1991 Gordon Wood describes the American Revolution as a journey from paternal colonialism to an egalitarian democracy. His contention is that the American Revolution does not seem to have the same kinds of causes that Revolutions usually display. There were no big social wrongs, no class conflict, no severe poverty, or gross inequitable distribution of wealth. Wood claims our revolution was not about independence as most history books claim but about the radical transformation of the American society. Monarchy In this section the author describes the structure of colonial America in the 1750s and 1760s. In colonial society, authority and liberty flowed from the structure of personal relationships. Society was held together by networks of personal loyalties, obligations and dependencies. In this hierarchical society, the elite or aristocrats ruled. The aristocrats (also called gentlemen) used their wealth and their hereditary advantages to keep the common people as dependents. The aristocrats lived a life of leisure which meant that they were not expected to labor. Their income was supposed to come from their landed estates. They used these landed estates to control the issuance of government offices and created laws that would keep their estates in the family. Most estates were passed on to the first born male, wives did not inherit the estate upon death of...
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...community, society, or state. In legal theory, on the other hand, the interpretation of positive law requires some reference to natural law Although natural law is often conflated with common law, the two are distinct in that natural law is a view that certain rights or values are inherent in or universally cognizable by virtue of human reason or human nature, while common law is the legal tradition whereby certain rights or values are legally cognizable by virtue of judicial recognition or articulation PROPONENTS OF NATURAL LAW Plato According to Plato we live in an orderly universe. At the basis of this orderly universe or nature are the forms, most fundamentally the Form of the Good, which Plato describes as "the brightest region of Being". The Form of the Good is the cause of all things and when it is seen it leads a person to act wisely. In the Symposium, the Good is closely identified with the Beautiful. Also in the Symposium, Plato describes how the experience of the Beautiful by Socrates enables him to resist the temptations of wealth and sex. In the Republic, the ideal community is, "...a city which would be established in accordance with nature. Aristotle Greek philosophy emphasized the distinction between "nature" (physis) on the one hand and "law", "custom", or "convention" (nomos, νóμος) on the other. is often said to be the father of natural law Aristotle's association with natural law may be due to the interpretation given to his works by Thomas Aquinas....
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...lect these Myths. The values of American though can be seen in the movie especially from the main character, Chris Gardner. The movie is based on a true story. It tells about Chris Gardner who is struggling to sell his bones machine. He is abandoned by his wife as the life of the family become harder because Chris can not produce any money. He lives mobile with his son after being driven out of his apartment. Realizing that his expensive bones machine can not change his life, he struggles to find a job. He join a program in Dean Witter stock broker company to be the only who is accepted in the strict competition to be stock broker. Many obstacles he faces in gaining this achievement, but he stays strong and belief that everything will be alright. Although he is strong, he criticizes Thomas Jefferson and his declaration of independence in how he recited the phrase the pursuit of happiness. He just wonders why happiness should be pursued- he compares it with his life in ‘running’ for the happiness. The pursuit of Happiness reflects the typical value of American people and the pursuit of happiness that strongly engraved in the mind of its people. The rights to have a better life in the wilderness of the world support this idea. Chris runs to pursue his dreams for his only son. The strong idea of hard worker and optimistic dominate the character of Chris and most of the successful people depicted in the movie. In this case, the values of American thought that can be seen is the ...
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...like the “temporal” titles that their offices command. An example of such state-church mixing and melding, led to the execution of Socrates, for his disrespect for the gods( in Biblical times, like kings of Israel were anointed by Priests, as a sign of God’s approval. This is why separation of church and state is bad for America. For centuries, Monarchs ruled by the idea of divine right. This later metamorphosed into monarchs ruling over church’s administration in a way. There was this catholic doctrine that the Pope, as Vicar of Christ on earth, should have authority over the church on earth and indirectly over the state. This led to claims in the middle ages that the pope has authority to depose Catholic kings and they did try to exercise this authority. Thus in the medieval times in western world, monarch who ruled in secular world tend to encroach on the church’s rule of the spiritual sphere. This led to power struggles and crises. In the 1530s, Henry VIII, rejected the annulment of his marriage with Catherine of Aragon by the Pope. He consequently, formed the Church of England (Anglican Church) and set himself as the ruler of the new church, thus ending the separation that had existed between the church and the state of England. From that period on, the Monarchs of Great Britain have retained ecclesiastic authority in the Church of England with the title Supreme Governor of the Church of England. This eventually led to anti- Catholicism and...
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...University of 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 Magna Carta, also called Magna Carta Libertatum or The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, is an English charter, originally issued in Latin in the year 1215, translated into vernacular-French as early as 1219,[1] and reissued later in the 13th century in changed versions. The later versions excluded the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority that had been present in the 1215 charter. The charter first passed into law in 1225; the 1297 version, with the long title (originally in Latin) "The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, and of the Liberties of the Forest," still remains on the statute books of England and Wales. The 1215 charter required King John of England to proclaim certain liberties, and accept that his will was not arbitrary, for example by explicitly accepting that no "freeman" (in the sense of non-serf) could be punished except through the law of the land, a right which is still in existence today. Magna Carta was the principal document forced onto an English King by a group of his matters, the feudal barons, in an effort to limit his powers by law and protect their privileges. It was followed and directly influenced by the Charter of Liberties in 1100, in which King Henry I had specified particular...
