Follow UP Questions

1) Describe the debate over the nature of government. Compare the viewpoints of 

Jefferson vs Hamilton. 

The debate of governmental nature lasted until the 1780, passed George Washington's administration.

Jefferson:

Favored a strict construction or interpretation of the Constitution.         

(Government only use the the implied powers of the Constitution when it was urgent.

Had faith in the people than in the government. From his perspective Hamilton was betraying the ideals of the American Revolution.

Hamilton:

Preferred a Loose Constitution.

(Government could use the implied power of Constitution as long as they were not expressly prohibited by the Constitution).

Had little faith in his people, and was supporter of strong national power.

2) What is a political party? 

" A political party is a group of people who seek to win elections and hold public office in order to control government policy and programs" (91)

In other words, is a group of people who have the same ideas about how a country should work. It tries to obtain and keep political power within the government. 

3) Describe John Adams presidency. What were some of the difficulties he faced? 

John Adams faced "the difficult task of trying to govern a young country in which party differenced were growing wider and wider " (91). He also faced the threat of war with France because the French were angry about Jay's Treaty with the British and started taking American ships in French harbor. Adams sent secret agents to negotiate with the revolutionary government. 

When they arrived to Paris the American officials were met by the secret agents (X, Y, Z).

 The french agents asked for a bribe of $250,000 and and loan of $10 million before they could see the French foreign minister. The Americans neglected this and returned back home as soon as possible. "Million for defense, but not one cent for tribute" was a slogan, spread around the USA by 1798. Then an undeclared war started where both sides were firing and taking each other's ships. 

The Federalists took advantage of this to push important  new measures through Congress. (increasing the size of the army).

-Sedition Act: against the law to criticize government officials.

4) Outline the key events of Jefferson's presidency.

- Jefferson knew that his administration would not succeed unless Americans were willing to oppose peacefully. 

- His goal was to decrease the influence of national government in the lives of American people. Therefore, he reduced taxes, federal bureaucracy, and army size.

- He was not willing to undo all the acts of the Federalists: He let the Bank of the USA continue its job. 

- He rejected the development of strong central government.

- Even though he hated what they were doing, he didn't use force to fight the British.

Thomas Jefferson

http://www.mindmeister.com/31525978/yasmine-r-thomas-jefferson

Constitutions and Bill of Rights

My top five choices are:

1. The right to petition government against abuse. 

If the government is taking abusive, and improper decisions. The citizens should have the right to oppose to this.

2. Right of trial by jury and other proper legal procedures.

This relates to justice. Everyone should be treated equally and should have the right to get a trial by the jury with proper judgments and procedures.

3. Freedom from unreasonable search of their homes. 

People need to have their own privacy. It is part of injustice to search homes every time for no reason.  

4. Freedom from the burden of standing armies.

The citizens need to have their natural freedom to go out and to be free. They don't need to stay imprisoned and watched by standing armies. They should have a daily normal life without any burden of standing armies that stop them from doing daily routines.

5. Freedom of the press.

People should be allowed to print newspapers, books, magazines etc. This is because if it is not allowed then there will be illiteracy in the country. People should have a minimum of knowledge of the news around the world and of science.  

How colonists were able to defeat the greatest world power of their time?

After the expenses of the Seven Years War, Britain needed to raise profits, and thought that the colonists didn’t help enough with the war. Therefore they decided that the colonists should pay for the war costs.  The colonists disliked these taxes and argued the fact they could be taxed by Britain but had no representation in the government. In other words, they refuses taxation of the Parliament.

After Britain's King refused to take seriously colonial objections raised at the first Continental Congress, some colonists took up arms. Leaders of a new pro-independence movement were influenced by Enlightenment ideals and hoped to bring an ideal nation into existence. In the year 1776, the colonies declared independence with the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence. George Washington led the new Continental Army against the British forces, who had many successes early in this American Revolution. After years of fighting, the colonists formed an alliance with France and defeated the British Yorktown, Virginia 1781. The treaty ending the war granted independence to the colonies, which became The United States of America.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

How colonists were able to defeat the greatest world power of their time?

  The colonists were able to defeat the greatest world power of their time by revolution. The stood against several laws. They stood against the stamp act, saying that they owned Englishmen rights. They opposed to taxation of Parliament, and indicated colonial boycott of British goods. In the first continental congress they started forming and training militias and storing military supplies. This is what lead to the revolutionary war which the colonists won.