Exam 1: Review Questions- Study Guide

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1. In the Declaration of Independence Jefferson derives a “right of rebellion” from the claim thatconsent is the rightful basis of all political authority. What is the logic behind this claim aboutconsent? Does the right of rebellion only apply against monarchs who abuse power? May it also beinvoked against other “despots,” e.g. Parliament? Or does the rise of representative governmentmake rebellion unnecessary, and also unjust? Explain, drawing on key texts to make your argument.

2. According to James I, the “divine right of kings” authorizes unlimited power for monarchs. Howdoes he make this argument in The Divine Right of Kings? How were opponents of monarchy inEngland able to use the doctrine to limit the power of Charles I, and expand the power ofParliament, according to Morgan? Is it possible to discover similar limits in the doctrine of “popularsovereignty,” such that representative governments may be reined in by those who fear majorityrule, or at least rule by bare majorities? Or is popular government unlimited and unchecked byvirtue of its claimed foundation in consent of the governed, as Loyalists like Chalmers feared?

3. What are the main principles of Calvinism, and how were they reflected in the Puritan project ofestablishing a “city on a hill” in Massachusetts Bay Colony? Was the Puritan theology reflect inthe distribution of rights and liberties among the colonists? How did the system of inclusion andexclusion in voting and office holding in New England reflect the primary goal of the colony? Inwhat manner did the content of the criminal codes and system of enforcement reflect on thetheology of the New England Puritans? Overall, did these aspects of New England impede orfacilitate cooperation with other colonies? Please explain with reference to key texts.

4. What implications does the Quaker (Friends) religious doctrine of the Inner Light have forconceptions of human nature? How does this contrast with the Five Points of Calvinism? Workingfrom the Quaker Inner Light, what political principles did William Penn hope to achieve in his“Holy Experiment” in Pennsylvania? How were Penn’s goals and theological principles extendedto the frame of government, voting rights, and qualifications for office? How did the laws andcriminal codes reflect this same Quaker thinking? Overall, did the qualities of Pennsylvaniacontribute to or detract from cooperating with other colonies for independence? Explain withreference to primary texts.

5. Which of the three colonial experiments – the model of Christian charity in Massachusetts, thepolity of “brotherly love” in Pennsylvania, or the Anglican stronghold of Virginia—was mostdemocratic? Which was least enthusiastic about declaring independence from Great Britain? Whatshould we conclude about the relation between the desire for independence and the commitment todemocracy in the American colonies on the eve of war in 1776, subsequent Declarations of Rightsand Frames of Government, or constitutions of the independent states?

6. “No taxation without representation” was a rallying cry for independence in the British colonies ofNorth America. What sort of representation did the colonists have in mind, and why was itnecessary in their view? Did their concept of representation depart from British understandings ofrepresentation in Parliament after the Glorious Revolution? If so, what accounts for this departure?If not, how did the colonies justify revolution?

7. What were the principal loyalist arguments against independence, including those advanced byChalmers in Plain Truth? On the basis of these arguments should we conclude that Loyalistsopposed representative government, or were their objections aimed at the specific type ofrepresentation embodied in Paine’s “simple government”? Explain, drawing on key texts.

8. What are the defects of mixed-government as Thomas Paine identifies them in Common Sense?Further, what are the defects of monarchy contained in his argument? What form does hisalternative “simple government” take on, and what arguments does Paine offer to recommend it?In light of Paine’s thoughts on government in Common Sense how might we expect him to judgethe various state constitutions being framed as he wrote?

9. What attempts were made to form a Union between the colonies prior to independence? Whatmotivated these attempts, what were their fates, and how did their structures compared with theeventual Articles of Confederation of the United States? What challenges to the adoption andoperation of those various attempted unions can be identified and how, if at all, did those sameissues reoccur for the Articles of Confederation of the United States?

10. What were the main arguments in favor of independence, according to Paine? How similar werehis arguments to those of the Continental Congress in its Declaration of Independence? Were thereany significant differences between Paine’s advocacy of independence and the reasoning of theDeclaration? If so, what were they, and what accounts for the differences? If not, what did theDeclaration accomplish that Paine hadn’t already done?

11. Does the structure of political authority under the Articles of Confederation reflect the “self-evidenttruths” expressed in the Declaration of Independence, or not? If so, show in detail how political lifeunder the Articles faithfully reflected the Declaration. If not, explain why the Articles depart fromprinciples that justified independence in the first place. (Note: the “structure of political authorityunder the Articles of Confederation” includes state governments, as well as the ConfederalCongress, as you will explain in your answer.)

12. “The people rule,” according to the doctrine of popular sovereignty. How, and why, did colonistsinterpret this fiction in a way that accepted slavery, denied women a role in political life, andreserved political office for men of means? In what sense, if any, was the cause of liberty servedby these exceptions to the language of the Declaration of Independence, which speaks of universaland inalienable rights? Or is this just another example of the way in which ideological fictions maskthe realities of political power?

Chalmers Plain Truth Reading: https://www22.zippyshare.com/v/NcRm5ZyR/file.html