1. Articles and Declaration seminar
AP government 9/6-9/7

2. Enlightenment With your small groups
Discuss your excerpts – consider the following:
Natural Rights of man
Each individual born with natural rights such as life, liberty, property
Rights that we had in a “state of nature” (before there was civilization)
Rights that no one, not even the government, should take away without a good reason
Social Contract
Established relationships between individuals/citizens and governments
Based on mutual consent
Role of government in society/role of citizens in society
Definition of liberty
As a small group, come up with an ideal form of government trying to utilize all ideas presented.

3. The Enlightenment from England
Thomas Hobbes
Leviathan
Society inherently evil and thus requires a strong central government ex. absolute monarch
John Locke
Second Treatise on Civil Government
Society inherently good
State of nature (natural rights) - life, liberty, property
Consent of the governed
Right to overthrow

4. The French Philosophes
Baron de Montesquieu
Spirit of the Laws
Checks and balances
Separation of powers
Rousseau
On the Social Contract
Citizens must give their rights up to the “general will” of the people
Even if they disagree with it

5. What does it all mean? The Social Contract Representation and taxation
Constitutional rule
Sovereignty and self-government
Revolution
Creation of declaration of independence – An instrument of propaganda
Internal Audience
External Audience
Militias (Texas, Montana, Idaho)

6. Failure of a government
Read the articles of confederation. Take notes on the graphic organizer
Articles of confederation
Unicameral congress (9/13)
Currently bicameral (Lower versus upper house)
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
Division of power
Amending the articles
Sovereignty
Goal: League of friendship versus unification

7. Shay’s rebellion Washington: Jefferson to Madison
“We have probably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation. Experience has taught us, that men will not adopt and carry into execution measures the best calculated for their own good, without the intervention of a coercive power.”
Jefferson to Madison
“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.”

8. A failed government cont…
What challenges were faced by citizens under the articles?
Financial challenges
Commercial challenges
Currency challenges
Civil disorder
Founders had liberty as a core principle. The douglass paradox
how can the paradox be philosophically justified?