Our Founding PrinciplesClass 2

Class Rules• No Politics – Stick to Principles• Use/Identify/Find Facts• Distinguish Belief vs. Truth• Interactive – Learn – Ask - Comment

A Little History• 1776 - Declaration of Independence• 1777 – Articles of Confederation adopted • 1776-1780, each colony formed a republican form of

government• 1781 – Battle of Yorktown – end of Revolutionary War• 1787 – Constitutional Convention, after 4 months, signed

the Constitution September 17th.• 1787-1788 – Federalist Papers written & published• 1788 – Ratified by 9 states, became official• 1790 - Constitution ratified by all states , after the Bill of

Rights were added.

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Courtesy of Constitutional Rights Foundation, for BC distribution to students & staff only.c

Founder’s Goal:To form a More Perfect Union….

• Some of the founders had some ideas based on study of history, law, philosophy, and political theory

• They felt that they had a unique opportunity to come up with something new and better.

Freedom

• Freedom was: Live one’s life as one wanted– Freedom to own & use property– Freedom of Religion– Freedom of Speech– Freedom of life - from harm by others– Freedom of trade– Etc.

• Freedom was not: Freedom from Want– “equality of things”

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Natural Law & our Constitution• Unalienable rights including:

– Right to self government,– Right to bear arms,– Right to own, develop and dispose of property,– The right to assemble,– The right to petition,– The right of free speech & press– The right to enjoy the fruits of one’s labors,– The right to contrive and invent,– The right to privacy,– The right to provide personal security,– The right to a fair trial,– The right of free association,– The right to contract.

• Unalienable Duties, including:– To not take the life of another except in self-defense,– To not steal or destroy the property of another,– To be honest in all transactions with others,– For parents and to protect, teach, feed, clothe & shelter

children,– To support law and order and keep the peace,– To help the helpless, – To maintain the integrity of the family structure,– To perpetuate humanity,– To not promote or participate in the vices which destroy

personal and community life,– To follow rules of moral rectitude.

• Habeas corpus• Limited government• Separation of powers• Checks and balances• Justice by reparation or

paying of damages• No Taxation without

Representation• Justice System

Marcus Tellius Cicero106 – 43 BC, Italy

Roman Statesman, lawyer, scholar & writerThe Founders favorite expounder of Natural Law

“Do not blame Caesar, blame the people of Rome who have so enthusiastically acclaimed and adored him and rejoiced in their loss of freedom and danced in his path and given him triumphal processions. Blame the people who hail him when he speaks in the Forum of the new wonderful good society which shall now be Rome’s, interpreted to mean more money, more ease, more security, and more living fatly at the expense of the industrious.” –Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)

Our Founding PrinciplesClass 2

End

Class Rules• No Politics – Stick to Principles• Use/Identify/Find Facts• Distinguish Belief vs. Truth• Interactive – Learn – Ask - Comment

Restraints to Freedom

•God–Government

•Other Institutions–Man

»Self

Constitution

Separation of Powers by Level of Gov

Federal Gov.

State Gov.

Local Gov.

Churches Charities Other Org.

Citizens Citizens

Enumerated Responsibilities of the Federal Government

• Lay & Collect Taxes• Coin, Borrow $ & Pay Debts• Provide Defense• General Welfare of the

States • Regulate Commerce,

foreign & between States• Immigration• Weights & Measurements• Post Offices & Post Roads• Patents & Trademarks

• Create Courts• Punish piracy & international

crimes• Declare Wars• Raise & Support Armed

Forces• Calling of Militia to enforce

laws of the Union• Govern Washington DC• Make necessary Laws to

carry out and enforce the above

Powers not listed above are retained by the States & citizens – 10th Ammendment

Constitution

Separation of Powers by Level of Gov

Federal Gov.

State Gov.

Local Gov.

Churches Charities Other Org.

Citizens Citizens

Life, Liberty and ………????• The first draft of the Declaration of

Independence listed the unalienable rights as Life, Liberty and Property.

• They changed Property to “pursuit of happiness” in because the south considered slaves to be property.

• They considered “pursuit of happiness” and property to be synonymous.

• Their idea of property was more than money, it included family, religion, ideas, hopes, or in short, the “fruits of one’s labor”.

Suggested Reading“The 5000 Year Leap” – lists principles behind

the government as explained by the founders themselves. You will discover that a lot of what we have “learned” is missing key facts and/or just plain wrong.

“Conflict of Visions”, Thomas Sowell, describes the underpinnings of the two main world views“Money, Greed and God”, Jay Richards, a very good read regarding the relationship between capitalism, religion and our government.

“Free to Choose”, Milton Freidman, how and why the free market system (capitalism) is by far the best system devised by man.

Founders & Democracy II• John Quincy Adams:

“The experience of all former ages had shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short-lived.”

• Benjamin Franklin:“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.”

• James Madison:“Democracy was the right of the people to choose their own tyrant.”

• There are many more – go to http://takeourcountryback-snooper.blogspot.com/2008/12/democracy-v-republic-founding-fathers.html