Government Assignment

Part 1:

1. What are the things that governments should do according to the definition of individual liberty as outlined by our Founders? (Hint: Read the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution below.) I am not asking for your opinonalthough you may add that. I want to know what our founding documents sayh first in general about what the federal government should do. Don't neglect this #1 part of the assignment. Then answer the a-e parts below in relation to the founding documents also. Again you may add your opinon but forget about what is going on today.

"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, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Untied States of America."

a. What is the proper role of government in providing health care, welfare, affordable housing, or retirement security according to the definition of rights in the Declaration of Independence? In other words, does the government have a role; why or why not? Keep in mind all the information you have been given before responding. I do not want just your opinion but reference to the founding documents - that applies to parts b-e also. And be thorough in your explanation not just a "yes" or "no" type answer. This assignment requires some critical thinking as well as analysis of the Founders' thoughts.

b. What is its role in limiting smoking, posting calorie counts, or demanding seat belts be worn?

c. Should the government be able to deny a prescription drug to sufferers of a disease because it is not "FDA approved"?

d. Should the federla government run public schools with such programs as Common Core and force all people in a geographic area to pay for them via property taxes according to the founding documetns? This part is actually a two-part question.

e. Should the government even collect property taxes in the first place? Be sure you are looking at the Declaration of Independence and other documents in answering number 1 and a-e.

Part 2:

1. Why do you suppose the Founders wrote "We the people" with such large letters in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution? Think!

Part 3:

1. Select two Black Patriots from the link of the same name( The link is located at the very top of this assignment; it might be slow to load since it's an Adobe file), write in several paragraphs what you learned about these two (that means some detailed and specific information not just a sentence or two). I have added another website here from Wallbuilders.com on another Black patriot that you are also allowed to use as one of the two.

http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=20990

2. Continue by writing about two of the founding mothers from the websites below. Let me know if you have trouble with any of the sites. You may have to either hold down the control key when clicking on one of the websites or copy/paste into the address bar of your computer. Some of the websites might also include later women but be sure you are writing about a founding mother in that time period.

Deborah Samson- woman who dressed as a man - very interesting

http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/sampson.html
http://www.americanrevolution.org/women/women38.html

Mary Ludwig Hays (Molly Pitcher)

www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/youasked/070.htm

http://www.essortment.com/all/mollypitcherbi_rotw.htm

Elizabeth Annesley Lewis

http://colonialhall.com/lewis/lewisElizabeth.php

Martha Washington

http://www.historyswomen.com/1stWomen/MarthaWashington.html

http://www.mountvernon.org/files/Curtis.pdf

Lydia Barrington Darragh - spy for American Revolution - very interesting

http://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/lydia-barrington-darragh/

Other women during colonial period

http://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/

Original text of Pioneer Mothers of America - colonial period begins on page 280 - I had to copy and paste the website into the address bar. It's interesting to look at this old text if you have the time.

http://www.archive.org/stream/pioneermothers01greerich#page/214/mode/2up

Part 4

Declaration of Independence

1. List the 27 grievances in the Declaration of Independence (there is a link with the text of the Declaration of Independence attached - see top of page). The most famous one and probably the only one you have heard of is "no taxation without representation" which is #17.

2. After your list of 27, make another list numbered from 1-27 and express in your own words what each one means (feel free to get help by researching reputable on the Internet but still use your own words).

3. Did you know that there were this many grievances that the colonists had against the King of England? Explain why you knew them or why you didn't.

4. Make one more list of the top five grievances in order of importance to you. Imagine you lived at that the time of our young country. You simply have to put a short description of what each is. Example if you think #17 is the most important to you followed by #14, in your list of 1-27, your list would start like this:

a. #17. Taxation without representation
b. #14. Housing the King's soldiers in our homes
5. Tell why each of these five is important to you as if you lived at that time of our young country.