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Questions and Answers
How does social contract theory, as developed by John Locke, influence the relationship between the government and the people?
How does social contract theory, as developed by John Locke, influence the relationship between the government and the people?
- It suggests that the people are solely responsible for maintaining law and order, while the government's role is minimal.
- It posits that the government and the people have reciprocal obligations, where leaders rule justly and the people obey laws. (correct)
- It advocates for a system where only a select few have the right to participate in governance, ensuring stability and expertise.
- It establishes a system where the government has absolute authority without any obligation to the people.
Which principle of American governance is most directly reflected in the division of power into legislative, judicial, and executive branches?
Which principle of American governance is most directly reflected in the division of power into legislative, judicial, and executive branches?
- Federalism, ensuring a balance between state and federal authority.
- Checks and balances, preventing any single branch from becoming too powerful. (correct)
- Judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution.
- Popular sovereignty, asserting the people's ultimate authority.
In what way did the Mayflower Compact embody principles of social contract theory?
In what way did the Mayflower Compact embody principles of social contract theory?
- By creating a self-governing system among the Pilgrims to maintain unity and order in the absence of formal legal jurisdiction. (correct)
- By enforcing a strict hierarchical structure where only the wealthy landowners had the right to participate in decision-making.
- By establishing a monarchy that derived its power from divine right, ensuring religious uniformity.
- By outlining a set of rules dictated by the King of England that all colonists were obliged to follow without question.
How did the Emancipation Proclamation impact the course of the Civil War?
How did the Emancipation Proclamation impact the course of the Civil War?
According to social contract theory, what recourse do the people have if the government becomes abusive or unjust?
According to social contract theory, what recourse do the people have if the government becomes abusive or unjust?
What was the primary reason the Articles of Confederation were replaced by the U.S. Constitution?
What was the primary reason the Articles of Confederation were replaced by the U.S. Constitution?
How does the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution reflect the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence?
How does the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution reflect the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence?
How did the 'Founding Fathers' use 'natural rights' and social contract theory to justify their actions during the American Revolution?
How did the 'Founding Fathers' use 'natural rights' and social contract theory to justify their actions during the American Revolution?
Which statement best explains the enduring significance of the social contract theory in modern governance?
Which statement best explains the enduring significance of the social contract theory in modern governance?
Which of the following best describes the significance of the Bill of Rights?
Which of the following best describes the significance of the Bill of Rights?
Flashcards
Social Contract Theory
Social Contract Theory
An agreement where people give up some individual rights in exchange for protection and order from the government.
Mayflower Compact
Mayflower Compact
A document signed in 1620 establishing self-government for the Pilgrims.
Natural Rights
Natural Rights
Rights inherent to all humans, such as life, liberty, and property (according to Locke).
Consent of the Governed
Consent of the Governed
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Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence
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Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
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U.S. Constitution
U.S. Constitution
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Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights
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Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg Address
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Study Notes
- On November 11, 1620, 41 Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact, establishing self-government due to being outside their granted legal jurisdiction in Massachusetts.
- The Mayflower Compact set a precedent for establishing self-government and law and order in later documents.
Social Contract Theory
- Social contract theory, developed by John Locke, posits that government is a contract between the people and their leaders.
- Leaders must rule justly, and the people must obey the law.
- If the government abuses power, the people can overthrow it and form a new one based on their will.
- This theory forms the basis for a government "of the people, by the people, for the people."
Early Republican Documents
- America's Founding Fathers were influenced by Locke's social contract ideas and the concept of natural rights.
- Believing their natural rights were denied by British authorities, they revolted.
- On July 2, 1776, revolutionaries signed the Declaration of Independence, declaring independence from Great Britain, ratified on July 4th.
- The Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, states that all men are created equal and have unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
- Signers of the Declaration included John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.
- The Articles of Confederation, drafted in 1777, was America's first constitution, outlining state relations with the central government.
- The U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1788.
- The U.S. Constitution divides power into legislative, judicial, and executive branches with checks and balances.
- The Preamble to the Constitution begins with "We the People of the United States...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
- The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights, protecting individual rights; there are currently twenty-seven amendments.
Civil War Era Documents
- The Gettysburg Address was given by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, at the Gettysburg battlefield.
- Its opening line is: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
- Despite initial reception, the Gettysburg Address became one of the most famous documents in American history.
- The Emancipation Proclamation, issued January 1, 1863, by Lincoln, granted freedom to slaves in Confederate states.
- In his Second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865, Lincoln expressed a desire for national healing.
- The phrase "with malice toward none, with charity for all" originates from this speech.
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Description
The Mayflower Compact of 1620 established self-government principles. Social contract theory from John Locke influenced the Founding Fathers. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 2, 1776.
