(Q4) As a scholar in 1789, looking at the United States Constitution I would see many ideas from the Enlightenment. There would be ideas from both Thomas Hobbes and John Locke reflected within the document. There are parts in the Constitution that explain how to build a powerful government to maintain control and keep the people in line. Thomas Hobbes believed that a strong government was a necessity. There are also parts that reflect classical liberalism however, which pushed for individualism and the government only having power that people allow it to have. These ideas align with John Locke. The Constitution contains a lot about how to build and maintain a strong central government. It shows how power will be broken down between the …show more content…
He believed a government is based on the consent of the governed. The Constitution states that the government is “by the people, for the people”. This directly aligns with what John Locke believed. John Locke believed in individual liberties. The Bill of Rights directly lists out what liberties and rights citizens would have. The separation of powers applies to John Locke's ideas as well as Hobbes’. The checks and balances between the branches would ensure that Each branch operates only within the constraint of the law. No branch would be able to become too powerful. Popular sovereignty is also a theme of the Constitution which is the idea that the people get to decide how the government is run and who runs it. This is shown in the Constitution in ways as simple as saying “we the people”. This phrase alludes to the idea that the people decide what they want, not the rulers. This essential aligns up perfectly with the philosophies of John Locke. Locke believed that a society was only a society if the people living in it decided to live together and work together. Or in other words, power comes from the …show more content…
I sit in front of a machine doing the same thing all day long. I am simply part of the assembly line. Currently I stitch together a couple of the pieces for the shoes. A short time ago, they had me cut one of the pieces of leather for the shoes. It is very repetitive and boring. The factory is dark, and cold. I feel like the people that work around me change almost every week. We get paid barely enough to survive. It has made me and all of the people around me very depressed. As a result most of us spend a large portion of our pay on alcohol and drugs. This was not the life that I wanted, but industrialization forced it on me. I am the only skilled worker in the entire shoe factory, yet I am no more valuable than anyone else. I thought my day would consist of making one pair of shoes at a time, on my own time. But instead I sit in a dark, cold, loud room all day and get threatened with being fired if I ever make a mistake. Industrialization has made shoes more attainable for the consumer, however it has definitely changed my life for the
These two states were made once the Japanese empire fell to the allied power during World War 2. These two states were under japes controls since 1910. Once they were able to get independence until 38th parallel of Soviet Russia came in and took the north while the United States had the south. The South had General Douglas MacArthur with is army however his headquarters was in Tokyo. The Soviets were making friends in the North Korean side.
Week 6 Review Questions 1. How did the limited central government created by the Articles of Confederation reflect the issues behind the Revolution and fears for individual liberties? The limited central government represented more of a peace treaty between that states than a blueprint for a powerful nation. It was created to maintain national coordination during the Revolution, but not much more; The States still held most of the power. The only powers the national government held were those essential to the Revolution such as declaring war, conducting foreign affairs, and making treaties with other governments (Foner 249).
By instituting a system that distributes it’s power as fairly and equally as possible, the Framers sought to not only protect this nation from tyranny but to preserve it’s liberties. With the Articles of Confederation too weak to support this country, the Framers knew that this country was in desperate need of a change. Therefore, the Framers fashioned a more balanced structure of government through the doctrine of separation of powers. The division of the three branches of government and the federal and state powers finally created a dynamic of government that would prove to be effective and enduring. But, the Framers did not come to this solution alone, they utilized the various theories of political philosophers such as John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu.
The founding of the constitution for America was founded on a number of ideas such as the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Virginia Bill of Rights and Articles of Confederation. Not only were these documents a key part to the forming of the constitution, but also the philosophies of those such as Locke and Montesquieu. The impact on the world around America at that time also made a huge impact. The influences from British government that lead the revolt for America’s independence. America was formed by so many different influences, ideas and philosophies that we are able to see that in our Constitution.
1. How many people migrated to American cities in the years from 1870-1920? Answer: Thirty-six million people: eleven from the countryside, twenty-five from foreign nations. 2.
His ideas were so inspirational that many of them were incorporated into the U.S. Constitution. Some of his ideas included: separation of powers, checks and balances, freedom, responsibility, and self-control. A strong government was created in order to protect the people’s rights as well as the well-being of the nation. Three different parts of government were created so that one area would not have too much control. The executive branch was mainly for the president, the Senate and House of Representatives got the legislative branch, and for the Supreme Court, the judicial
Madison in #10 argues about factions and how not to worry about the government. The Constitution would limit possibly factions and destroy the country. On the other hand, Jefferson believed in a weak government and a strong federal state. Anti-Federalists
John Adams said, “Liberty once lost, is lost forever.” This is the main reason the American Founders placed so many safeguards in our nation’s Constitution. Many ideas and theories the founders used when writing the Constitution were from philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. Specifically, the French writer, Baron de Montesquieu was perhaps the most influential with his political ideas (We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution 25). The founders created the three separate branches: Executive, Judicial and Legislative, to ensure that America is never again governed by a tyrant; however, an intricate system of checks and balances is necessary in order to ensure the equality of these branches.
The constitution has created the national government incorporating a legislative, an executive and a judicial branch. In this essay I will discuss core values and beliefs that led to the writing of the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution such as having rights, having to establish a
For example, if the president had all the power over everyone they would be able to do whatever they want and make laws that maybe no one agrees with. Next, if the power is divided and shared between people, then there will be a strong central government. John Madison presented this idea. When there is a strong central government then it means that the government would have a strong middle, which can guard against tyranny because it keeps the government successful and strong.
The American Revolution of the 16th century led America and the world to a new ways of thinking. How could a small untrained milita defeat the large British Empire? The new colonies beat the British using new forms of military strategy, communication and ideas, and various acts of defiance, to win there independence. Without the cunning tactics used by the leaders of the earliest colonial militias and there perseverance, the new colonies would never have claimed independence from the grip of Britain.
Liberty: The Preservation Then and Now I. Preface “If men were angels, no government would be necessary” (Madison, 1). Madison uses this example to express that men need a strong government. The previous governing document of The United States, The Articles of Confederation, emphasized the freedom from national authority but ultimately failed. People, mostly the Antifederalists, were scared for a document that put such a great amount of power back into a national government; the last thing they wanted was a tyranny.
After the Revolutionary War, the United States of America began to work on reconstructing its government relentlessly. Though there were some failed attempts, two new parties, and multiple disagreements, the Constitution was born amid the chaos. The government finally had its outline, it now needed to be put into motion. Unfortunately, under the Articles of Confederation, the young government would be tested, argued over, changed, revoked, and denied basic power. Though the Constitution undoubtedly formed the better government, it would face many problems as well.
Five basic themes can be discerned from the words of Hamilton, Madison, and Jay, including federalism, checks and balances separated powers, pluralism, and representation. Although they deal with different parts of government, these themes are fairly consistent throughout the papers. Much has been written concerinig the dual nature of the Federalist papers, because they were written by multiple authors in a short amount time. The Federalist Papers should also be considered in the context in which they were written. The revolutionary era was characterized by a quest for security from foreign nations, for peace in America, and for individual freedom.
Locke is a founder of the Common Sense pamphlet. He believed in government ruled by people. “He expressed the radical view that government is morally obliged to serve people, namely by protecting life, liberty, and property. He explained the principle of checks and balances to limit government power. He favored representative government and a rule of law.