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John Witherspoon
Born february 5, 1723, Died november 15, 1794. Presbyterian and founding father of the united states. Fought for the Populist Party of the Church of Scotland, helped to unify the early Presbyterian church in America, and moderated its first General Assembly. John was recruited by the trustees of the College of New Jersey. -
Charles Carroll
Born September 19, 1737, died November 14 1832, a wealthy Maryland planter and an early advocate of independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.At the time he signed the Declaration, it was against the law for a Catholic to hold public office or to vote. Although Maryland was founded by and for Catholics in 1634, in 1649 and, later, in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution placed severe restrictions on Catholics in England, the laws were changed in Maryland, and Catholicism was repressed. -
John Jay
Born December 12 1745.Died May 17 1829.served as the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court among a variety of top government. The New York native drafted the state’s first constitution in 1777 and the following year was chosen president of the Continental Congress.He then became U.S. minister to Spain,helping to broker the 1783 Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War.Jay was appointed the Supreme Court’s chief justice in 1789 and helped shape procedures in its formative years. -
Benjamin Rush
Born january 4, 1746, died april 19, 1813 “Father of American Medicine”. Proposal to establish a national public university. Rush was the Vice President of American Philosophical Society. On July 22nd Member of Second Continental Congress and Signer of the Declaration of Independence on August 2nd. In April 1777 he was a Surgeon General of the Middle Department of the Continental Army. -
John Petter Muhlenberg
\Born on October 1st 1746 and died October 1st 1807. Protestant minister. Muhlenberg was a Lutheran in 1769, and Anglican clergyman in 1772 to 1775. He was a general in the Continental Army in 1776 to 1784. Muhlenberg became a member of Virginia House of Burgesses 1784. After words becoming a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly From 1789 to 1795 and again from 1799 to 1801. -
John Hancock
Most recognizable signature on the Declaration of independence . Born January 23 1773. Died October 8th 1793. President of the continental Congress. Wanted his signature to be big so that king George could see it without his glasses.Hancock used his wealth and influence to aid the movement for American independence. He was president of the Second Continental Congress from 1775 to 1777, when the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the United States was born. -
Declaration of Independece
issued july 4th 1776. Explained why the colonists wanted freedom from britain, put forward the theory of government. It was basically a break up letter from the 13 colonies in the new world from britain declaring freedom as their own country. Written by 5 people: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, Roger Sherman, And Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson wrote about 90% of the declaration. -
E Pluribus Unum
First used on U.S. coinage.Motto suggested by the committee Congress appointed on July 4, 1776 to design "a seal for the United States of America."The translation for Pluribus is related to the english word plural, and unum is related to the english word unit. Many uniting into one, or out of many, one. -
John Trumbull Sr.
October 12, 1710 – August 17, 1785, One of few americans that served that served governor in both pre revolutionary colony and post revolutionary state. At the outbreak of the Revolution, Trumbull marched to Boston under the command of Gen. Joseph Spencer, as Adjutant of the 1st Connecticut Regiment. Stationed at Roxbury, he witnessed the Battle of Bunkers Hill from there, which was the closest he ever came to any of the subjects of his great historical paintings. -
U.S. Constitution
written in September 17, 1787 by the constitutional convention. Established the basic structure of of our national government. Power rested with the people. The main purpose of the U.S. Constitution is to establish the basic rights of all American citizens and provide direction on how the government should work.The Constitution also provides the framework for law and order and describes the roles of the government's federal judiciary branch, legislative branch and executive branch -
Bill of Rights
Approved September 25, 1789 First 10 amendments of the us constitution. Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition. Right to keep and bear arms in order to maintain a well regulated militia. Right to due process of law, freedom from self-incrimination, double jeopardy. Rights of accused persons, e.g., right to a speedy and public trial. -
The fifth amendment
Ratified December 15, 1791. The amendment creates both a number of rights relevant to both criminal and civil legal proceedings. In criminal cases it guarantees a right to a grand jury, and forbids double jeopardy (Forbids being tried for the same thing more than one time) -
Alex De Tocqueville and his five principles
January 1st 1835 Liberty is meant to be protection against the tyrannical government. Egalitarianism Refers to social equality, where social groups were equal. Individualism Tocqueville's idea was that people in america were free to flourish without hereditary distinctions. Populism refers to the participation of the common people in political life. Laissez-faire people had to rely on their self, “hands off” approach to the government. -
"In God we Trust"
january 1st 1864 was first put on coinage. A law passed in a Joint Resolution by the 84th Congress and approved by President Dwight Eisenhower on July 30, 1956 declared in god we trust must appear on currency. The official motto was adopted in 1956, and the first paper currency on october 1st 1957. -
Eminent Domain
1879 Refers to the power of a government over property in its territory. Sometimes the gov. Needs to take private property for public use. "Property being an inviolable and sacred right no one can be deprived of it, unless the public necessity plainly demands it, and upon condition of a just and previous indemnity."
