...September 9, 2014 Thomas Jefferson: An American Icon Thomas Jefferson is one of the most important historical icons in American history. His legacy not only resides in his actions during his presidency, but also in his contributions to the nation before and after his terms in office. One of his most famous contributions to the nation was his role in drafting the Declaration of Independence that served as a formal declaration for the U.S. to separate from Britain and become a separate nation. It was because of this document that the U.S is the nation it is today and it will serve as a permanent reminder of his hard work and dedication to the country. However, more is to be learned of Jefferson for his actions helped shape and change the American ways of life forever. Beginning with his election in 1800, Jefferson’s election was a landmark of world history as it was the first time that a peaceful transfer of power from one party to another in a modern republic took place. While delivering his inaugural address on March 4, 1801, Jefferson spoke to the fundamental commonalities uniting all Americans despite their partisan differences. He is quoted as saying, "Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.” He goes on to state, “We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists." But what made president Jefferson's first term in office so remarkably successful and productive was Jefferson’s ability to strip...
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...In the novel,”Founding Brothers” author Joseph Ellis illustrates the Revolutionary era by providing insights of the Founding Fathers. Ellis also distinguishes the behind scenes look during the revolutionary period as he comes across the explanation of how America successfully achieved their independence from Great Britain, declaration of Independence, and established the United States Constitution. Ellis takes the reader back into American history to view how these founding fathers (Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison) contributed to the American Revolution.Alexander Hamilton “was [the] secretary of treasury”(48). He was described as an ambitious man, he had developed a financial plan to pay off the state debts. Part of his plan was to collaborate a National Bank. He wanted Congress to charter this bank that would provide stability to America's economy by establishing loans to merchants, handling government funds, and issuing...
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...Name: Sudeep MAINALI Course: 1301:83428 April 14, 2016 Knowledge in Action 3 The original “Man of the People,” Thomas Jefferson, was born on April 13 in 1743.Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), author of the Declaration of Independence and the third U.S. president, was a leading figure in America’s early development. During the American Revolutionary War (1775-83), Jefferson served in the Virginia legislature and the Continental Congress and was governor of Virginia. He later served as U.S. minister to France and U.S. secretary of state, and was vice president under John Adams (1735-1826). Jefferson, who thought the national government should have a limited role in citizens’ lives, was elected president in 1800. During his two terms in office (1801-1809), the U.S. purchased the Louisiana Territory and Lewis and Clark explored the vast new acquisition. Although Jefferson promoted individual liberty, he was also a slave-owner. After leaving office, he retired to his Virginia plantation, Monticello, and helped found the University of Virginia. Jefferson attacked this system by helping abolish primogeniture and entail, two long-standing traditions that directed inheritances to a single heir. Under the new system, a more equal distribution of lands was encouraged. Since only landowners were eligible to vote, an increase in the number of landowners would increase the number of eligible voters. Further, by making immigration a less complicated and exclusive process, new families arrived...
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...The Declaration of Independence can be divided into four main parts. The first part is an introduction that states the purpose of the document, which was to explain why the American people were declaring independence from the government of Great Britain. The second part is a theory of good government and individual rights generally accepted by Americans from the 1770s until today. In this theory, all individuals are equal in their possession of certain immutable rights. These rights are not granted by the government. Rather, they are inherent to human nature. Therefore, the first purpose of a good government is to secure or protect these rights. Further, a good government is based on the consent of the governed -- the people -- who are the sole source of the government's authority. If their government persistently violates this theory of good government, then the people have the right to overthrow it. The third part of the document is a list of grievances against King George III, who was singled out to represent the actions of the British government. These grievances are examples of actions that violated the criteria for good government stated in the second part of the Declaration of Independence. These grievances, therefore, justify separation from the King's bad government and establishment of a good government to replace it. The fourth and final part of the document is an unqualified assertion of sovereignty by the United States of America. It proclaims the determination of...
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...Influences on the Constitution Marlene Monarrez HIS/301 December 3, 2012 Instructor: Andrew Van Ness Influences on the Constitution Table |Documents |Summary |What was its influence on the Constitution? | |Magna Carta | Issued by King John of England in 1215 when Englishmen went to the colonies they were | The Magna Carta gave Englishmen certain human rights, | | |given charters that guaranteed them and their heirs would “have and enjoy all liberties and |freedom of religion, reform of justice system and regulated | | |immunities of free and natural subjects.” The document clearly stated that no free man could|officials. The Magna Carta limited the king’s power and created | | |be prosecuted by any means other than the law of the land. |what we know today as parliament. | | |The Magna Carta had been the very first document which proclaimed personal liberties. The | | | |Magna Carta was forced upon an English Emperor by a team of barons. This had been the first |This was used as...
