Civics_Ch2_Atyourconvention-compare


 * You vs. the Founding Fathers**

PUT WHAT YOU HAD IN COMMON WITH THE FOUNDERS IN YOUR STUDY NOTES Okay...time to compare your principles with those of the Founding Fathers. See how close you were to our Founders and be honest!

1. __Faith__ was an important value of our Founding Fathers. Plenty of evidence proves this, such as Samuel Adams suggesting prayer at the First Continental Congress and suggesting faith in God when many in the Continental Congress believed the Revolutionary War was hopeless after many defeats; or Thomas Jefferson writing about our Creator (God) giving us rights when he wrote the Declaration of Independence; or George Washington praying while at Valley Forge when everything seemed hopeless for his army during a harsh winter in the Revolution; or Benjamin Franklin suggesting prayer and reliance on God at the Constitutional Convention; or the fact that most who first came to the colonies came in order to worship God freely and without a leader punishing them for their faith. Altogether, faith was important to our Founding Fathers and was a major foundation of our nation. Did you agree?

2. __Popular sovereignty__ was another value, which is setting up self-government based on consent of the governed. The Pilgrims saw this principle as important when they signed the //Mayflower Compact//. Did you agree?

3. __Republic__ or representative democracy is the type of democracy set up by our Founding Fathers, which means the voters elect people to make decisions for us. Our Founders valued this system as the best way for the people to have self-government and keep from mob rule, which can happen in a direct democracy. Did you agree?

4. __Federalism__ was set up by our Founders since it set up a stroing national, or central, or federal government that could keep the entire nation safe and provide law and order for the entire nation, while at the same time giving the states power too. It set up the three levels of government we have today (national, state, and local). Did you agree?

5. __Limited government__ was a value of our Founders because they believed in setting up clearly defined restrictions on the leaders to maintain rule of law (everyone must obey the law) and wanted to maintain individual liberty or freedom and maintain the power of individuals to make their own choices. Did you agree?

6. __Separation of powers__ was a value of our Founders because they believed the power to make laws, enforce laws, and interpret the fairness of laws should be divided rather than given to one person or one body. The three branches are legislative, executive, and judicial. Did you agree?

7. __Checks and balances__ was a value of our Founders because they believed in the rule of law and that each branch should have the ability to make sure the other branches do not abuse their power. Did you agree?

Make sure you record the principles (terms that are underlined...be sure you know the definitions as well) of our Founders in your study notes.

Mark down how close you were to the Founders. Be honest!

Before moving on, the other captains and the other delegates were talking it over and the majority that is in your convention have decided that it's wise to look into the past and see what has worked. Afterall, our Founders took good ideas from Athens, Rome, the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, and several other sources to create the United States government. Therefore, the other delegates thought it would be wise to follow the pattern set by the Founding Fathers since it proved to be a success. This means your new nation will definitely be a republic, with a federal system, that is a limited government and has popular sovereignty with separation of powers and checks and balances.

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