The Paths to our

American Democracy

…

Created by: Adam Fox,

Jessica Flores,

Joey Kirkpatrick and

Krista Ganelon

Period 1 Gold

Mr. Diamond’s

Eleventh Grade: History / Social ScienceUnited States History and Geography: Continuity and Change in the Twentieth Century.

11.1.1 Describe the Enlightenment and the rise of Democratic ideas as the context in which the nation was founded.

11.1.2 Analyze the ideological origins of the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers’ Philosophy of divinely bestowed unalienable natural rights, the debates on the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, and the addition of the Bill of Rights.

Standards Addressed

Activity OneThe Enlightenment was a point in time when people

realized how important it was to use reason and thought to change the way they viewed the world. It was a time where people discovered that they had rights called “Natural and Unalienable Rights;”which was the right to life, the right to liberty, and the right to property It was said by John Locke that these rights could not be taken away, because they were “God Given.”

Contributors to the Enlightenment

Voltaire

John Locke

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Baron de Montesquieu

Denis Diderot

Activity Two

~Voltaire~Quotes

“Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.”

~John Locke~Quotes

"The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which [treats] everyone [equally]. Reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind... that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health or possessions."

~Jean-Jacques Rousseau~

Quotes“Never exceed your rights and they will soon become unlimited.”

~Baron de Montesquieu~

Quotes“In Republic Governments, men are all equal; equal they are also in despotic Governments: In the former, because they are everything; in the latter, because they are nothing.”

~Denis Diderot~

Quotes“There is only one passion, the passion for happiness.”

George Washington

"Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God."

Thomas Jefferson

"Nothing... is unchangeable but the inherent and unalienable rights of man."

Activity Three

Thomas Paine

“Arms discourage and keep in the invader and plunder in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived the use of them.”

PatrickHenry

“This [the Stamp Act] brought on the war which finally separated the two countries and gave independence to ours.”

John Adams

"The Revolution was affected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people... This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution."

The Declaration of Independence was

written for five main reasons; the next slide contains these reasons

Declaration of IndependenceActivity

Four

1st. Reason All men are created equal.

2nd. Reason They are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.

3rd. Reason Among these unalienable rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

4th. Reason To secure these rights, governments are instituted among men.

5th. Reason Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.

Activity Five

The constitution started as a plan to revise the Articles of Confederation, on May 14, 1787 in Philadelphia. Through much discussion and debate it became clear that the existing articles would draft a completely new frame of Government. Was this change necessary? Apparently…yes!

The newly formed Constitution had to be legitimate, had to have structures, describe and distribute appropriate power, limit those government powers, and always allow for change. Today the Constitution contains many documents such as: Articles that describe the structure of our Nation’s government. It also contains the Bill of Rights, which grants the people unalienable freedom, and also contains the Amendments which added new rights and changes to the Constitution in 1795.

There were a few great men who took part in making the Constitution that should be noted, which were: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine Patrick Henry and John Adams. The most important and influential person, James Madison provided brilliant political leadership, which is why he is known as the father of the Constitution. Where did all the reasons, ideas and beliefs that influenced the Constitutions creation come from? The Enlightenment! It gave the foundation of what rights and type of government the American nation should have.

Activity Six

I. Religious and political freedomA. SpeechB. PressC. AssemblyD. ReligionII. Right to Bear ArmsA. MilitaryB. Bear armsIII. Quarterly TroopsA. QuarteredB. Possess guns

IV. Search and Seizure

A. Searching and Seizing

B. Warrants

V. Rights of accused person

A. Indictment

B. Witness against self

C. Tried twice

• Right to a speedy, public trial

A. Speedy and public trial

B. Miranda rights

VII. Trial by jury in civil casesA. TrialB. JuryVIII.Limits of fines and punishmentsA. BailB. FinesC. Death PenaltyIX. Rights of PeopleA. PrivacyX. Powers of States and PeopleA. States Rule

*Vocabulary*

John became an educated professional. Thereafter he

studied to be a lawyer.

Published “Common Sense,” a pamphlet that

called for a separation of the thirteen colonies from

Britain.

An outstanding Enlightenment thinker who eagerly took

advantage of obtaining truth through experiments and

reasons.

A former lawyer, known for his knowledge and skill, who

wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Was an anti federalist, a person that opposed having

such a strong central government.

He introduced a plan later called the Great

Compromise, that resolved the issue of state

representation in the national legislation.

Rights in which cannot be taken away, they are also

called “unalienable” rights.

Right to life,

Right to liberty and

Right to property

Rights that cannot be taken away. John Locke believed that they were God-given

rights.

The Principals of political rights.

Provision in the United States Constitution that

prevents any branch of the U.S. Government from

controlling the other two.

The branches of the American Government including the:

Legislative,

Executive and

Judicial

A pamphlet produced by Thomas Paine, published in

1776, that called for a separation of the colonies

from Britain.

A government in which a single ruler is vested with

absolute power.

He was in favor of religious tolerance. He wrote stories

that made fun of the government and churches. He was against “dogma” and in favor of freedom of speech.

He Wrote “The social contract,” which stressed the goodness of human

nature.

He was the Author of “Spirit of Laws.” He

wanted the government to be broken into three parts:

Legislative,

Executive and

Judicial

The Congress that approved the Declaration

of Independence, and served as the only agency of national government

during the Revolutionary War.

He was the founding father of the Constitution.

A series of eighty-five essays defending the

Constitution.

A document adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777 that outlined the new form of government

of the United States.

The official approval of the Constitution, or of an

Amendment, by the States.