American Revolution Age of Science change comes not from within but from without, in other words, from

m outside sources Knowledge now meant exact knowledge: what you know for certain not what you may possibly know Knowledge is what can be clearly apprehended by the mind or measured by mathematics or demonstrated by experiment

ermanence ! "hange

#eing ! #ecoming

Rene Descartes believed it was better to sweep away old conventions and ideals and begin anew than it was to build on old conventions $e declared nature to be a mathematical machine devoid of purpose or beauty

John Locke %abula Rasa &blank slate' we have no innate knowledge

(rote An Essay Concerning Human Understanding determines the limits of human understanding of nature basically tells us what we can legitimately know and what we cannot know

Montesquieu wrote The Spirit of the Laws) liberty is sustained by a balance of powers Advanced the theory of the separation of powers* +ivided society into three classes: ,onarchies rely on honor) Republics rely on virtue) +espotisms rely on fear

American Revolution

Although the American revolution was a revolution of ideas, at its heart, it was essentially an economic revolution* -t was a capitalist revolution* "apitalism has been misunderstood for many years* A free market economy does not yield mega corporations that give unfair advantages to the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class* -n fact, history shows that it is .uite the opposite*

"apitalism vs* ,ercantilism

Capitalism

"apitalism is based on property rights and the free exchange of goods or services* /ree exchange is based on the concept of mutual benefit* -nherent in property rights is the sovereignty of the individual and the honoring of contracts*

#ailouts to large corporations in the form of fiat money &money that is not hard currency, in other words, there is nothing backing it such as gold to give it value' are not features of free market capitalism but rather, of corporate socialism, or fascism* #ailouts are not sustainable) these large transfers of credit drive up inflation and with it the cost of living, give these corporations a huge and unfair advantage when dealing with their smaller competitors, crowd out investment of capital from private sources that will not be able to compete with the vast sums generated by the bank issuing the currency &#ank of 0ngland, /ederal Reserve', and re.uire a raising of taxes to such a level that will destroy the earning power, creativity and entrepreneurship of the middle class*

%he creation and 1lending2 of massive amounts of credit creates a massive distortion of the marketplace and encourages malinvestment* /irms that would have folded due to mismanagement or corruption or other bad business practices are artificially kept afloat and the market is not allowed to correct itself*

#ritain needed revenue after the end of the Seven 3ears (ar which ended in 4567* %he Stamp Act was passed in 4568 which taxed all legal documents, permits, contracts, newspapers, and even playing cards*

%he #ritish %ea Act of 4557 #ritish government institutes this tax to prop up the failing #ritish 0ast -ndia %ea "ompany* %his is an economic policy known as mercantilism*

-n Mercantilism %he State plays a protectionist role in respect to the marketplace by propping up failing businesses in which it is intimately involved* -t is akin to corporate welfare as these companies are deemed by the government to be 1too big to fail2* %his has several affects on the economy*

/irst, it creates a black market) by backing certain businesses over their competitors, it means that these competitors are at a disadvantage in some way* 0ither the favored business receives some preferential treatment or the non9favored businesses are penali:ed in some way such as higher taxes or tariffs on their products, passing laws so as to make their products or their business essentially illegal*

Second, it disrupts the marketplace* (hen a government favors a business by placing a tax or a tariff on a competitor;s goods or services, it drives up the prices of those goods or services* Also, it has an affect on investment* Since businesses rely on capital investment, placing restrictions on certain businesses or products may discourage entrepreneurs from investing in those businesses or products* -nvestors may invest in other ventures or they may decide not to invest at all*

-t is a fallacy that government, which is an agency for coercion, can manage the economic affairs of its citi:ens* %his is what the Keynesian economists propose it do in carrying out a <compensatory fiscal and monetary policy*< -n determining the amount and use of currency, government dictates changes in the opportunities and rewards for the individuals using the currency* %his dictation ranges all the way from determining what persons shall get new houses or cars to deciding what persons shall get a chance to play golf or go to school* Such use of coercion causes moral and intellectual decay of both government and citi:enry* %hose who apply the coercion become more arrogant and more indifferent to individual rights* %he sub=ects lose incentive and a sense of personal responsibility* >nderstanding gives way to antagonism, and mutual hostility destroys both the will and the ability to cooperate* ,ost persons admit that these are the results in the case of chattel slavery or foreign dictatorships* (hy should they not expect the same results to follow every other attempt to get cooperation by use of compulsion? %he one way in which coercion can help to release or increase human energy is in defense against coercion* A defensive use of force neutrali:es coercion, leaving peaceful individuals at liberty* -n liberty, individuals learn to get what they want by producing it themselves or by getting it from their fellows through voluntary exchange or gift* %he result is human progress* @n the other hand, when men use force to take what they want from their fellows or to manage them, they arouse antagonism and destroy cooperation* %he results are conflict and insecurity, leading at last to apathy and indolence, stagnation and backwardness*