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...University of Phoenix Material Influences on the Constitution Table Write one or two paragraphs in each section. Include citations for your sources. |Documents |Summary |What was its influence on the Constitution? | |Magna Carta |The Magna Carta was signed between the Barons of Medieval England and King John. The |The Magna Carta established the right of due process and provided a basis of higher law that could not | | |Great Charter was signed at Runnymeade near the Windsor Castle and was an attempt by |be altered by executive mandate or legislative acts ("Magna Carta: Cornerstone Of The U.s. | | |the Barons to prohibit the King from abusing his power over the people ("Magna |Constitution", n.d.). | | |Carta", 2000-2012).. | | | |The Magna Carta consists of 63 clauses, many of the clauses address the English legal |Magna Carta: Cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution. (n.d.). Retrieved from | | |system. It states that every man shall...
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...I am going to be telling you all about Thomas Jefferson, he was born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia, he died July 4, 1826, in Monticello. His parents were jane and peter Jefferson. He had a lot of siblings and their names are Jane, Peter, Anna Scott, Mary, Lucy, Elizabeth, Martha, Randolph, and peter field Jefferson. To tell you I don’t know how he could live with so many siblings I can't even live with two. He went to the college called William & Mary. He was a draftsman of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. His dad wanted him to be what he wanted and his mom was the same way and if he didn't get it right they would have him try again. Next, he was a very busy person he was the nations first secretary of state, second vice president, also the third president, and the statesman responsible for the Louisiana Purchase. he was not alone he had six kids and their names were Martha Washington Jefferson, Jane Randolph Jefferson, infant son, Mary Jefferson, Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson, Madison, and Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson. The funny part is he had two sister named Lucy do you want to know why, it was because when Lucy #1 was born and had died so when they had another girl they also named her Lucy, but then after she was born she had passed too. His fathers name was peter and his moms name was Jane Randolph. His mother died...
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...and contrast both Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, They both had some major differences, but other things they had the same thought process. Many things were different about their beliefs with the role and nature of the newly created United States government. Hamilton mainly like the more power of the government the better it is for society. Jefferson wanted more of a smaller government and having people with individual rights. Hamilton and Jefferson were two ways different thinkers in what they want for society and believe in. Hamilton was in favor of a strong central government and a national constitution. He wasn't really a strong supporter of democracy or even the Bill of Rights. Favored implied powers, a loose construction of the constitution. He was one of many writers of the Federalists papers. Also favored the wealthy, urban commercial interests of the nation. Hamilton created national debt and actually paid for it all through a brilliant plan of taxing whiskey. He was an official member of the Federalist party and the first secretary of treasury. He was unfortunately killed in a duel vise president Aaron Burr. He was one who was fond of and greatly admired England or Britain, which is known as...
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...University of Phoenix Material Influences on the Constitution Table Complete each section below. Include citations for your sources. |Documents |Summary |What was its influence on the Constitution? | |Magna Carta |Written in 1215, the document was a series of written promises |The magna carta served as the first piece of legislature attempting to keep the | | |that the King would rule England and deal with the people |rights for the people fair. The Americans saw it and read about it and decided it | | |fairly according to feudal law. It was an attempt by the barons|was time America had “higher law” ideas and design a document to give the people | | |to stop the king from becoming an oppressor more than a ruler. |rights and to protect them from oppression, such as the people during the time of | | | |the magna carta were suffering. | |Mayflower Compact |The mayflower compact served as the document needed to keep the|Much like the magna carta, the mayflower compact was put into...
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...The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions was one of America’s most utilizing tools for advocating women’s rights. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was the brave author and advocate of this amazing document set before the government apposing legitimate rights for all women across the U.S. With the help of other women who were “fed up,” Elizabeth Stanton, stood and presented the first ever, unlawful acts against, that were posed upon woman in the 18th century and every year before that. In Seneca Falls, NY in 1848 at the very first women’s rights convention, was where the independence of women’s rights finally took a turn for the better. Not only was “The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions,” presented during the same month that the congress passed “The Declaration of Independence,” but was actually rooted back to the very same objective as “The Declaration of Independence.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton was one of the most influential women of the 19th century. Leading campaigns for women’s rights, Stanton’s goal was focused on "gaining opportunities for women such as; the right to appeal for a divorce, the right for complete custody of her own children, property rights, and her most fundamental demand at that time was for; women’s right to vote. Stanton was determined to put a stop to segregation between men and woman but also wished to instill independence and self-reliance in women nationwide. Within doing so, Stanton revised many imperative speeches, not only “The Declaration of Sentiments...