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...Britney Statum HIS 103 3/1/16 Economics in Early America Early America was shaped and transformed by the economy. There were many factors and purchases that happened throughout that aided in the upbringing of the American economy we know today. We know some events of American history, for example, the finding of Native Americans already on America, slavery throughout history, wars, and inventions were all factors of shaping the economy for us. Before there was such a thing as the “New World,” there were millions of people living in America. The indigenous people of America had been there for thousands of years before the Europeans had arrived. Money was not an issue for these groups of people. They relied on the land and trade between the different tribes. The economy consisted of hunting, gathering and a complex agriculture system. They did not have the need for the money like the outside European world did. They relied on each other and the tribes around them. Different tribes were able to specialize in certain areas and then they could trade what they needed. While they did not have the sophisticated economy like the Europeans had, they were doing much better than after the Europeans arrived and started to try to change their way of life. Thomas Morton stated “, that the natives of the land lived so poorly in so rich a Country.” 1 There were so many things that the Native Americans did that Morton could not believe they did because all the travelers saw was vast land...
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...27 January 2011 THE ELUSIVE REPUBLIC The period spanning the American Revolution and the War of 1812 was marked by a controversial, difficult, and painful effort to define the terms of a flourishing economy in the United States. Drew McCoy’s, The Elusive Republic discusses the ideological origins upon which many eighteenth century thinkers developed their rationale for America’s “young” economy. During a time in which Europe was a dominating force and America was still in its infancy, the political economy in Jeffersonian America struggled to define itself as an independent republic and not just a replica of its oppressor. England had grown to be an old, corrupt, and overpopulated land where, “the people who cloathe the whole world are in rags themselves.” (McCoy 47) Seeing its counterpart in such a state of decay, Revolutionaries in America forged a commitment to republicanism that would soon lead to an ongoing public debate over superior ideologies. The two conflicting visions that spurred the post-war vision of a republican America was that of developing across space, which was supported by Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson, and that of Alexander Hamilton’s vision of developing through time. As America progressed through its post-war stages, it was evident that one vision had surpassed the other in dominating the economy. According to Madison, “…The United States might be forced into manufacturing as an alternative source of employment even...
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...• Robert Livingston • War of 1812- Military conflict between US and Britain following revolution about unresolved issues: trade restrictions, etc. • Tecumseh- Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy; opposed US in war of 1812. • John Quincy Adams- sixth president; whig. • Empire of Liberty- theme developed first by Thomas Jefferson to identify America's world responsibility to spread freedom across the globe. Jefferson saw America's mission in terms of setting an example, expansion into the west, and by intervention abroad. • Transportation Revolution- early 1800s, development of steamboats, canals, and railroads. Faster transport of people, products, and knowledge. • National Road- First major improved highway in the United States to be built by the federal government. Connection between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers and a gateway to the West for thousands of settlers. • Communication Revolution- Samuel Morse invented telegraph. • The Market Revolution- improvements in how goods were processed and fabricated as well as by a transformation of how labor was organized to process trade goods for consumption. • Porkopolis- Cincinnati was the country's chief hog packing center, and herds of pigs traveled the streets. • Labor theory of value- The value of a commodity is only related to the labor needed to produce or obtain that commodity and not to other factors of production • Second Party System- 2 party system • Democrats-...
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...but also one of, if not the most important rebels in American History. Hamilton managed to pull himself through a terrible childhood. Hamilton’s rebellious attitude is one of the main reasons why the Colonists won against the British Army, and why the United States is able to flourish today. While not all agreed with Hamilton, everyone cannot look at Hamilton’s legacy and not be completely awe-struck. Hamilton was a man able to overcome any challenge and outsmart any opponent by rebelling against the norm of society. To begin with, Hamilton’s life was at no point easy, especially when regarding his early life. Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis which is in the caribbean and part...
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...authors and political philosophers in history. His ideas and views have influenced such momentous commodity such as the American constitution. Many of Locke’s ideas were used in the creation of the United States Constitution. John Locke was a British philosopher and medical researcher. Locke was born to Agnes Keene and John Locke on August 29, 1632, in Somerset, England. His father was a Puritan lawyer, who served as a Captain during the English civil war. Locke’s schooling began at Westminster School in 1647. He earned the title of King’s Scholar, which prepared him for the next phase of his education at the Christ Church in Oxford in 1652. He studied literature, physical science, medicine, politics, and natural philosophy. In 1656 he continued for his Master of Arts degree. In 1665 at Oxford, Locke encountered Lord Ashley, a notable statesman looking for medical treatment. After a friendship formed, Ashley invited Locke to join him in London as his personal physician. Locke agreed and left for London in 1667, where he lived for the next eight years. This was the beginning of Locke’s deep political interests, which was no surprised considering that Ashley was one of England’s most skilled politicians. While in London, Locke took a job in Government researching the relationship between trade possibilities and colonization. He worked closely with early settlers who left for the New World, helping with the drafting of the Fundamental Constitution. The principal writings...
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...How the Framing of the Constitution Shaped Work in America The Constitution of the United States of America is the overall supreme law for the US Government. The constitution was adopted on September 17th, 1787 by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and is considered the framework for our government and its relationship between the states and its people (Wikipedia). The Constitution is called the “Sheet Anchor” or “Lighthouse” and ensures Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness and also serves to protect property rights as well (Beard C. A., The Living Constitution, 1936). With that being said, how did the framing of this document shape the working life in America? Working life in America was shaped by the framing of this document by shifting how work is defined in the colonies based upon need the need for workers to establish more rights and further independence. Since the Constitution was framed and certain amendments were added there have been many disagreements to the actual meaning of the document. There was a widespread perception in the 20th century that the Constitution was framed to represent American Society. That our Founding Fathers acted out of idealism and the laws were established with the best interest of the colonies in mind. It wasn’t until 1913 when Economist, Charles Beard proposed a different scenario. Beard suggested that the Constitution was and economic document that was established for the reorganization of the claim of...
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