INSTRUCTIONS
Questions
- a) briefly describe in your own words the specific passage, fact, or idea that surprised you;
- b) explain why/how you found this surprising;
- c) explain, based upon this new fact or thought, what you wish to reconsider or further explore about the Constitution, the founders, constitutional rights, or some other aspect of U.S history. Does your encounter force you to rethink a previous reading or class discussion? How so? Explain. While you, of course, must write in full sentences and paragraphs, do not think of this as a formal essay, but rather a chance to share your reflections. The idea here is to pose questions, rather than answer them.
This assignment is for my class on the U.S. Constitution, where we are currently addressing the U.S. Constitution's process of ratification. The idea from the specific passage I want to address is the following: The Declaration of Independence and the debates during the Constitutional Convention, originally convened to amend the Articles of Confederation, were heavily influenced by fears of a government becoming too powerful and infringing on the basic rights of its citizens. Given these concerns, why was there even a debate in 1787 about including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution?
The passage from the book is as follows: Lee stated that "Universal experience, [...] proved the necessity of the most express declarations and reservations... to protect the just rights and liberty of Mankind from the Silent, powerful, and ever active conspiracy of those who govern." (This passage is from the book Ratification by Pauline Maier).