-In May of 1787 delegates from 12 of the 13 states (all but RI) met in Philadelphia to try to fix the problems caused by the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation.
-The delegates of the convention unanimously chose George Washington to preside over all the meetings. They decided that each state would receive one vote on all questions that arose. They also decided that a simple majority vote was all that was needed for a proposal to pass.
-There were two major plans for government that were proposed during the convention:
*The Virginia Plan: James Madison, who eventually came to be known as the father of the constitution, wrote this plan. Madison’s plan was based on 3 main principles.
1. A strong national legislature with 2 chambers. The lower chamber would be elected by the people; each state’s representation would be proportional to the state’s population. The upper chamber would be chosen by the lower house.
2. A strong national executive who would be elected by the legislature.
3. A national judiciary to be appointed by the legislature.
*The New Jersey Plan: William Patterson wrote this plan. Patterson rejected Madison’s plan because he believed that the confederation should be preserved. He believed that a strong national legislature based on proportional representation would only benefit the larger states; states like New Jersey with small populations would lose the equal say in government that they enjoyed under the Articles of Confederation. The 4 main principles of the New Jersey Plan are as follows:
1. The major features of the Articles of Confederation would be left in place, most importantly the principle of a unicameral legislature with equal representation would be preserved.
2. Congress would be given the power to regulate trade and levy taxes.
3. A weak executive board would be elected by the legislature.
4. A national legislature with limited power would be appointed by the executive board.
-There were problems with both plans. The states with large populations rejected the New Jersey Plan, and the states with small populations rejected the Virginia Plan. Roger Sherman of Connecticut came up with a plan that pleased both the large states and the small states.
*The Connecticut Compromise: Also called the Great Compromise, this plan kept many of the principles of the Virginia Plan but with enough changes to satisfy the small states. The principles of the Connecticut Compromise are as follows:
1. A bicameral legislature that features a lower house with proportional representation, and an upper house with equal representation. All tax and money bills would, by law, originate in the lower house.
2. A strong national executive featuring a President.
3. A national judicial system.
*Three-Fifths Compromise: This compromise came about when faced with the question of how to count slaves for proportional representation and for tax purposes. Each slave would be counted as 3/5ths of a person for both.
Ratifying the Constitution
-After all the compromises had been made, and after all the delegates agreed on the final draft of the Constitution it had to be ratified, or formally approved of by each of the states, before it became law in each state. The convention delegates agreed that the Constitution would not go into effect until at least 9 of the states ratified it.
-The first state to ratify the constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787.
-Pennsylvania was second to ratify the Constitution on December 12, 1787.
-The 9th state to ratify the Constitution and officially put it into effect was New Hampshire on June 21, 1788.
-The last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790.
-The last state to ratify the Constitution was Hawaii on March 18, 1959.
-Although the Constitution officially went into effect when New Hampshire ratified it; it didn’t hold much weight because New York and Virginia were both among the four final states that had yet to ratify it.
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
-The core group of supporters of ratification were mainly the framers of the Constitution, many of these men were delegates that attended the convention. This group came to be known as the Federalists because of their support of a strong, central, (federal) government. The Federalists were strong in the 9 states that had ratified the Constitution.
-The group that emerged in opposition to the Constitution was called the Anti-Federalists. This group believed that a strong central government had the potential to become dangerous and abusive in use of their power. The Anti-Federalists were strong in Virginia and New York, two states that were desperately needed to provide the young United States with legitimacy and strength.
-In order to convince the Anti-Federalists in New York and Virginia that the new government would not abuse its power over the people, the Federalists agreed to amend the Constitution by adding a list of basic rights guaranteed to the people. The Anti-Federalist approved of this idea and the Constitution was ratified in New York and Virginia. Less than a year and a half after all 13 states had ratified the Constitution, 10 Amendments were added to the Constitution that came to be known as The Bill of Rights.
-The new government decided to build a new capital city halfway between Massachusetts and Georgia to be called the District of Columbia. New York City was chosen as the temporary capital until the District of Columbia was finished being built.
-After the Constitution went into effect, a Congress was elected, and on March 4, 1789 Congress met for the first time.
George Washington was elected first President; John Adams was elected Vice President, both were sworn in on April 30,1789.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Journal 3
Watch tonight's Presidential debate and then answer the following questions. Each answer should be at least a paragraph or two long.
