1-4 Founding Documents American Founding Documents and People’s Law 1. The Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) a. The document __________________________ the thirteen colonies decided to separate from Great Britain and to _________________________________________. b. The Declaration makes clear the ________________ on which the U.S. is based: i. The power of the government comes __________________ of that country (“the consent of the governed”) ii.If a government ignores the will of the people, ______________________________ _______________________. iii. “We hold these truths to be __________________, that all men are _____________, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable _________, that among these are ______________________________________________________.” c. The signers of the Declaration knew they could be signing their ____________________. They would be ________ for high ____________ ifcaught by the British. d. They ______________ but believed their actions were worth “our _______, our ________, and our sacred ________.” 2. Articles of Confederation (drafted 1777, ratified 1781) a. The Declaration of Independence was not designed to __________ a government. The new country ____________________ and win their war with Britain. b. The Articles of Confederation set up a “firm league of ___________” where each _________________________ and in most ways was to be _________________________ ______________________. c. The states were responsible for enforcing the ________ laws (any problems here?) After their experience with King George III, Americans were suspicious of _________________ who could limit their freedoms. d. The United States was _______________ during and after the long War for Independence. The Articles of Confederation ____________________________to solve its problems. Weakness of the Confederation: i. No ____________ to speak or act for the nation in case of______________. ii.No __________________ to deal with cases between states, piracy, or high crimes. iii.No means of ________________________________(except by declaring war on a state). iv.No power to regulate ___________________________.
