Foundations of American Government

  • John Trumbull Sr.

    John Trumbull Sr. was an American artist during the period of the American Revolutionary War famous for his historical painting including his Declaration of Independence. Significance - His Declaration of Independence appears on the reverse of the 2 dollar bill.
  • John Witherspoon

    John Witherspoon saw no conflict between faith and reason. He encouraged to test faith by experiment and experience. Witherspoon taught a President and Vice President, 9 cabinet officers, 21 senators, 39 congressmen, 3 justices, and 12 state governors. Because of him Princeton became known as the "seedbed" of Revolution. Six Months later Princeton became known as the sight of strategic victory, due to his signing of the Declaration of Independence.
  • Charles Carroll

    Charles Carroll was a Maryland statesman and Catholic leader who advised most American Catholics to support the patriot cause during the was earning Catholics more respect post war.
  • John Jay

    John Jay played an important role in the establishment of new government under the Constitution. One of the authors of the federalist papers, he was involved in drafting of the Constitution. He was also the first chief justice of the supreme court.
  • Benjamin Rush

    Benjamin Rush was elected to the Pennsylvania ratifying convention for the new federal constitution. Rush and James Wilson led the movement for adoption. He stood very strongly against slavery. Rush was known as the "Father of American Psychiatry" Two of his inventions that one still used are the gyrator and tranquilizer.
  • John Peter Muhlenberg

    John Peter had service as the chair of committee of safety in Virginias House of Burgesses (1775) and as a member of Virginias provincial convention in 1776, due to his contributions in the revolutionary cause. He took part in the fighting at Charleston, Brandywine, Stony Point, York Town, and Valley Forge. Muhlenberg also served as Pennsylvania's supreme executive council. He was considered a key figure in the Democrat-Republican party of Pennsylvania.
  • John Hancock

    John Hancock was known as the "King Of the Smugglers" Patriot leader and president of the second continental congress; first person to sign the Declaration Of Independence.
  • The Declaration Of Independence

    The Declaration Of Independence is the nations most cherished symbol of liberty. It was our way to declare our independence from Great Britain. Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. The Declaration was nothing new, it was something that Jefferson summarized from John Locke and the Continental philosophers. The Declaration broke the ties between the colonies and the mother country, therefore creating independence for the colonies.
  • Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration Of Independence is a cat once the nations most cherished symbol of liberty. It was our way to declare our independence from Great Britain. Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. The Declaration was nothing new, it was something that Jefferson summarized from John Locke and the Continental Philosophers. The Declaration broke the ties between the colonies and the mother country, therefore creating independence for the colonies.
  • E Pluribus Unum

    "out of many, one" Alludes to the union between the states and federal government, as symbolized by the shield on the eagles breast. It describes an action; Many uniting into one.
  • US Constitution

    The US Constitution is the document that embodies the fundamental laws and principles by which the United States is governed. It was drafted by the constitutional Convention and later supplemented by the Bill Of Rights and other amendments. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land in the United States. The US needed the Constitution because the "Articles of the Confederation " had lots of problems.
  • Fifth Amendment

    The basic constitution limits on police procedure. Consider as capable of breaking down into the following five distinct constitutional rights: grand juries for capital crimes, a prohibition on double jeopardy, a prohibition against required self incrimination, will have a fair trial, and a promise that the government will not seize private property without paying market value. Protects a person from being compelled to be a witness against himself in a criminal case.
  • The Bill Of Rights

    The Bill Of Rights were response calls from different states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties. The Bill Of rights lists prohibitions on the governmental power. Federalist believed that the constitution did not need a Bill of Rights, because the people and states kept any power not given to the federal government. The founders saw this this aw the national right of individuals to speak and worship freely. This gave us human rights and freedom.
  • Eminent Domain

    Under the law, thus principle gives a government control of all property within its sovereign jurisdiction, and grants it the power to take and use properly for public purposes provided that compensation is given to the owners.
  • "In God We Trust"

    Statement made mandatory on all coins and currency in 1956: also became the national motto in 1956.