Foundations of American Government and Political Development

This assignment explores the foundational aspects of American government, focusing on the balance between governmental power and individual rights, the models of representative democracy, and the debates surrounding the creation of the U.S. Constitution. Students will analyze democratic ideals and trace their origins in founding documents, while also evaluating the differing perspectives during the ratification of the Constitution.

This section focuses on the balance between governmental power and individual rights, along with the models and ideals of representative democracy that have shaped American political development.

Explain the democratic ideals of natural rights, republicanism, popular sovereignty, social contract theory, and limited government.

Differentiate between the models of representative democracy: participatory, pluralist, and elite. Provide a brief description of each model.

Trace the origins of democratic ideals in the founding documents of the United States, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. In other words, provide examples of where these ideals live.

This section explores the debates surrounding the creation of a new government, focusing on the issues with the Articles of Confederation, the compromises made during the Constitutional Convention, and the differing views of Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

Make and defend a claim on the development of debates surrounding the creation of a new government in the United States. Consider the perspectives of both Federalists and Anti-Federalists in your response.

Explain the issues that highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and led to the call for a stronger central government.

Describe the key compromises reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

Evaluate the views of the Federalists regarding the ratification of the Constitution. What were their main arguments in favor of a stronger central government?

Evaluate the views of the Anti-Federalists regarding the ratification of the Constitution. What concerns did they have about the proposed government structure?