1. Despite who you'd like to see win the election; who do you think won this debate and why? Explain your answer.
2. What issues do you you think Obama was stronger on? Why? McCain? Why?
3. Has this debate influenced who you would, or will vote for if you were, or are able to vote? Explain.
4. What is your personal opinion of the whole Presidential election process in America? Explain.
1. Despite who you'd like to see win the election; who do you think won this debate and why? Explain your answer.
2. What issues do you you think Obama was stronger on? Why? McCain? Why?
3. Has this debate influenced who you would, or will vote for if you were, or are able to vote? Explain.
4. What is your personal opinion of the whole Presidential election process in America? Explain.
Friday, October 3, 2008
The Declaration of Independence
*The Second Continental Congress charged three men with coming up with a document that officially notified Britain of the colonies separation from the crown. The three men chosen to write this proclamation were different from each other in almost every ways.
-John Adams was middle aged, very serious, and from Massachusetts, one of the northernmost colonies; he was a brilliant attorney and he was very pessimistic about most things.
-Benjamin Franklin was an old man; he was a free thinker who enjoyed the finer things in life such as wine, women, and song. Franklin was from Pennsylvania, one of the Mid-Atlantic colonies. He was an inventor, a publisher, and a diplomat. Franklin was the eternal optimist who was often accused of being a dreamer
-Thomas Jefferson was a young man, only 33 years old; he was a logical and practical thinker, an intellectual in every way. Jefferson was a man of high standards but of weak will. He was extremely shy and reserved. He was from Virginia, one of the southern colonies. Jefferson made his living as a plantation owner, and as a lawyer. He was a brilliant writer. He was a visionary!
-Franklin and Adams were extremely smart men, smart enough to know and admit that Jefferson was the smartest of the bunch. The older Franklin and Adams charged Jefferson with the duty of writing the document on his own. Jefferson was given free reign to write whatever he chose. Franklin and Adams would help him make revisions and make suggestions about what should stay in, and be left out of the document. Jefferson based his writing partly on the writings of the French philosopher Voltaire and other famous thinkers, but mostly on the works of the British philosopher John Locke.
-The Declaration of Independence was a brilliantly written document not only in a political sense but also in a literary sense. The declaration was written in three parts.
1. Jefferson basically states Locke’s theory that all men are
created equal and have the natural rights to life, liberty,
and property. He asserts that the colonists share in these
rights.
2. Jefferson goes on to present Locke’s assertion that a
government’s duty is to serve the interests of the people.
He then goes into detail, listing many of the violations the
British government was guilty of against the colonies.
3. In the final part of the declaration, Jefferson declares that
the colonies are formally separated from the British crown;
the colonies are no longer colonies, they are 13 independent
states united for the purpose of defense, and economics.
-Jefferson’s declaration is nearly perfect in presentation, style, and force. He asserts the rights of the colonies, then gives specific examples of how these rights have been violated, and then uses the examples to justify our secession from the United Kingdom and asserts that the colonies will wage a war of revolution to change the way that they were being governed.
-Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence is one of the most influential documents in the history of the world. Many groups of people throughout history have used the Declaration of Independence as justification for revolution and rebellion. The first group of people, other than the colonists, to use the document as justification for revolution were the French. The French Revolution began merely 13 years after the writing of this document; The Declaration of Independence directly inspired the French Revolution.
-John Adams was middle aged, very serious, and from Massachusetts, one of the northernmost colonies; he was a brilliant attorney and he was very pessimistic about most things.
-Benjamin Franklin was an old man; he was a free thinker who enjoyed the finer things in life such as wine, women, and song. Franklin was from Pennsylvania, one of the Mid-Atlantic colonies. He was an inventor, a publisher, and a diplomat. Franklin was the eternal optimist who was often accused of being a dreamer
-Thomas Jefferson was a young man, only 33 years old; he was a logical and practical thinker, an intellectual in every way. Jefferson was a man of high standards but of weak will. He was extremely shy and reserved. He was from Virginia, one of the southern colonies. Jefferson made his living as a plantation owner, and as a lawyer. He was a brilliant writer. He was a visionary!
-Franklin and Adams were extremely smart men, smart enough to know and admit that Jefferson was the smartest of the bunch. The older Franklin and Adams charged Jefferson with the duty of writing the document on his own. Jefferson was given free reign to write whatever he chose. Franklin and Adams would help him make revisions and make suggestions about what should stay in, and be left out of the document. Jefferson based his writing partly on the writings of the French philosopher Voltaire and other famous thinkers, but mostly on the works of the British philosopher John Locke.
