Federalist 10
a strong, united republic would be more effective than the individual states at controlling “factions”
a large republic will help control factions because when more representatives are elected, there will be a greater number of opinions. Therefore, it is far less likely that there will be one majority oppressing the rest of the people
Brutus I
an Antifederalist series of essays designed to encourage New Yorkers to reject the proposed Constitution
the immense power of the federal government requires the people to sacrifice their liberties
a bill of rights was necessary to protect the people from the government
Congress possesses far too much power: taxation, standing army, taxes, Elastic Clause
a free republic cannot exist in such a large territory as the United States
Judicial authority will broaden federal government’s power (thus, tryanny)
Declaration of Independence
all people created equal (Natural Rights of Life, Liberty, and Property)
governments are created to protect these rights
If the government does not protect these rights, then the people have the duty to change/destroy
imperfect governments should not be destroyed, only ones that seek to subject the people to tyranny (destruction of Natural Rights)
Big Idea: a balance between governmental power and individual rights has been a hallmark of American political development
Articles of Confederation
confederation of states, with an extremely limited central government
limitations placed upon the central government rendered it ineffective at governing the continually growing American states
each state remains sovereign
unicameral legislature, each state one vote
No president, No judiciary
could not enforce taxation; no standing army
Constitution (+Bill of Rights and other Amendments)
outline of federal government structure, powers, and limits to those powers
three branches (L, E, J) [Sep. of P’s] that can limit each other [Ch & B’s]
federal system of government
Constitution as Supreme Law
Bill of Rights
1-8: individual rights
9: rights not listed are NOT denied to the people
10: powers not given to federal government nor denied to the states are state powers
other amendments
generally, amendments are expansions of the people’s rights
13, *14*, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26
Big Idea: the Constitution emerged from the debate about the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation as a blueprint for limited government
Federalist 51
proposes a government broken into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial
each branch should be self-sufficient, but each should have some kind of power over the other in order for them to keep each other from taking over the government
the Legislative branch needs to be split further into the House of Representatives and the Senate because it’s the most powerful branch, and members of the Judicial branch need to be chosen by the President with the Senate’s approval because they want qualified candidates for a position that lasts for life
this style of government also helps keep down the power of factions, a recurring theme from Federalist 10
Big Idea: the Constitution created a competitive policy - making process to ensure the people’s will is accurately represented and that freedom is preserved
Federalist 70
Argues that unity in the executive branch is a main ingredient for both energy and safety. Energy arises from the proceeding of a single person, characterized by, “decision, activity, secrecy, and dispatch,” while safety arises from the unitary executive’s unconcealed accountability to the people
Justifies executive strength by claiming that the slow-moving Congress, a body designed for deliberation, will be best-balanced by a quick and decisive executive
Also maintains that governmental balance can only be achieved if each branch of government (including the executive branch) has enough autonomous power such that tyranny of one branch over the others cannot occur
Makes the case for duration, meaning a presidential term long enough to promote stability in the government
Support can be defined as a presidential salary, which insulates government officials from corruption by attracting capable, honest men to office
Big Idea: the presidency has been enhanced beyond its expressed constitutional powers
Federalist 78
As “the weakest of the three departments of power,” the Judiciary needs strengthening
Without an independent judiciary, any rights reserved to the people by the Constitution “would amount to nothing,” since the legislature cannot be relied upon to police itself
Lifetime appointments, guaranteed “during good behavior” to insure that judges can resist encroachments from the legislature (to which presumably they would be vulnerable by means of bribes or threats)
Big Idea: the design of the judicial branch protests the Supreme Court’s independence as a branch of government, and the emergence and use of judicial review remains a powerful judicial practice
Letter from a Birmingham Jail
King argues that he and his fellow demonstrations have a duty to fight for justice
It is up to the oppressed to take charge and demand equality
Segregation is used to debase one population (blacks) while uplifting another (whites), which makes it immoral in the eyes of God. Immoral laws are laws that are neither just not fair. According to St. Augustine’s logic, unjust laws aren’t actually laws, so they don’t have to be followed. King believes people are under a moral obligation to oppose segregation by refusing to abide by the so-called laws that govern the practice.
White Americans who say they agree with the notion of desegregation but criticize the manner in which civil rights activists go about achieving it are the biggest obstacle standing in the way of racial equality. The demeaning and “paternalistic” attitude of white moderates shows a lack of real understanding about the realities of segregation. It is this group that perpetuates the notion that time, not human intervention, will be the great equalizer — which discourages others to join the campaign for civil rights
The civil rights movement will ultimately be successful because “the goal of America is freedom”
Big Idea: the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause as well as other constitutional provisions have often been used to support the advancement of equality