From the stirring story related by the people in the Declaration of Independence of the injustice which they had to suffer under a king, you can see how carefully future generations of people upon American soil were guarded by the Constitution against the wrongs which our forefathers had endured.
1. When was the Declaration of Independence signed?
2. How long did the colonists of America continue under government by a king?
4. Compare each sentence of this quotation (pages 167, 168) with the guaranties that you have discussed in class.
A. Discuss in detail the reasons for the coming of the American colonists.
B. Discuss in detail the contrasts noted in Note 2. Review the previous study with reference to our Declaration of Independence.
C. Write a paper comparing the solution found in the Constitution with the grievances noted in the Declaration.
D. Discuss a method by which this might be brought to the attention of the Socialists, Anarchists, and Bolsheviki who are criticising our government to-day.
What Provisions Would You Have Taken Out Of The Constitution
We have discussed the main personal guaranties of the Constitution. There is a large part of the Constitution which we have not yet considered. Not because I do not regard it as important--it is all important--but because the personal guaranties are of the highest importance. They constitute a Bill of Rights, a bill of individual rights, of your rights and my rights. These rights are clearly defined and carefully guarded.
I heard a man say the other day that the Constitution ought to be abolished, that it was an obstacle to human progress.(95) He did not say why. That is the trouble with a lot of people in this world; they are ever ready to destroy, but are never ready to aid in building up. Their purpose is destruction, not construction. You will hear a great deal of complaint about the Constitution. I have heard complaint about the Constitution. This is our Constitution. We are directly interested in defending it against all attacks if it is a good thing for us. If it is a bad thing we are all interested in having it repealed. And of course you now fully understand that the people have the power to repeal every line of the Constitution if they want to.(96)