-The Declaration of Independence was a brilliantly written document not only in a political sense but also in a literary sense. The declaration was written in three parts.
1. Jefferson basically states Locke’s theory that all men are
created equal and have the natural rights to life, liberty,
and property. He asserts that the colonists share in these
rights.
2. Jefferson goes on to present Locke’s assertion that a
government’s duty is to serve the interests of the people.
He then goes into detail, listing many of the violations the
British government was guilty of against the colonies.
3. In the final part of the declaration, Jefferson declares that
the colonies are formally separated from the British crown;
the colonies are no longer colonies, they are 13 independent
states united for the purpose of defense, and economics.
-Jefferson’s declaration is nearly perfect in presentation, style, and force. He asserts the rights of the colonies, then gives specific examples of how these rights have been violated, and then uses the examples to justify our secession from the United Kingdom and asserts that the colonies will wage a war of revolution to change the way that they were being governed.
-Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence is one of the most influential documents in the history of the world. Many groups of people throughout history have used the Declaration of Independence as justification for revolution and rebellion. The first group of people, other than the colonists, to use the document as justification for revolution were the French. The French Revolution began merely 13 years after the writing of this document; The Declaration of Independence directly inspired the French Revolution.
The Birth of American Government
*Most citizens of Britain’s North American colonies happily considered themselves British first, and Pennsylvanians, Virginians, Georgians, etc, second. These colonists were proud of their British heritage and loyal to the British monarchy.
-Between 1754 and 1763 a war was fought between the French and the British in North America over control of land in Western Pennsylvania, and what is today Ohio. This war was known as the French & Indian War. The colonists fought loyally on the side of the British and the British went on to win this war. This war was long and drawn out, and even though the British won, it cost them many lives and an awful lot of money.
-British citizens back in Britain were expected to pay for this war by paying higher taxes. Taxes were raised so high that many British citizens could not afford to pay them. In an effort to pay the high war debt, Parliament decided to levy taxes for the first time on the colonies.
-In 1765 Parliament imposed the Stamp Act, this law taxed all paper goods bought and sold in the colonies. Parliament later expanded the Stamp Act by taxing sugar and glass as well.
-The colonists were not upset that they had to pay taxes; they realized that taxes were an unavoidable fact of life. What truly angered the colonists was that they were being taxed by a legislature that in no way allowed the colonies to be represented. Colonists started using the slogan “taxation without representation is tyranny.”
-In a sign of colonial unity, colonists in all 13 colonies protested these new taxes by imposing a boycott on all British goods. Eventually the boycott worked and Parliament was forced to repeal the Stamp Act.
-The British still needed colonial tax dollars so they replaced the Stamp Act by levying taxes on other goods, most notably tea.
-Parliament enacted a series of laws called the Intolerable Acts that were designed to punish the colonies for the boycott. These laws stripped some of the colonies of their tradition of self-government, disrupted trade in some of the colonies, and positioned troops in some of the larger colonial cities, Boston being one of them.
*The First Continental Congress: Representatives from all 13 colonies met in Philadelphia in September 1774 to discuss what to do about the new taxes and the Intolerable Acts. What was decided was for the colonies to enact an embargo. All trade with Great Britain was to completely cease, and no one was to buy any British products.
-King George’s, and Parliament’s reaction to the First Continental Congress was to declare the colonies to be in an active state of rebellion. On April 19,1775 British troops clashed with colonists in Lexington and in Concord Massachusetts; the Revolutionary war had begun.
*The Second Continental Congress: In April 1775 representatives from all 13 colonies again met in Philadelphia, this time they decided to issue colonial money, form an army and a navy, and name George Washington the commander of the new colonial military.
-Before all this took place there were many whispers of independence in the colonies, these whispers turned into screams, people actively campaigned for independence. The best selling book in the colonies was Common Sense by Thomas Paine; this pamphlet gave compelling arguments in favor of independence.
-Finally, in June of 1776 the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence. A panel of 3 members, (Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson) were appointed by the Congress to draw up a formal declaration. Franklin and Adams left the writing of the declaration to Jefferson.
