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Eminent Domain
The power of a government over property in its territory.
Written in 1625. -
John Trumbull Sr.
He was a colonial governor who sided with the colonists against the British. This happened during the American Revolution. -
John Peter Muhlenberg
During the American Revolution, Muhlenberg recruited soldiers to fight the British. -
Declaration of Independence
The delegates decided declare their independence from Britain. The Declaration explained the reasons why the colonists sought independence from Great Britain. -
John Hancock
A signer of the Declaration of Independence. He had the most recognizable signature on the Declaration. -
Benjamin Rush
A signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was the Father of American Medicine. -
Charles Carroll
A signer of the Declaration of Independence. He also helped finance the Revolution with his own money. -
John Witherspoon
A signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was the President of New Jersey College. -
Benjamin Franklin
A signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was also one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. -
"E Pluribus Unum"
"E Pluribus Unum" means "Out of many, one". It is a phrase on the Seal of the United States. -
U.S Constitution
The U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation and provided three branches of government: Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. -
Alexander Hamilton
He was the 1st United States Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton was in office from September 11, 1789 - January 31, 1795. He was also the Senior Officer of the Army. -
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was added to protect individual liberties. That includes the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and eight Amendment. -
John Jay
He was the first Chief Justice of Supreme Court and negotiated a boundary treaty with England. John Jay also helped write Federalist Papers. -
James Madison
In 1809, James Madison became America's fourth President. He wrote the Federalist Papers, and he was later called the "Father of the Costitution" -
Alexis de Tocqueville
Alex de Tocqueville was a Frenchman who came to the United States to study the social conditions of individuals. He wrote the Democracy in America. -
Liberty
When Tocqueville was in America, he noticed that the people were very devoted to the rule of law. By Liberty he meant protection against tyrannical government. He was afraid that the people in America would get too comfortable with the government and trust them more than themselves as individuals. -
Egalitarianism
This means that all people are equal. What Tocqueville observed in America was that it didn't matter if you were born at the bottom. If you worked your way up to the top, you would no longer be seen as a peasant. -
Individualism
Each individual has the control over themselves. In American society, the government did not direct individual activity as Tocqueville had seen in Europe. -
Populism
All people are allowed to participate in the government. For example the right to vote. Everyone have the same right to participate. -
Laissez-faire
This means that the government take their "hands off" to let each individual be the judge of their own interests. Tocqueville feared that the Americans would rely too much on the government. -
"In God We Trust"
This is the official motto of the United States. This replaced "E Pluribus Unum" in 1956.
