Roots of the US Constitution

 

Where do the ideas of the Constitution come from?

 

     Ancient Greece:

           direct democracy, juries, salaries for

           public officials

    

     Ancient Rome:

           representative government, vetoes,

           legal codes (written law)

 

     Enlightenment Thinkers (17th and 18th

     Century Europe):

          

           John Locke:

                optimistic view of human nature

                natural rights of life liberty and

                     property

                government derives its power from

                     the people

                right of the people to change or

                     destroy government

          

           Voltaire:

                religious toleration

                natural rights

                fair treatment for criminals

                growth of materialism

 

           Montesquieu:

                limited government

                separation of powers into three

                     branches

                checks and balances

 

           Rousseau:

                will of the majority

 

     Native Americans:

           Iroquois Confederation: confederacy,

                disregarding of social classes

           Albany Plan of Union: included the

                Iroquois for possible colonial union

           The Articles of Confederation:

                reflected Iroquois idea of

                federalism

           US Constitution: recognizes no social

                titles or ranks like Iroquois

     Colonial Experience:

           written law

           elected legislatures (House of

                Burgesses)

           separation among powers

           governor and royal vetoes over

                colonial legislatures

           restrictions on voting rights in some

                colonies (property, male, white)