-Between 1754 and 1763 a war was fought between the French and the British in North America over control of land in Western Pennsylvania, and what is today Ohio. This war was known as the French & Indian War. The colonists fought loyally on the side of the British and the British went on to win this war. This war was long and drawn out, and even though the British won, it cost them many lives and an awful lot of money.
-British citizens back in Britain were expected to pay for this war by paying higher taxes. Taxes were raised so high that many British citizens could not afford to pay them. In an effort to pay the high war debt, Parliament decided to levy taxes for the first time on the colonies.
-In 1765 Parliament imposed the Stamp Act, this law taxed all paper goods bought and sold in the colonies. Parliament later expanded the Stamp Act by taxing sugar and glass as well.
-The colonists were not upset that they had to pay taxes; they realized that taxes were an unavoidable fact of life. What truly angered the colonists was that they were being taxed by a legislature that in no way allowed the colonies to be represented. Colonists started using the slogan “taxation without representation is tyranny.”
-In a sign of colonial unity, colonists in all 13 colonies protested these new taxes by imposing a boycott on all British goods. Eventually the boycott worked and Parliament was forced to repeal the Stamp Act.
-The British still needed colonial tax dollars so they replaced the Stamp Act by levying taxes on other goods, most notably tea.
-Parliament enacted a series of laws called the Intolerable Acts that were designed to punish the colonies for the boycott. These laws stripped some of the colonies of their tradition of self-government, disrupted trade in some of the colonies, and positioned troops in some of the larger colonial cities, Boston being one of them.
*The First Continental Congress: Representatives from all 13 colonies met in Philadelphia in September 1774 to discuss what to do about the new taxes and the Intolerable Acts. What was decided was for the colonies to enact an embargo. All trade with Great Britain was to completely cease, and no one was to buy any British products.
-King George’s, and Parliament’s reaction to the First Continental Congress was to declare the colonies to be in an active state of rebellion. On April 19,1775 British troops clashed with colonists in Lexington and in Concord Massachusetts; the Revolutionary war had begun.
*The Second Continental Congress: In April 1775 representatives from all 13 colonies again met in Philadelphia, this time they decided to issue colonial money, form an army and a navy, and name George Washington the commander of the new colonial military.
-Before all this took place there were many whispers of independence in the colonies, these whispers turned into screams, people actively campaigned for independence. The best selling book in the colonies was Common Sense by Thomas Paine; this pamphlet gave compelling arguments in favor of independence.
-Finally, in June of 1776 the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence. A panel of 3 members, (Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson) were appointed by the Congress to draw up a formal declaration. Franklin and Adams left the writing of the declaration to Jefferson.
Government in the Colonies
*Between 1607 and 1733 the British established 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast of North America. Each of these colonies were formed for different reasons, for example Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were founded by people seeking religious freedom; Virginia, Georgia, and New York were founded by people seeking economic prosperity. Each colony was very different from the others, however they all shared a very similar form of government. Because the British government and parliament were so far away from the colonies, the colonists were forced to govern themselves. Each colony had a government that included three features:
1. Each colony had a chief executive called a governor.
2. Each colony had a colonial legislature responsible for making laws.
3. Each colony had its own court system.
-These three branches of a colonies government each had its own powers that were different and separate from the other branches. This idea of a separation of powers becomes ingrained in the political psyche of the American colonists.
-Each colony governed itself separately from the other colonies, however the British government back in England still ultimately ruled each colony.
-The first colony to design a plan for self-government was Massachusetts. The original colonists of the Massachusetts Bay Colony were called the Pilgrims; the plan of government that they designed was designed before the pilgrims ever even reached the shores of Plymouth. The plan they came up with was called the Mayflower Compact.
-The first colony to come up with a formal, written constitution was Connecticut. This first of the colonial constitutions was adopted in 1639; it gave the male citizens of Connecticut the right to vote for the colonial governor and legislature.
1. Each colony had a chief executive called a governor.
2. Each colony had a colonial legislature responsible for making laws.
3. Each colony had its own court system.
-These three branches of a colonies government each had its own powers that were different and separate from the other branches. This idea of a separation of powers becomes ingrained in the political psyche of the American colonists.
-Each colony governed itself separately from the other colonies, however the British government back in England still ultimately ruled each colony.
-The first colony to design a plan for self-government was Massachusetts. The original colonists of the Massachusetts Bay Colony were called the Pilgrims; the plan of government that they designed was designed before the pilgrims ever even reached the shores of Plymouth. The plan they came up with was called the Mayflower Compact.
