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US History concept chart major concepts & themes across US History: Difference between revisions
US History concept chart major concepts & themes across US History (view source)
Revision as of 00:35, 2 June 2021
, 2 June 2021→self-governance/ self-government
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** = ensures the '''two-party system''' | ** = ensures the '''two-party system''' | ||
=== | === Self-governance/ self-government === | ||
* | * in a democracy the people rule by popular vote of all decisions | ||
** colonial New England developed deeply-democratic traditions via town meetings and councils | |||
** impractical in a large country | |||
* in a republic the people rule by selecting by popular vote those who will rule on their behalf | |||
** direct representation = representatives are selected by popular vote | |||
*** = the American model | |||
** indirect or "virtual" representation is | |||
*** Britain argued that Parliament, elected by British Island inhabitants, represented the colonists "virtually" and looked out for their interests | |||
**** thus the American colonial protest of "no taxation without representation" | |||
*** prior to the 17th amendment (direct election of senators), the US Senate represented the states and not the people directly | |||
**** a form of = virtual representation | |||
**** that changed with the 17th amendment | |||
* to consider: | * to consider: | ||
** ''the extents and limits of self-government in the American system and history'' | |||
*** think political participation, ''de facto'' (in fact) and ''de jure'' (by law), over time | |||
** ''what does it mean and how do different people & times interpret it?'' | ** ''what does it mean and how do different people & times interpret it?'' | ||
** ''what is democracy? How can it work? What are its limits? How does it empower people?'' | ** ''what is democracy? How can it work? What are its limits? How does it empower people?'' | ||
=== Conditions for self-governance === | |||
* political freedom | |||
** political equality | |||
* economic freedom | |||
** but not political equality | |||
** i.e. rich or poor have same rights | |||
* religious freedom | |||
** people not bound by government-controlled religious rules | |||
** self-governance can exist in a religiously homogenous society (all the same religion) | |||
** but without freedom of religion, self-governance cannot exist in a heterogenous (multi-religion) society | |||
=== Democratic spirit === | |||
* the idea that the people may rule themselves is radical in the 18th century | |||
** related to protestant movement, especially puritanism and Calvinism, which held that individuals may have a personal relationship with God, and not through priests | |||
*** as was the Catholic and Church of England | |||
*** John Calvin preached that congregations should choose their own clery = a form of self-governance, democracy | |||
** related to "frontier" and immigrant experiences of seeking a new life that one can control | |||
** related to education and spread of literacy | |||
*** individuals able to read the Bible and other books on their own | |||
*** | |||
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