WE THE PEOPLE UNIT ONE
This is the East Kentwood We The People Unit 1 website. This website is broken down into tabs per lesson one through seven. On here you will find different primary source documents, Supreme Court cases, secondary source documents, pod casts, videos, images, books, flashcards, lectures, power points and other key resources for understanding Unit 1. Good luck with AP Government and Politics!
Last years state responses:
Unit 1 Question 1
What ideas drawn from from natural rights philosophy were incorporated into the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
What ideas drawn from from classical republicanism were incorporated into the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
What rights that Americans enjoy today under both their state, and national bill of rights were included in the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
P1 : In 1776, George Mason penned the Virginia Declaration of Rights foreshadowing the Declaration of Independence which appeared three weeks later. Both classical republicanism and natural rights philosophies were incorporated into the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which still remains a vital part of Virginia’s constitution today. We begin our comparison with natural rights.
P2 : The Virginia Declaration of Rights embraces natural rights ideas such as the inherent right to life, liberty and property regardless of wealth or social status. Section one of the Virginia Declaration of rights states that all men are by nature equally free, independent and have certain inherent undeniable rights such as the right to life, liberty and possession of property.
P3 : John Locke’s ideas of limited government and people’s indefeasible right to reform, alter, or abolish government are also embodied in section two of the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
P4 : Furthermore, the Virginia Declaration of Rights equally embrace people’s involvement on enforcing laws. Section seven of the Virginia Declaration of Rights says that all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority, without consent of the representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights and ought not to be exercised.
P5 : George Mason valued individual rights, equality, limitation of governmental powers, execution of law, and the purpose of government which includes unity, justice, domestic tranquility, defense, promotion of the general welfare of the citizens and securing liberty for all.
P6 : On the other hand, classical republicanism is also a crucial part of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. George Mason was equally influenced by classical writers such as Aristotle, Polybius, and Cicero who embraced the devotion of citizens to the common good.
P7 : During Cicero’s lifetime, Romans departed from the devotion of citizens to the common good which costed them their political freedom. In 48 BC, the Roman people accepted an autocracy, Julius Caesar was appointed dictator in order to impose order, and stability in the aftermath of Roman selfishness, and corruption.
P8 : George Mason stressed the importance of the common good. He embraced citizens working together because good government is possible only when citizens are able to to know and care for each other. This is evidenced in the final statement of the Virginia Declarations of Rights that emphasized civic virtue and values, such as “justice, temperance, and charity toward each other.”
P9 : Universal healthcare is a perfect example of the idea of classical republicanism. Although every individual must sacrifice and pay more money for their health care, the community as a whole benefits because everyone can access this care. This was affirmed most recently by the Supreme Court in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius. On the other hand, advocates against gun control legislation base their entire argument on natural rights philosophy and personal rights.
P10 : The Virginia Declaration of Rights greatly influenced both our state and federal bills of rights in multiple ways. Many rights that we enjoy today, such as trial by jury, protection against forced self–incrimination and cruel and unusual punishments, freedom of the press, and the free exercise of religious beliefs can all be traced back to the Virginia Declaration of Rights as shown in Miranda V. Arizona (1966) and Boykin V. Alabama (1969).
P11 : To conclude, we note that the Virginia Declaration of Rights was the first written enumeration of the rights of citizens, and fundamental principles of government in the newly independent United States. It served as a model for the Bills of Rights, and in several other state constitutions. The Virginia Declaration of Rights was also a great source of influence on the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Today, individuals, and society still enjoy its philosophies in both state and federal levels.
P12 : Thank you for your time. We are now eager to answer your questions.
What ideas drawn from from natural rights philosophy were incorporated into the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
What ideas drawn from from classical republicanism were incorporated into the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
What rights that Americans enjoy today under both their state, and national bill of rights were included in the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
P1 : In 1776, George Mason penned the Virginia Declaration of Rights foreshadowing the Declaration of Independence which appeared three weeks later. Both classical republicanism and natural rights philosophies were incorporated into the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which still remains a vital part of Virginia’s constitution today. We begin our comparison with natural rights.
P2 : The Virginia Declaration of Rights embraces natural rights ideas such as the inherent right to life, liberty and property regardless of wealth or social status. Section one of the Virginia Declaration of rights states that all men are by nature equally free, independent and have certain inherent undeniable rights such as the right to life, liberty and possession of property.
P3 : John Locke’s ideas of limited government and people’s indefeasible right to reform, alter, or abolish government are also embodied in section two of the Virginia Declaration of Rights.
