Influential Documents
What was the first English constitution that limited the the powers of the king in unprecedented ways?
Magna Carta (drafted in 1215)
What is the purpose of government?
To secure the natural rights of the people
What are the three main unalienable rights listed in the Declaration of Independence?
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
What is property in the common sense?
External things which one possesses in exclusion of all others
Although the Constitution did not originally have term limits for the Presidency, Washington set a precedent for serving a maximum of how many terms as President?
Two terms
Why was the Mayflower Compact significant?
It established the first form of self-government in the American colonies.
In what ways are people equal and unequal, according to Locke?
Equal in opportunity (In the law and in our rights)
Unequal in outcome (due to people's varying talents/gifts)
Jefferson states that revolutions do not occur because of "light" and "transient" causes. Instead, when does he say revolutions occur?
Revolutions occur only after "a long train of abuses."
What is a statute?
A written law passed by a legislature
What forms the basis for the morality of a society according to Washington?
Religion
What was at least one new restriction the Magna Carta placed on the king?
The King could no longer pass new taxes or loans without the consent of the nobles.
No freeman could be imprisoned or have his property taken without a trial by jury
What term refers to the sum total of all the individuals who have consented to live together under the same government/social compact?
Body Politic
The idea that there is a transcendent law that exists for all human beings by nature is referred to as what in the Declaration of Independence?
"Laws of Nature" (natural law)
What is property in the larger sense?
Anything someone may attach a value or has a right to
While we should discourage political relations with other nations, what kind of relations does Washington say we should encourage?
Economic relations
What was at least one of the main provisions of the English Bill of Rights?
Protected freedom of speech for members of Parliament
No taxes or armies can be raised without the approval of Parliament.
Citizens may petition the government
No cruel or unusual punishments would be permitted
What are the three main duties of government, according to Locke?
Establish a common law (legislative duty)
Establish a fair judicial system (judicial duty)
Effectively enforce/execute the law (executive duty)
What are objective and subjective truth?
Objective: factually true regardless of perspective.
Subjective: a claim that is only true from a certain point of view.
What argument does Jefferson make about God in favor of religious toleration?
God does not force us to obey him. Thus, it seems absurd to allow imperfect human beings to force obedience to a certain religion.
What was Washington's guiding principle in foreign affairs?
The United States should always prioritize our own nation’s interests.
What was the name of the document that was written by Thomas Jefferson's friend, George Mason, just before the Declaration of Independence and greatly influenced it?
Virginia Declaration of Rights
What are the three traits Locke says are common among men in the state of nature?
Men are born free, equal, and independent in the state of nature
What makes a claim "self-evident"?
A claim is self-evident if it is true by definition of the idea in question.
(ex: the claim that a triangle has three sides/angles is a "self-evident" claim)
Why is property in the larger sense even more important than property in the common sense?
Property in the larger sense includes freedom of conscience, which is the most fundamental and "sacred" right of all human beings.
What were the three main arguments that Washington made about the impact of parties on government?
Parties/factions distract governments from effective law-making
Parties make fellow citizens angry with each other.
Foreign powers can also easily exploit parties/factions