AP US Gov Philosophical Background Notes

9/13/11

Aim: To examine the philosophical backdrop/ mythology surrounding the founding of the United States.

·      How did the founders view man?

·      How did the founders view the creation of the U.S.?

·      What did the founders hope to achieve?

v Founders’ ideology

¨     “To Begin the World Anew” Bernard Bailyn

Ø  Compares art and politics- Provincialism

 Founders were able to develop outside the main societies of Europe without copying what was going on in Europe

 Just like the artists on the outside, the founders were able to create their own new styles

 Unsophistication about current political ideas was a good thing and allowed the founders to create a new country with new ideals

Ø  Founders were in a unique position

9/14/11

¨     “The American Political Tradition” Richard Hofstader

Ø  Founders had a strong sense that man was evil, yet they wanted to give man a certain amount of freedom

Ø  Cynical about the nature of man- men are Calvinistic (prone to sin and corruption)

Ø  There is no way to change the design of man

Ø  Agree with Hobbes that man is out of control and selfish, but don’t take it to the level that an absolute monarch is necessary for stability.  They hope and believe that man can still be free with a little bit of control and no one man will be able to dominate another (Locke)

Ø  Three constitutional devices

 Separation of powers

 Representative government- filters out the masses (the masses are asses).  We elect representatives to write and approve laws and represent the interests of the public (not pure democracy)

 Federated government to prevent uprisings- sharing of power between the states and national governments

Ø  Founders viewed democracy as a threat to liberty (liberty to the founders meant property.  You have the right to buy property and do whatever you want with it).  Direct democracy (the founders viewed pure democracy to be mob rule) threatens liberty because the masses might resent the propertied classes and might want to take it away from the landowners and create socialistic policies.  If everyone has property, no one will threaten it.  The founders were sensitive about their property rights.  This is also protecting economic activity, which expresses who we are as human beings

Ø  Faction- a group of people whose interests are adverse to everyone else’s, and they try to dominate the government.  Factions bring down democracies

9/16/11

v Declaration of Independence

¨     All men are created equal- Are they really equal because women and slaves did not have the same rights

¨     3 parts

Ø  1^st paragraph exemplifies the Enlightenment by using reason to make an argument and presenting issues before taking action

Ø  2^nd part- philosophical- purpose of government and natural rights

 The people have the right to overthrow the government if it does not protect their rights

Ø  3^rd part- grievances against the king- quartering, no representation

¨     Government is created to protect man’s natural rights

¨     Using the word “Creator” because they believed G-d created nature and some were deists (they believed that G-d created the world but then stopped and does not intervene in the world)

¨     “People should not be afraid of their governments.  Governments should be afraid of their people.”

¨     Even though there is a social contract and our natural rights need to be protected by the government, we have to be careful about that and not overthrow the government for one small problem or change, which could create instability

¨     The founders were both idealistic and practical (unlike the French Revolution which went out of control because people acted only on their changing emotions)

9/19/11

v Dollar Bill

¨     Joseph Campbell’s interpretation of the dollar bill

¨     Eye- G-d of Reason (everyone has access to reason).  The founders believed the US was the first country built based on reason (as opposed to G-d and power)

¨     Annuit Coeptis- G-d approves of our undertaking (G-d of reason has smiled on our accomplishments)

¨     Pyramid

Ø  Roman numerals = 1776 (founding of the country)

Ø  13 levels of the pyramid- the number 13 represents transformation (12 apostles + Jesus, 12 zodiac signs + sun)

Ø  Pyramid itself represents democracy because from no matter where you are, if you move up everyone ends up in the same place and can access reason

¨     Novus Ordo Seclorum- new order of the ages/ new world order

¨     Barren land behind pyramid- mess of Europe they wanted to get away from

¨     Growth in front represents the US- society based on reason and the

¨     E Pluribus Unum- out of many [comes] one (anyone can become an American)

¨     Eagle

Ø  13 Laurel leaves (olive branch)- represent peace.  The eagle is looking towards the olive branch showing that we will be peaceful and use diplomacy before going to war

Ø  13 Arrows- at times we will have to go to war (practicality)

¨     13 Stars- connect them and it forms the star of David, which represents protection (Solomon’s Seal)

v