P4 : Furthermore, the Virginia Declaration of Rights equally embrace people’s involvement on enforcing laws. Section seven of the Virginia Declaration of Rights says that all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority, without consent of the representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights and ought not to be exercised.
P5 : George Mason valued individual rights, equality, limitation of governmental powers, execution of law, and the purpose of government which includes unity, justice, domestic tranquility, defense, promotion of the general welfare of the citizens and securing liberty for all.
P6 : On the other hand, classical republicanism is also a crucial part of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. George Mason was equally influenced by classical writers such as Aristotle, Polybius, and Cicero who embraced the devotion of citizens to the common good.
P7 : During Cicero’s lifetime, Romans departed from the devotion of citizens to the common good which costed them their political freedom. In 48 BC, the Roman people accepted an autocracy, Julius Caesar was appointed dictator in order to impose order, and stability in the aftermath of Roman selfishness, and corruption.
P8 : George Mason stressed the importance of the common good. He embraced citizens working together because good government is possible only when citizens are able to to know and care for each other. This is evidenced in the final statement of the Virginia Declarations of Rights that emphasized civic virtue and values, such as “justice, temperance, and charity toward each other.”
P9 : Universal healthcare is a perfect example of the idea of classical republicanism. Although every individual must sacrifice and pay more money for their health care, the community as a whole benefits because everyone can access this care. This was affirmed most recently by the Supreme Court in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius. On the other hand, advocates against gun control legislation base their entire argument on natural rights philosophy and personal rights.
P10 : The Virginia Declaration of Rights greatly influenced both our state and federal bills of rights in multiple ways. Many rights that we enjoy today, such as trial by jury, protection against forced self–incrimination and cruel and unusual punishments, freedom of the press, and the free exercise of religious beliefs can all be traced back to the Virginia Declaration of Rights as shown in Miranda V. Arizona (1966) and Boykin V. Alabama (1969).
P11 : To conclude, we note that the Virginia Declaration of Rights was the first written enumeration of the rights of citizens, and fundamental principles of government in the newly independent United States. It served as a model for the Bills of Rights, and in several other state constitutions. The Virginia Declaration of Rights was also a great source of influence on the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Today, individuals, and society still enjoy its philosophies in both state and federal levels.
P12 : Thank you for your time. We are now eager to answer your questions.
Unit 1 Question 2
Compare and contrast the essential political ideas of classical republicanism and natural rights philosophy.
P1: In the year 1776, the former thirteen colonies of Great Britain fought a war for independence which gave birth to a new country. We call it the “United States of America”. Ideas for our system of government came from natural rights philosophy, and classical republicanism. Classical republicanism stemmed from roots grown in ancient Rome. A sense of order and justice was gained through the way the government was set up.
P2: Before the time of American Revolution, citizens of the colonies thoughts themselves as citizens of the British crown. Many were of Christian religious views which emphasized the identity of the individual. This is the idea of natural rights, where all humans are born with certain rights that cannot be taken away. Among many, these rights included the fact that all humans are not the same, thus people think different thoughts. This was later incorporated into The Bill of Rights as the first amendment; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
P3: The Founders’ views about government blended ideas taken from both classical republicanism and the natural rights philosophers. Each tradition, therefore, contributed to the making of our own Constitution. We will begin our discussion in Ancient Rome in the years between 509 BC and 27 BC.
P4: The lessons of the Roman Republic were taken seriously by Americans in the 1780s. The three important concepts drawn by the founders from Rome were republicanism, political, or civic virtue, and checks and balances. This model of classical republicanism was based on the idea that the best society is one that promotes the common good over the individual, so that citizens and government were to work cooperatively to advance the general welfare over any selfish interests.
P5: In order to achieve this common good, the Romans stressed the need for a homogenous citizenry living in small, uniform communities and sharing characteristics such as civic virtue. A moral education was needed to preserve the virtue and integrity of future Romans, a principle later referred to by George Mason of Virginia as a return to fundamental principles. More recently, William Bennet wrote a book about the importance of such virtues in our society.
P6: Small communities were preferred because of a belief that diversity would lead to the formation of undesirable factions. Uniformity was achieved through a single state religion and the study of heroic figures in literature and history. One of these heroes was Cincinnatus, who put down his plow to lead the Romans, just as George Washington later left Mount Vernon to lead our Revolutionary Army.
P7: The culmination of progressive individual rights was the political philosophy of the natural rights philosophers in the period known as the Enlightenment. As John Locke and Thomas Hobbes insisted, certain innate rights belonged to men and were discoverable by reason. As Locke wrote, “no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.” The Founders clearly subscribed to Locke’s idea of a social contract between the rulers and the ruled as the only way to secure one’s natural rights. In the Declaration of Independence, as well as the 5th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, we read that we are entitled to life, liberty and property - or the pursuit of happiness.
