APS Day 4 AgendaGoal – to understand that American history and experiences during the

colonial era led to specific beliefs about life and government. The Declaration of independence is s statement of the fundamental political philosophies Americans believe

Warm-up – identify the 5 key ideals of democracy, identify the differences between the two types of democracy

1. Colonial history and how it developed into a set of American political values – read handout and summarize each point – summarize the key ideals that answer: what ideas about life and government developed during this time?

2. Locke and his beliefs turn into American ideals found in the Declaration of Independence

3. What are the principles of government articulated in the Declaration of Independence?

1. Read Declaration of Independence on p 40 of your text book2. Identify why the Continental Congress issued this Declaration3. Identify the 4 philosophies about government and the people

articulated in this document.4. Explain the source of these political beliefs.5. Do Americans still believe all or some of these political

philosophies? What specific evidence do you have to support your conclusion?

– Substantive democracy goes well beyond the process of determining policy and who makes policy. Substantive democracy must include underlying democratic values often embodied in a constitution that defines the specific goals and values of a government like civil rights (values protected by actions of gov’t) and liberties (values gov’t is prevented from limiting) all of which relate to:

1. minority rights being protected even while majority rules2. competitive elections, 3. equal participation, 4. equal political freedom, 5. civil society, 6. Individual worth7. free access to information, 8. contingent consent, 9. compromise10. rule of law, 11. chance for alternation of power

DemocracyDemocracy

Colonial History1. 1607 Americans were primarily British. Had beliefs that government

should be limited and people should have some say. Based on Magna Carta and English Common Law.

2. Colonies were mainly business ventures. Needed to be organized to be profitable. Religious colonies needed rules consistent with their religions.

3. Colonists created their own LOCAL governments mainly for protection of life and PROPERTY. 

4. Each colony had local governments for local issues, and Colonial governments for larger issues like relations with Britain, trade, and protection from invaders like Spanish, French and Indians.

5. King and Parliament were the official government of colonies and passed a series of laws, mainly about trade. But laws were not enforced often or with much vigor for many reasons like distance and British government instability

6. Essentially, the American colonies were left alone for their own local and colonial governments to run their own local and colonial affairs. These governments all had some form of democratic component where the people had a voice in their own governing. Also, the Americans who participated in government often had read the political philosophers and believed in the natural rights philosophy.

People need to have a say in government and government needs to be limited

Private enterprise – capitalism. Government is necessary to create a “secure” environment so that business can flourish.Government should be as close to the people as possible – local government . Purpose is to protect life and propertyNeed to have different levels of government for different purposes like property rules and protection at the local level, conflict between localities to be solved by states and foreign issues to be addressed by national gov’t.Government that is far away is less able to enforce laws effectively and unstable government is also ineffective.

Americans can effecgtively run their own affairs through local governments with the input from the people, especially those educated people who understood the basics of humanity and politics

Colonial History7. After the French and Indian War, Britain needed to recoup its

financial losses incurred while trying to maintain ownership over the American Colonies. The British strictly enforced its laws and passed new laws like taxes and the Declaratory Act. Americans were very angry because they had ruled themselves for 150 years, and now they were being told they had to obey the King and Parliament.

8. As the British Government attempt to further expand its control over the colonies, the American political leaders began to argue that British actions were contrary to British and American political ideals and traditions.

9. At first Americans just wanted the British to back off and return to past laissez faire governance.

10. Britain did not back off, and sent troops to enforce its authority. The sending of the troops led to the military conflicts at Lexington and Concord and Boston. These conflicts led to the 2nd Continental Congress, which created the Declaration of Independence

Government that uses force to achieve its goals is bad, especially if the goals are not supported by the local people.

People need to have a say in government and government needs to be limited. Taxes are unpleasant and can only be created if the people have a say in their creation. Local people should be free to run their own affairs.

Government should be very limited in its actions, especially regarding private business activity.The people have the right to change government if it becomes abusive, but only if it has been abusive for a long time and has not listened to its people. The people can elect representatives to make decisions for them.

Declaration of IndependenceWhen in the Course of human

events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Translation of Declaration in Modern EnglishAt any point when a group of people in a colony wish to gain their independence from their mother country and become a sovereign country like Spain or France or Britain, the rebels demanding this independence must demonstrate that they are respectful people to the rest of the world. Mostly this is because the American colonists knew that they could not win a war for independence without allies, and alliances would be hard to come by unless they demonstrated that they were not just common thugs and terrorists. Also, they wanted to demonstrate their respect so that trading partnerships with the rest of the world could develop after independence

Declaration of IndependencePhilosophies and rationale for

Revolution and Independence1. We hold these truths to be self-

evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. –

2. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,

Translation of Philosophies and rationale for Revolution and Independence

1.We Americans have lived for 150 years governing ourselves and our experience has shown that all men get three fundamental rights from God – life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness (in lockean theory = property)2.governments have the sole purpose to protect people’s rights

Declaration of IndependencePhilosophies and rationale for

Revolution and Independence3. deriving their just powers from

the consent of the governed, --4. That whenever any Form of

Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Translation of Philosophies and rationale for Revolution and Independence3. governments get their powers from

the agreement of the citizens who have to follow the governments rules (in Lockean theory = Social Contract)

4. Sometimes government not only does not protect people, but that the government itself abuses the people’s rights, takes away their liberty, property or even their lives – essentially breaking the social contract. In this situation, if government breaks the social contract so badly that people are abused, then the people have the right to overthrow the government and create a new government that the people like.