Colby Laxton

AMST 100 Assignment #1

1.

According to John Adams, the American Revolution was an uncommon event that caused a
numerous amount of negative effects. Adams claimed that the American Revolution did not
start with the war, but began when the people's view of the king changed and they no longer felt
their rights were protected.(52) Most people at the time believed that the king was appointed by
God, however, once they realized many of the actions of the king were unjust and they felt they
were losing their right to life, liberty and property, they began to question whether the king was
actually appointed by God. Once people developed these beliefs, the ideas spread throughout
the colonies through records, pamphlets, newspapers and handbills. Many people that believed
the king was unjust also believed that it was their right to get rid of or change the government
that did not protect their rights.(3) There were two main causes that led America into the
Revolutionary War. One cause was the end of their security of life, liberty and property and the
other was their loss of affection of England.(52) The king slowly began to take away many
rights they had. He taxed them without representation, he quartered large bodies of troops, cut
off trade, and made many other unjust actions against the colonists.(4) Most of the colonists had
grown up being taught to love England, but many of them began to realize that the country they
thought they loved was being cruel to them and the fondness for England quickly died down.
(52) I agree that both of these reasons for entering the revolutionary war were valid. The
unalienable rights of the colonists were being denied and it was their duty to start a new
government that protected their rights.

2. There were two main reasons that the name anti-federalist was chosen. The name highlighted
political principles, but also stood in favor of certain trends that were starting up. During the
time period, the word federal had two different meanings. Federal was not only the name for
people that wanted a more connected union(teachingamericanhistory.org), but it also
described a set of government principles that opposed uniting into one system. Based on these
definitions, it is clear that the name anti-federalist was chosen because it best describes the
group of people that did not support the constitution or the idea of having a central government,
but a more limited and local government.
There were three main types of anti-federalists. The first type was nervous about giving
congress more power and limiting the roles of the states. However, they eventually supported
the constitution once the powers of congress were directly stated and the states were represented
equally in the senate. The second type of anti-federalists were concerned that the new
constitution would lead to a high concentration of power and that one branch may take over.
They were also worried that about the absence of a bill of rights and that the constitution would
lead to a completely national government. The third type of anti-federalist wanted a new
government that was only slightly different from the previous form, the Articles of
Confederation. Similarly to the second type, they thought the part-national, part-federal system
would not work out and would lead to a completely national government unless amendments
were created to assure state's power. (teachingamericanhistory.org)
3. Some of the dangers of forming a consolidated government include the inability to create a
perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and to promote well being and
liberty.(58) In addition, freedom is never secure in a consolidated government.

There are several problems with large republics. According to Cato, the problem with large
republics is that the public good is sacrificed which leads to a loss of liberties. According to
Brutus, the main problem with large republics is that they are likely to contain rich, powerful
citizens that have their own interests and may oppress other citizens.
4. There are two main features of the constitution that Brutus thinks give the government too
much power. One feature is the role of the great officers. They have the ability to abuse their
power to benefit themselves as opposed to the country. The other negative feature is the role of
the executives. The command of the troops, the appointment of officers, the power of pardoning
offenses, collecting revenue and expending it all lie in the hands of one powerful leader. Both of
these features give too much power, which could be very dangerous. One of the biggest dangers
would occur if an executive officer used one or more of the powers listed to take control of the
government or cause problems for the citizens. Although not as extreme, an officer who used
his power to benefit himself could cause numerous other problems for the country. (65)
5. There are several key characteristics Brutus mentions that define a free republic. One important
characteristic of a free republic is a small territory. Both the Romans and the Grecians started as
small free republics, but turned to tyranny as they grew too large. Another very important
characteristic is that the laws are approved by the people and created by the representatives
chosen by the people. In addition, free republics do not have standing armies and the people can
be confident in their rulers, because they know them.(63) Although it is not mentioned, I think
that the division of power is an important element of a free republic.