The Boston Tea Party 9 reaction to %he Stamp Act* %ax protestors react unfavorably by tossing #ritish tea into #oston $arbor*

As you can imagine, the acts of the colonists did not go over well with #ritain* %hey reacted by passing the Intolerable Acts a series of oppressive laws in direct response to the civil unrest in the colonies most notably the #oston %ea arty*

%hese Intolerable Acts included:

Boston Port Act "losed the ort of #oston and forced the people of #oston to repay the 0ast -ndia %ea "ompany for damages sustained in the #oston %ea arty

Massachusetts !overnment Act Allowed the King to appoint positions in the colonial government without the consent of the governed &the colonists'

A"ministration o# Justice Act allowed the trials of #ritish officials in the colonies to have their trials moved if they could get a fairer trial* "olonists saw this as #ritish officials escaping =ustice

$uarterin% Act /orced colonists to house #ritish troops

-n reaction to this, the "olonies declared their -ndependence and thus began the American Revolutionary (ar* +uring the war, the alliance of the colonies formed the "onfederation of states* A con#e"eration is an alliance) a #e"eration is a political union of smaller geographical entities &such as colonies or states'

%he Continental Con%ress drafted the Articles o# Con#e"eration a contract entered into by all the states by which they would mutually be governed*

-f the federal government needed money it had to re.uest it from the states*

%here were essentially two competing ideas) one group of people known as the /ederalists, thought that the federal government should be small and that states should be in competition with each other for the betterment of their citi:ens* %he other group, known as the Aationalists, thought that there should be a more centrali:ed government with more powers* &%he difference in this case between power and powers, is this: powers are individual duties) power is sovereignty'

-n a cunning move, the Aationalists stole the term /ederalists from the /ederalists, forcing them to change their name to avoid confusion* %hey changed their name to the Anti9/ederalists* 0ventually the /ederalists won out and the federal government was given more power and the nation;s first president, Beorge (ashington, was a /ederalist*

%he Constitutional Convention was held in hiladelphia in 45C5 to draw up a new contract to replace the Articles of "onfederation* %here was much disagreement and much compromise and many of the Anti9/ederalists threatened to walk out and dissolve the >nion that had been created*

A compromise was struck and a Bill o# Ri%hts was added to the "onstitution in order to pacify the Anti9/ederalists* Dames ,adison wrote up the #ill of Rights with the help of people such as %homas Defferson, a champion of the #ill of Rights* %he #ill of Rights defined what limits were placed on the government*

Bill o# Ri%hts

Amendment "ongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof) or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press) or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances*

Amendment -A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed*

Amendment ---

Ao soldier shall, in time of peace be .uartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law*

Amendment -E %he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and sei:ures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be sei:ed*

Amendment E Ao person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand =ury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger) nor shall any person be sub=ect for the same offense to be twice put in =eopardy of life or limb) nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of li#e liberty or property, without due process of law) nor shall private property be taken for public use, without =ust compensation*

Amendment E-n all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall en=oy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial =ury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause

of the accusation) to be confronted with the witnesses against him) to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense*

Amendment E--n suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by =ury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a =ury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the >nited States, than according to the rules of the common law*

Amendment E--0xcessive bail shall not be re.uired, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted*

Amendment -F %he enumeration in the "onstitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people*

Amendment F %he powers not delegated to the >nited States by the "onstitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people*

Republican !overnment

&eparation o# Po'ers "hecks and #alances &the concept originated by ,ontes.uieu'

Le%islative Branch ( "ongress) elected by the eople 0stablished by Article - of the "onstitution, the Gegislative #ranch consists of the $ouse of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the >nited States "ongress* %he "onstitution grants "ongress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or re=ect many residential appointments, and substantial investigative powers*

