Key Terms Research: Foundation of the American Government

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    John Trumbull Sr.

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    John Witherspoon

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    John Hancock

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    Charles Carroll

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    John Jay

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    Benjamin Rush

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    John Peter Muhlenberg

  • Liberty

    Liberty is being free from society's oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views.
  • Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence is basically the 13 Colonies (at the time) declaring independence from England, and setting up their own "country" of Americans. In all honesty, like my teacher said, the Declaration of Independence is the world's largest "break up" letter, or "song" as he put it. c:
  • "E Pluribus Unum"

    "E Pluribus Unum" was created because the people believed America needed a 'seal'. Although the seal that was submitted wasn't accepted, the 'motto' was.
  • U.S. Constitution

    U.S. Constitution rev. 1992
  • Fifth Amendment

    Fifth Amendment The Fifth Amendment is gives people the right not to go against themselves in court. It also gives people the right not to go to court for the same topic twice. For example, if you go to court for a DUI, you can't go to court again for that same DUI after a parole is placed to get a new one because someone didn't think it was just.
  • Eminent Domain

    Eminent Domain is the right for the government, or its agent, to expropriate private property for public use, with just compensation. For example, your house is where the state wants to build a new highway with a tollway. Your house is worth $60,000 but the highway is worth $175,000. You wouldn't be arrested for requesting a price above that of your house because you would be doing last minute moving so someone could build a highway where your house is.
  • Bill of Rights

    The Founding Fathers, once finishing the Declaration of Independence, decided that a Constitution was needed. Although the Founding Father didn't think The Bill of Rights was important for protecting the citizens of the USA, it was eventually relized to be crucial to achieving ratification. After realizing the importance the Bill of Rights was birthed at the tail end of 1791, thanks to James Madison.
  • Individualism

    Individualism is a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control. Individualism was founded in the late 1830's but there isn't an exact date as to ~when~ it was.
  • Alexis de Tocqueville & his 5 Principles

  • "In God We Trust"

  • Egalitarianism

    Egalitarianism is, in basics, equality in favor of the people by social status and/or fundamental worth. rev. April 24th, 2013
  • Populism

    Populism is a more complex understanding of popular sovereignty, which is the most basic idea of a democracy.