Articles of Confederation
What was the main problem with the Articles of Confederation
It was too weak, and the government couldn't maintain order in the states.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
What does Madison mean when he says, "If men were angels, no government would be necessary"?
Humans aren't perfect and having a government is necessary to keep order.
What was the event that led to the Articles of Confederation being rewritten?
Shay's Rebellion
Which philosopher does Jefferson pull inspiration from?
John Locke
What size government do the federalist papers support? Explain why?
Large, after the AoC failed they felt the U.S. needed a stronger government.
How does Madison propose to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
What size government do the Brutus papers support?
Small
What does the term confederation imply?
A loose alliance between states.
What is popular sovereignty?
The idea that any government should get its right/power to rule from the goverened.
What is a faction and why are they considered a problem?
a group of people (a minority or a majority) that has similar interests;
they can create division within the country
How does Madison suggest weakening the legislative branch’s dominance?
Bicameral Legislature
"Many instances can be produced in which the people have voluntarily increased the powers of their rulers; but few, if any, in which rulers have willingly abridged their authority"
Wha tis being said here?
If you give the government to much power now it will be hard to take it away and that power will be abused.
Out of 13, how many states needed to approve any changes to the Articles of Confederation?
13
According to Jefferson, what is the purpose of government?
To protect the natural rights of the people.
How does a large/strong government help with factions?
A strong government will do better to keep factions at bay.
Why does Madison consider the legislative branch the most powerful?
It makes the laws and represents the people most directly.
Describe Brutus’ claim that states are better at protecting individual rights.
Brutus asserts that the officials in the state government are closer to the people and are more likely to protect their rights.
Out of 13 states, how many votes were needed to pass new laws.
9 out of 13
What was Jefferson's claim?
Americans are justified in declaring independence from the British because the natural rights of the American people have been violated by the King.
Madison compares a large republic (the government he supports) to various other types of governments in his paper (Pure democracy, small republics)
Why does he do this?
To show the weaknesses of the other forms of government and convince the reader that a large republic is the best option.
What is the “double security” mentioned by Madison.
Separation/Division of Powers
How does Brutus use the Necessary and Proper Clause and the Supremacy Clause to support his argument for a smaller government?
to support the idea that the new government is really designed to concentrate power. He supports his claim by discussing how these two clauses make the states powerless.