-The first colony to come up with a formal, written constitution was Connecticut. This first of the colonial constitutions was adopted in 1639; it gave the male citizens of Connecticut the right to vote for the colonial governor and legislature.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
1st Quarter Project
Your assignment is as follows; you will volunteer to work on one of the political campaigns of the 2008 election, or you will volunteer to be a poll worker on election day.
-Students i) must volunteer for a minimum of 5 hours.
-You must provide me with a short note or letter confirming that you completed your volunteer hours. This letter must be written on official campaign letterhead and include a contact phone number and email address for the campaign staff worker that you dealt with on the day you volunteered.
-You must write a short 250 word essay. Essays must be typed, no exceptions will be made. Any essays not typed will not be accepted. In this essay you will answer the following questions:
*Which candidate did you volunteer for?
*Why did you choose the candidate that you did?
*What did you do while volunteering? Explain and give details.
*What did you learn about politics and political campaigns while volunteering?
*Did you enjoy this experience, and would you do it again?
These questions must be answered in essay form. You do not need to type out the questions.
Election day is Tuesday November 5th, 2008. Essays are due on Wednesday November 6th, 2008.
Below is a list of the candidates and their contact information.
Presidential Candidates:
Barack Obama-(D)
http://www.barackobama.com
215-904-6027
7727 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia PA 19136
John McCain-(R)
http://www.johnmccain.com
267-470-4051
1410 West Street Road
Warminster, PA 18974
Candidates for U.S. House of Representatives:
8th Congressional District
Patrick Murphy-(D)
http://www.murphy08.com
215 547-5211
7500 Bristol Pike
Levittown, PA 19058
Tom Manion-(R)
http://votemanion.com
215-348-9080
P.O. Box 28
Doylestown, PA 18901
13th Congressional District
Allyson Schwartz-(D)
http://www.allysonschwartz.com
215-881-9202
7219 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19135
Marina Kats-(R)
http://www.katsforcongress.com/
215-938-7590
2755 Philmont Avenue, Suite 120
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
-Students i) must volunteer for a minimum of 5 hours.
-You must provide me with a short note or letter confirming that you completed your volunteer hours. This letter must be written on official campaign letterhead and include a contact phone number and email address for the campaign staff worker that you dealt with on the day you volunteered.
-You must write a short 250 word essay. Essays must be typed, no exceptions will be made. Any essays not typed will not be accepted. In this essay you will answer the following questions:
*Which candidate did you volunteer for?
*Why did you choose the candidate that you did?
*What did you do while volunteering? Explain and give details.
*What did you learn about politics and political campaigns while volunteering?
*Did you enjoy this experience, and would you do it again?
These questions must be answered in essay form. You do not need to type out the questions.
Election day is Tuesday November 5th, 2008. Essays are due on Wednesday November 6th, 2008.
Below is a list of the candidates and their contact information.
Presidential Candidates:
Barack Obama-(D)
http://www.barackobama.com
215-904-6027
7727 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia PA 19136
John McCain-(R)
http://www.johnmccain.com
267-470-4051
1410 West Street Road
Warminster, PA 18974
Candidates for U.S. House of Representatives:
8th Congressional District
Patrick Murphy-(D)
http://www.murphy08.com
215 547-5211
7500 Bristol Pike
Levittown, PA 19058
Tom Manion-(R)
http://votemanion.com
215-348-9080
P.O. Box 28
Doylestown, PA 18901
13th Congressional District
Allyson Schwartz-(D)
http://www.allysonschwartz.com
215-881-9202
7219 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19135
Marina Kats-(R)
http://www.katsforcongress.com/
215-938-7590
2755 Philmont Avenue, Suite 120
Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Roots of American Government
*The roots of American government are planted firmly in the political heritage of Great Britain. When the British started colonizing America in the early 17th century they brought along with them political traditions that had existed back in Britain for hundreds of years. The following things had a profound effect on the development of the type of government we enjoy in the United States today.
-The Magna Carta: In the year 1215 the British nobility forced King John to limit his power. King John signed away some of his power and the idea of an absolute monarchy was forever dead in Britain. King John agreed to protect the nobility from himself; he gave up his power to punish the nobles indiscriminately, he also guaranteed the nobility that he would protect their lives, and property.
