Ms. Diane Nicoll 8th Grade History Unit 1: Lesson 4 

American Republicanism
Name: Shira Sobol

Date: September 12, 2017

Class: 8th Grade - U.S. History

 
Slides and Notes 
Slide Student Notes

American Republicanism
Title 
Unit 1: Lesson 4

Describe the nation's blend of civic republicanism,

Goal  classical liberal principles, and English Parliamentary
Traditions

- By the people and for the people

- Ancient History has more emperors because it
was a more stable was to govern
Benjamin Franklin 
- He thought a republic was a great idea, but he
was worried about the republic keeping it, he
was worried they would rebel

- Before the war, Americans were angry that they

did not have same rights as English citizens
- Once they declared their independence they
began to work toward a new goal, to have their
own republic a form of self government.
Background 
- Americans were angry, so they forced their way
Information 
away from the parliament
- A Republican (you elect people to make the
decisions: representatives) and Direct
democracy (everyone chooses, which can be very
chaotic) is two very different things

- This idea was not new to America, 2500 years

ago which was used in classical Greece from
around 500 to 300 BCE
- Civic (public, the citizens, meaning citizens
Civic Republicanism 
could be in government) Republicsm
(representatives)
- They were able to have the direct democracy
idea in which “Every CITIZEN was able to vote”

 
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Ms. Diane Nicoll 8th Grade History Unit 1: Lesson 4 

- Citizens must place the good of the country

above their own individual interests.
- The philosophy fuels American government
- Americans believe strongly in civicness,
meaning that you're a well informed citizen
- Participate actively in politics
- Civic Minded (well minded in the community)
- Give power to the people but you have to give
back

- A view that stress over representative

democracy over direct democracy (meaning, in
which citizens elect someone, a representative
to represent or look after, their interest, evolved
in ancient Rome.)
- The best government is the one that protects
your rights as a minority
- They were worried that a big government would
Classical Liberalism 
kick out minority groups, therefore they wanted
to limit government powers.
- Giving everybody freedom, and worked on this
on specific articles in the constitution (speech,
elections, association, everyone can gather
together, press). And they reasoned that giving
these people these rights would limit
government power.

- The British parliament considered of two

chambers.
- The House of commons was filled with
representatives elected by citizens
- The house of lord was made up of non elected
judges, nobles and church
- Parliament provided a partial model for the
English  colonists’ representative government.
Parliamentary  - The House of Commons in our government
Traditions  would be the House of Representatives
- The House of Lords would be our senators which
is more upper level
- Parliament = Legislative branch or the Congress
(which has two branches, Senate and House of
Representatives, and both houses together are
the Congress)
-

 
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Ms. Diane Nicoll 8th Grade History Unit 1: Lesson 4 

- Presidents Branch and moved it out of

parliament, and we didn’t call it a prime
minister, we called it a president, and him and
the vice president have many duties and
powers. This is in the Executive Branch.
- The Executive branch executes Laws
- They called is a Senate based off of Ancient
United States of 
Rome and Ancient Greece
America: A New 
- Legislative Branch = Makes Laws
Style 
- Executive Branch = The President = Which
executes laws, meaning they sign it, or veto it,
and then the Legislative Branch can override the
veto, and then the law passes.
- Judicial branch = Congress makes the laws, so
this branch interprets laws, and decides
whether they’re constitutional.
 

 
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