Foundational Documents Practice

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity...

• Declaration of Independence

• Articles of Confederation

• US Constitution

Argues that the executive branch should have one person as president.

• Federalist 10

• Federalist 51

• Federalist 70

• Federalist 78

People are born with natural rights.

• Declaration of Independence

• Articles of Confederation

• US Constitution

The Federal Government should NOT have the power to enforce taxation

• Declaration of Independence

• Articles of Confederation

• US Constitution

Argues that federal judges should be appointed for life, to remove any influence that other branches might have over their decisions

• Federalist 10

• Federalist 51

• Federalist 70

• Federalist 78

Argues that allowing different branches of government to "check" each other is the best protection against one branch becoming too powerful.

• Federalist 10

• Federalist 51

• Federalist 70

• Federalist 78

The people enter into an agreement with the government to keep law and order; in exchange, they give up SOME (but not all) of their natural rights.

• Declaration of Independence

• Articles of Confederation

• US Constitution

Extends equal protection under the law to every American citizen

• Declaration of Independence

• Articles of Confederation

• US Constitution

The Federal Government should consist of three different branches with a bicameral legislature

• Declaration of Independence

• Articles of Confederation

• US Constitution

Argues that civil disobedience is sometimes the only way to combat injustice

• Brutus 1

• Declaration of Independence

• U.S. Constitution

• Letter from Birmingham Jail