P8: We can also find this in the document known as the Magna Carta, Where the document describes the unpleasantries done to the nobles by the king of England. It goes on to explain what rights the people being ruled should be guaranteed. One of the things taken from the Magna Carta and put into the Declaration of Independence was the right to a trial and jury.
P9:To conclude our opening statement, the recent court case National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius the act was ruled as unconstitutional considering that congress lacked sufficient powers to enact such a document. This follows the example that even congress has to follow the laws that it set for itself in accordance to how classical republicanism should work.
P10: Thank you for allowing us to express ourselves. We are ready and willing to answer your questions.
Compare and contrast the essential political ideas of classical republicanism and natural rights philosophy.
P1: In the year 1776, the former thirteen colonies of Great Britain fought a war for independence which gave birth to a new country. We call it the “United States of America”. Ideas for our system of government came from natural rights philosophy, and classical republicanism. Classical republicanism stemmed from roots grown in ancient Rome. A sense of order and justice was gained through the way the government was set up.
P2: Before the time of American Revolution, citizens of the colonies thoughts themselves as citizens of the British crown. Many were of Christian religious views which emphasized the identity of the individual. This is the idea of natural rights, where all humans are born with certain rights that cannot be taken away. Among many, these rights included the fact that all humans are not the same, thus people think different thoughts. This was later incorporated into The Bill of Rights as the first amendment; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
P3: The Founders’ views about government blended ideas taken from both classical republicanism and the natural rights philosophers. Each tradition, therefore, contributed to the making of our own Constitution. We will begin our discussion in Ancient Rome in the years between 509 BC and 27 BC.
P4: The lessons of the Roman Republic were taken seriously by Americans in the 1780s. The three important concepts drawn by the founders from Rome were republicanism, political, or civic virtue, and checks and balances. This model of classical republicanism was based on the idea that the best society is one that promotes the common good over the individual, so that citizens and government were to work cooperatively to advance the general welfare over any selfish interests.
P5: In order to achieve this common good, the Romans stressed the need for a homogenous citizenry living in small, uniform communities and sharing characteristics such as civic virtue. A moral education was needed to preserve the virtue and integrity of future Romans, a principle later referred to by George Mason of Virginia as a return to fundamental principles. More recently, William Bennet wrote a book about the importance of such virtues in our society.
P6: Small communities were preferred because of a belief that diversity would lead to the formation of undesirable factions. Uniformity was achieved through a single state religion and the study of heroic figures in literature and history. One of these heroes was Cincinnatus, who put down his plow to lead the Romans, just as George Washington later left Mount Vernon to lead our Revolutionary Army.
P7: The culmination of progressive individual rights was the political philosophy of the natural rights philosophers in the period known as the Enlightenment. As John Locke and Thomas Hobbes insisted, certain innate rights belonged to men and were discoverable by reason. As Locke wrote, “no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.” The Founders clearly subscribed to Locke’s idea of a social contract between the rulers and the ruled as the only way to secure one’s natural rights. In the Declaration of Independence, as well as the 5th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, we read that we are entitled to life, liberty and property - or the pursuit of happiness.
P8: We can also find this in the document known as the Magna Carta, Where the document describes the unpleasantries done to the nobles by the king of England. It goes on to explain what rights the people being ruled should be guaranteed. One of the things taken from the Magna Carta and put into the Declaration of Independence was the right to a trial and jury.
P9:To conclude our opening statement, the recent court case National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius the act was ruled as unconstitutional considering that congress lacked sufficient powers to enact such a document. This follows the example that even congress has to follow the laws that it set for itself in accordance to how classical republicanism should work.
P10: Thank you for allowing us to express ourselves. We are ready and willing to answer your questions.
Unit 1 Question 3
What were the most important differences between the basic ideas of feudalism and the basic ideas that developed out of the Renaissance and the Reformation?
P2:Concurrent to the social structure to feudalism it is crucial to recognize the legal side. Imagine this as a bundle of sticks. Each stick represents a portion of land. For example, If you are a Duke, you may not sell all your land absolutely because it is not yours to sell, it belongs to the titles above you.
P3: The Renaissance also experienced an extreme warm season that allowed individuals on the bottom half of the social pyramid to excel due to the surplus.
P4: An important philosophical writer of this time is Niccolò Machiavelli, infamous for his views on exceptions in government brutality. As he wrote in The Prince, moral corruption could achieve social stability and security. He also insisted that a successful government must protect the divide between public and private morality. Public morality referring to an ethical standard enforced in a society, on one hand, while private morality gives the individual an interpretation of what it means to hold ethical standards, on the other.
