Constitution 101 2019 Course Notes Part 2

In the period between the Revolutionary War and the Constitution, state governments were dominated by a strong legislature.

Paper money laws enacted in the states violated the property rights of creditors.

The Framers of the Constitution believed human nature was a mixture of good and bad.

The national government under the Articles of Confederation functioned like a diplomatic entity of loosely connected sovereign states.

The government under the Articles of Confederation was insufficient because it was incapable of protecting citizens from foreign threats, it failed to provide the conditions necessary for economic prosperity, and it failed to protect citizens from internal threats.

According to the Framers, the purpose of government is to secure the natural rights of its citizens.

In Federalist 9, Publius lists separation of powers, representation, and an independent judiciary as an improvement to the science of politics.

In Federalist 51, Publius argues that the system of separation of powers and checks and balances assumes that people in government will be ambitious.

The founders held that all persons have the right to possess and acquire property.

The security of a natural right may often conflict with the security of another.

According to the founders, clarity of ownership was fundamentally important to securing property rights.

The founders believed that government must secure the right to buy and sell, protect equal access to transportation and communication, and establish a system of sound currency in order to protect free markets.

The founders held that foreign commerce should benefit the interests and rights of American citizens.

Marriage and family law during the founding emphasized protecting and raising children.

Source: “Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution”