Monday, July 14, 2008

things we should know

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people" are words from President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address during the Civil War. They are often quoted as a definition of democracy.

One of the primary motivations for the Pilgrims and Puritans to set sail for America was to escape religious persecution from England. Freedom of religion is a right guaranteed to all Americans in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Many of the Founding Fathers feared a strong federal government that could oppress the rights of individuals, much like they experienced under British rule. For this reason, the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791 to specifically set forth basic rights retained by the people and the states.

Ratified in 1788, the Constitution is the fundamental document governing the United States, outlining, among other things, the distinct powers of branches of government. According to the Constitution itself, it is the "supreme Law of the Land."

The first 10 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were added to ensure fundamental rights of the people and the states against a strong central government.


James Madison played an integral role in the writing and ratification of the Constitution, both as a chief architect of the document at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and later through his writing, with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, of the Federalist Papers. Madison protested the informal title of "Father of the Constitution," as he stated, the document was not "the off-spring of a single brain," but "the work of many heads and many hands."

The Constitution grants lawmaking power primarily to the U.S. Congress. Only after both houses of Congress approve legislation does the President sign them into law.

The federal government is divided by the U.S. Constitution into three distinct branches of government, the Executive, Legislative and Judicial. The Founders created such a separation of powers to ensure proper checks and balances so that no one branch of government would become too powerful.

In addition to living within the United States for at least 14 years prior to running for President, a person must also be at least 35 years of age and a natural born citizen of the United States.


There are currently 535 members of Congress, 435 of which preside as representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives, and 100 Senators in the U.S. Senate, two from each state. There are also five delegates to the House of Representatives representing 4 territories and the District of Columbia. These delegates do not have voting power, but do serve on committees.

Americans declared independence from England, as they opposed the oppressive control of the British crown. Specifically colonists objected to "taxation without representation," and England’s refusal to allow self government in the new world.

In 1791, the Bill of Rights, or first 10 Amendments to the Constitution, was ratified. Since then, 17 additional amendments have been added for a total of 27, including the 18th Amendment, which instituted Prohibition, and the 21st Amendment, which repealed (or undid) the 18th.
The latest amendment was ratified in 1992 ensuring that members of Congress cannot change their salaries until an election has intervened.

The stripes on the American Flag represent the original 13 colonies, which became the first 13 states in the United States: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

The Census Bureau estimates that in 1776, two-and-a-half million people lived in the 13 colonies which ultimately became the United States of America.
The first U.S. Census was begun in 1790 and 18 months later determined that approximately 4 million people were living in the United States. At the time, the largest city was Philadelphia, boasting a population of 42,000. In decreasing size were the major cities of the day: New York, Boston, Baltimore, and Charleston.

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