)*ecutive Branch ( %he resident) elected by the eople >nder Article -- of the "onstitution, the resident is responsible for the execution and enforcement of the laws created by "ongress*

Ju"icial Branch ( Supreme "ourt Appointed by the resident) "onfirmed by "ongress Article --- of the "onstitution, which establishes the Dudicial #ranch /ederal courts en=oy the sole power to interpret the law, determine the constitutionality of the law, and apply it to individual cases* The +ir%inia Plan

0ach of the states would be represented in proportion to their population* States with a large population, like Eirginia &which was the most populous state at the time', would thus have more representatives than smaller states* Garge states supported this plan, and smaller states, which feared losing substantial power in the national government, generally opposed it, preferring an alternative 9 the Aew Dersey lan* The ,e' Jersey Plan proposed a single9chamber legislature in which each state, regardless of si:e, would have one vote, as under the Articles of "onfederation* -n the end, the convention settled on the Connecticut Compromise, proposed instead a legislative branch consisting of two chambers 9bicameral legislature* %hus, "ongress had a $ouse of Representatives apportioned by population and a Senate in which each state is e.ually represented* Three -i#ths Compromise . Slaves counted as 7H8 of a person to give the southern states more representation in the $ouse* The Alien an" &e"ition Acts resident Dohn Adams %he ,aturali/ation Act 9 0nacted Dune 4C, 45IC, with no expiration date 0xtended the duration of residence re.uired for aliens to become citi:ens to 4J years* Repealed in 4CKL*

%he Alien -rien"s Act 9 0nacted Dune L8, 45IC with a two year expiration date*

Authori:ed the president to deport any resident alien considered <dangerous to the peace and safety of the >nited States*<

%he Alien )nemies Act . 0nacted Duly 6, 45IC, with no expiration date Authori:ed the president to apprehend and deport resident aliens if their home countries were at war with the >nited States of America* Remains in effect today

%he &e"ition Act 0nacted Duly 4J, 45IC, with an expiration date of ,arch 7, 4CK4 ,ade it a crime to publish <false, scandalous, and malicious writing< against the government or any government officials*

James Ma"ison ( considered the /ather of the "onstitution) wrote most of the /ederalist apers) /ather of the #ill of Rights) co9founder of the +emocratic Republican arty which later became the +emocrats

Thomas Je##erson ( %hird president of the >nited States) co9founder of the +emocratic Republican arty) founder of the >niversity of Eirginia) one of the most staunch supporters of a republican form of government) helped draft many of the provisions in the >nited States "onstitution

Thomas Paine. wrote the widely influential works Common Sense and Rights of Man) sometimes known as the /ather of the American Revolution) in Rights of Man he proposed that political revolution is permissible if a government does not safeguard its people or their liberties)

Breat .uotes and ideas of the /ounding /athers

- tried wherever possible to obtain the precise dates of the .uotes below* - was not very successful*

<%he tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants*< %homas Defferson

<- predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them*< %homas Defferson

<%he several states composing the >nited States of America are not united on the principle of unlimited submission to their general government< %homas Defferson 1(here powers are assumed Mby the federal governmentN which have not been delegated, a nullification of the act is the rightful remedy: that every State has a natural right in cases not within the compact, to nullify of their own authority all assumptions of power by others within

their limits: that without this right, they would be under the dominion, absolute and unlimited, of whosoever might exercise this right of =udgment for them< %homas Defferson

<- ask, Sir, what is the militia? -t is the whole people* %o disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them*< Beorge ,ason "o9author of the Second Amendment during EirginiaOs "onvention to Ratify the "onstitution, 45CC

1Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? (here is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction and having them under the management of "ongress? -f our defense be the real ob=ect of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or e.ual safety to us, as in our own hands?< atrick $enry 45CI

<%hey that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety*< #en /ranklin

</irearms stand next in importance to the constitution itself* %hey are the American peopleOs liberty teeth and keystone under independence P from the hour the ilgrims landed to the present day, events, occurences and tendencies prove that to ensure peace security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are e.ually indispensable P the very atmosphere of firearms anywhere restrains evil interference Q they deserve a place of honor with all thatOs good*< Beorge (ashington