-Parliament: After the Magna Carta was signed King John’s position was greatly weakened; the nobles that forced him to sign the document formed a legislative body called Parliament. Parliament could propose and pass laws with the Kings consent. The British Parliament originally had only one chamber made up of the nobility called the House of Lords. Over time, the King and the nobility saw their power erode away; a second chamber was added to Parliament that was made up of common people with no ties to the nobility, this chamber came to be known as the House of Commons. Today in Britain most of the power of gov’t lies in the hands of the House of Commons.
-The English Bill of Rights: This document was enacted in 1689 by Parliament, it created a clear code that limited the power of the King even further than the Magna Carta, and guaranteed British citizens certain rights. The English Bill of Rights has 6 main points; they are as follows:
1. Monarchs do not have divine right to rule; they rule only with the consent of a Parliament that represents the people.
2. The monarch cannot levy taxes, suspend laws, or raise and maintain a military without the direct consent of Parliament.
3. The monarch cannot interfere with acts of Parliament, parliamentary debates, or parliamentary elections.
4. The people have the right to petition the government.
5. All people have a right to have a fair and speedy trial decided by a jury of their peers.
6. The people should not be subject to cruel or unusual punishment or excessive bails.
-The Ideas of John Locke: The English political and social philosopher John Locke has influenced American government more than any other individual. In his writings, the Two Treatises on Government and Civil Disobedience, Locke theorized that government was responsible to serve the needs of the people. Locke made the following points:
-All people are born free, equal, and independent.
-All people naturally possessed the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of property.
-Governments are created by the people to serve their needs.
-When a government stops serving the needs of the people, and when the government no longer protects the natural rights of the people, the people then have every right to change the government by any means necessary.
-Government is an agreement between the people and leaders, both parties are expected to live up to their end of the bargain.
*Some of the most famous believers and followers of Lockean theory were Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin. The ideas writings of John Locke are often referred to as the textbook of the American Revolution.
*The roots of American government are planted firmly in the political heritage of Great Britain. When the British started colonizing America in the early 17th century they brought along with them political traditions that had existed back in Britain for hundreds of years. The following things had a profound effect on the development of the type of government we enjoy in the United States today.
-The Magna Carta: In the year 1215 the British nobility forced King John to limit his power. King John signed away some of his power and the idea of an absolute monarchy was forever dead in Britain. King John agreed to protect the nobility from himself; he gave up his power to punish the nobles indiscriminately, he also guaranteed the nobility that he would protect their lives, and property.
-Parliament: After the Magna Carta was signed King John’s position was greatly weakened; the nobles that forced him to sign the document formed a legislative body called Parliament. Parliament could propose and pass laws with the Kings consent. The British Parliament originally had only one chamber made up of the nobility called the House of Lords. Over time, the King and the nobility saw their power erode away; a second chamber was added to Parliament that was made up of common people with no ties to the nobility, this chamber came to be known as the House of Commons. Today in Britain most of the power of gov’t lies in the hands of the House of Commons.
-The English Bill of Rights: This document was enacted in 1689 by Parliament, it created a clear code that limited the power of the King even further than the Magna Carta, and guaranteed British citizens certain rights. The English Bill of Rights has 6 main points; they are as follows:
1. Monarchs do not have divine right to rule; they rule only with the consent of a Parliament that represents the people.
2. The monarch cannot levy taxes, suspend laws, or raise and maintain a military without the direct consent of Parliament.
3. The monarch cannot interfere with acts of Parliament, parliamentary debates, or parliamentary elections.
4. The people have the right to petition the government.
5. All people have a right to have a fair and speedy trial decided by a jury of their peers.
6. The people should not be subject to cruel or unusual punishment or excessive bails.
-The Ideas of John Locke: The English political and social philosopher John Locke has influenced American government more than any other individual. In his writings, the Two Treatises on Government and Civil Disobedience, Locke theorized that government was responsible to serve the needs of the people. Locke made the following points:
-All people are born free, equal, and independent.
-All people naturally possessed the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of property.
-Governments are created by the people to serve their needs.
-When a government stops serving the needs of the people, and when the government no longer protects the natural rights of the people, the people then have every right to change the government by any means necessary.
-Government is an agreement between the people and leaders, both parties are expected to live up to their end of the bargain.
*Some of the most famous believers and followers of Lockean theory were Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin. The ideas writings of John Locke are often referred to as the textbook of the American Revolution.
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