P5: The framers were influenced to create checks and balances to avoid Machiavelli's views on government brutality they thought about how to prevent the accumulation of power in one branch or family
P6: During the Renaissance, European societies moved away from the feudal system of a strict hierarchy and began to value the individual rather than one’s class status. The stress placed on individual rights during the Renaissance led to a reevaluation of an individual’s relationship with governmental and religious institutions.
P7: The invention of the printing press was a significant development in society’s progress toward individualism and away from feudalism. During the Reformation, the Bible was printed rapidly in a variety of languages and was made available to the masses. Protestant religious doctrine encouraged individuals to read the Bible for themselves and interpret the word of God. Not only was emphasis placed on the individual during the Reformation, but all individuals were seen as equal in the eyes God.
P8: The importance of the individual and individual thought from the Renaissance and Reformation greatly influenced Madison’s “new science of politics.” Under this idea, Madison argued that literate and educated individuals would seek to have their interests protected by the government. He believed government would benefit from public officials representing all of the societal classes. The interests of each class would be pitted against another’s and out of this conflict of ideas, the public good would result.
P9: Capitalism arose out of the Reformation and Renaissance, in large part, due to the breakdown of the rigid, feudal system and the emphasis on the individual. Because Protestant groups believed all individuals were spiritually equal, they saw personal wealth as a “sign of God’s grace.” John Calvin believed that every individual should acquire as much capital as possible in order to support the church and the community.
P10: Natural rights philosophy created the basis of capitalism in early America. Influenced by men such as John Calvin, settlers sought to acquire as much land and resources as possible to support the community. Also influenced by John Locke, settlers create unrestricted free market of trade that allowed them to flourish and achieve stability.
P11: We are now eager and ready to discuss our responses with you.
What were the most important differences between the basic ideas of feudalism and the basic ideas that developed out of the Renaissance and the Reformation?
- In what ways, if any, did new ideas born of the Renaissance and the Reformation give rise to what James Madison called “the new science of politics?
- In what ways did natural rights philosophers and Protestant religions contribute to the rise of capitalism.
P2:Concurrent to the social structure to feudalism it is crucial to recognize the legal side. Imagine this as a bundle of sticks. Each stick represents a portion of land. For example, If you are a Duke, you may not sell all your land absolutely because it is not yours to sell, it belongs to the titles above you.
P3: The Renaissance also experienced an extreme warm season that allowed individuals on the bottom half of the social pyramid to excel due to the surplus.
P4: An important philosophical writer of this time is Niccolò Machiavelli, infamous for his views on exceptions in government brutality. As he wrote in The Prince, moral corruption could achieve social stability and security. He also insisted that a successful government must protect the divide between public and private morality. Public morality referring to an ethical standard enforced in a society, on one hand, while private morality gives the individual an interpretation of what it means to hold ethical standards, on the other.
P5: The framers were influenced to create checks and balances to avoid Machiavelli's views on government brutality they thought about how to prevent the accumulation of power in one branch or family
P6: During the Renaissance, European societies moved away from the feudal system of a strict hierarchy and began to value the individual rather than one’s class status. The stress placed on individual rights during the Renaissance led to a reevaluation of an individual’s relationship with governmental and religious institutions.
P7: The invention of the printing press was a significant development in society’s progress toward individualism and away from feudalism. During the Reformation, the Bible was printed rapidly in a variety of languages and was made available to the masses. Protestant religious doctrine encouraged individuals to read the Bible for themselves and interpret the word of God. Not only was emphasis placed on the individual during the Reformation, but all individuals were seen as equal in the eyes God.
P8: The importance of the individual and individual thought from the Renaissance and Reformation greatly influenced Madison’s “new science of politics.” Under this idea, Madison argued that literate and educated individuals would seek to have their interests protected by the government. He believed government would benefit from public officials representing all of the societal classes. The interests of each class would be pitted against another’s and out of this conflict of ideas, the public good would result.
P9: Capitalism arose out of the Reformation and Renaissance, in large part, due to the breakdown of the rigid, feudal system and the emphasis on the individual. Because Protestant groups believed all individuals were spiritually equal, they saw personal wealth as a “sign of God’s grace.” John Calvin believed that every individual should acquire as much capital as possible in order to support the church and the community.
P10: Natural rights philosophy created the basis of capitalism in early America. Influenced by men such as John Calvin, settlers sought to acquire as much land and resources as possible to support the community. Also influenced by John Locke, settlers create unrestricted free market of trade that allowed them to flourish and achieve stability.
P11: We are now eager and ready to discuss our responses with you.