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...The First and Second Continental Congress History-101 Dr. Robert Young May 22, 2014 From 1774 to 1789, the first Continental Congress served as the single government of the original 13 American colonies and later to become the United States of America. It was comprised of delegates from the colonies which met in 1774 to the reaction of the Coercive Acts which were a series of measures imposed by the British government on the colonies in response to their resistance to the new taxes imposed by the British. The American dream is built upon a foundation of struggles and gains, along with more struggles. A look back to early American history provides one with a timeline that seems endless and full of surprises. The First Continental Congress serves as one of those timeline markers and is a great example of the American way. Being one of the first meetings ever between the colonists, Congress laid one of the first bricks into the foundation of America. The First Continental Congress made its mark in history on September 5, 1774 in Philadelphia’s Carpenters Hall. The idea of such a meeting was advanced a year earlier by Benjamin Franklin, but failed to gain much support until after the Port of Boston was closed in response to the Boston Tea Party. Twelve of the thirteen colonies sent representatives to this secret meeting, “Georgia decided against roiling the waters; they were facing attacks from the restive Creek on their borders and desperately needed the support...
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...Throughout the history of the United States, people’s views on government have changed. During the colonial times, puritans were a strictly ran society that used the bible as the rule book. Puritan writers wrote nonfiction pieces about God. When the Declaration of Independence was being drafted, deism took over with their rational and logical approach to government. Like the puritans, they wrote literary works composed of nonfiction and free will. Lastly, the transcendentalist believed that there should not be any government. There literature consisted of nature and individualism. The canonical literature created by some of the celebrated writers in the United States shows a decline of government intrusion in people's lives. First of all,...
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...significance of these individuals," we would get various responses. Despite the randomness of answers we would receive on such a survey, a common consensus could be reached about America's Founding Fathers, that is these individuals were great figures in our nation's history. The role they played in the 18th century to establish the basis for a nation that would continue to grow for centuries was significant....
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...from the Text of The Declaration of Independence Abstract The Declaration of Independence is a statement of the American Revolutionary War and also an important defense of bourgeois rights. Studying carefully American cultural values from The Declaration of Independence, we can better understand the core of our Chinese cultural values and get to know the main differences and similarities between these two value systems. In this way, we will find all the advantages and disadvantages regarding both cultural values, and thus learn those good ones while overcome the shortcomings. This thesis falls into five chapters. In the first chapter, the necessity and significance of the study are introduced. In Chapter Two, some definitions of key terms included in or related to this thesis are presented, including Value, Cultural Value and The Declaration of Independence. Chapter Three mainly concerns the analysis of the text of The Declaration of Independence. By analyzing the text, the main cultural values related are demonstrated as liberty, equality and democracy. Then each cultural value is explained respectively and thoroughly with proper examples. Chapter Four mainly discusses the contradictions and conflicts inherent in those American cultural values, showing that American cultural values is a double-edged sword. The last chapter is the conclusion part which summarizes the whole thesis. Key Words: American, The Declaration of Independence, cultural values Contents ...
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...Social Contract Theory of John Locke Shannon Roundtree June 23, 2014 Patricia DeAngelis Differences of the Social Contract Theories There were three critical thinkers who played a major role in creating the concept of the social contract theory. The overall concept of this theory was to see how individuals could survive in a world regulated by laws and government. Each of these individuals had different perspectives on the state of nature. Thomas Hobbes’ view was that man was fearful and selfish. He believed that man desired a sense of security and order. If man wanted to have a sense of self-preservation and protection, they needed to enter into a social contract and surrender their rights and freedom. In other words, a government was created to regulate their lives. Thomas Hobbes also believed that individuals were free to take whatever they wanted and be greedy, and resolve disputes with war. John Locke’s view was different than Thomas Hobbes as he believed no individual has any power over the next and everyone has the freedom to do what they want. John Locke also believed that if an individual committed a crime, they needed to be punished. Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that the government should adhere to the freedom of all individuals, but with constraints. His views were that individuals could not be free in modern society like they could be in a state of nature if property and laws existed. Key Principles of John Locke’s Social Contract Theory John Locke viewed...
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