The Freedom Factor

Our book colloquium on Freedom Factor led us into a discussion about the following:

What is public and private virtue?  Can one possess one without the other?

Why does the pendulum swing from tyranny to anarchy and anarchy to tyranny on the founders political spectrum?

Where does a pure democracy fit on the spectrum? What are the dangers of a pure democracy on a national level?  

  Our special guest speaker Travis Chapman helped us understand  Constitutional wars as well as our current monetary system and how it differs from what is permitted in the Constitution.His knowledge of the principles of freedom and his ability to apply them to current events is truly inspiring. He knows his stuff! 

Congratulations to all of our Key of Liberty students for memorizing the Preamble to the United States Constitution! 

Homework:

1. Read Article 1 of the Constitution.  It may be helpful to read it online with definitions at nccs.net.
2. Begin reading Fifty-Five Fathers. To order Click Here
3. Bonus: Begin writing Article 1 section 1-2 of the Constitution in your own words.

Presentations:  Brayden & Gigi

Devotional: Gigi

Nature of Government

    The Founders believed that all forms of government have the tendency to become tyrannical. Why? 

At the Constitutional Convention Benjamin Franklin stated:

 "Sir, there are two passions which have a powerful influence on the affairs of men.  These are ambition and avarice; the love of power, and the love of money.  Separately, each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but when united in view of the same object, they have in many minds the most violent effects.  Place before the eyes of such men a post of honor, that shall be at the same time a place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it."

The genius of the Constitution is that it distributes power vertically and horizontally to prevent a tyrannical centralized power. The Founders did not ignore human nature. See D&C 121:39.

Which branch in our government has the most power?

Homework:

1. Finish reading Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund. Our Colloquium is this Thursday no exceptions!
2. Write Opinion paper:  What powers do you have in making new laws?
3. Memorize Preamble

Presentation: Gigi

Devotional: Gigi

A Republic, if you can keep it...

    At the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787,  Franklin was asked by a Mrs. Powell  “Well Doctor what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?"  Franklin replied, 

“A Republic , if you can keep it."

 

What are the advantages of a Republic?

"Refine and enlarge the public views by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations." James Madison

Test your knowledge of the U.S Constitution by playing the online U.S IQ game!

Constitution Studies

• We started class by playing  "Take a Liberty" card game. 
•  Each group did a great job presenting their assigned type of government.  We discussed Monarchy, Despotic, Aristocracy and Republic. 
• The boys and girls team were able to match the Constitution topics with the correct Article in under 5 seconds! The final scores:  girls 4.3 seconds, boys 4.7 seconds.  Next week we will add the sections to Article 1: 

Article 1       Legislative Branch

                         Section 1:   Lawmaking powers in Congress

                         Section 2:   House of Representatives

                         Section 3:   Senate

                         Section 4:   Elections and meetings

                         Section 5:   Organization of Congress

                         Section 6:   Compensation and Privileges

                         Section 7:   Legislative Process

                         Section 8:   Powers granted to Congress

                         Section 9:    Powers forbidden to Congress

                         Section 10:   Powers forbidden to States

  

Homework:   

1. Opinion Paper:  Is it better to have a man of faith in office with a minimal education or a man of knowledge with minimal faith and questionable character?
2. Memorize Preamble. Learning it in sign language helps.
3. Prepare for our matching competition: Boys against girls!
4. Finish reading Freedom Factor, by Gerald Lund by 1/31

Presentation:

Jeremy 

Devotional:

Lilly

Presentation Topics and Schedule:

1/24 Jeremy -    James Wilson

1/31 Gigi-         Governor Morris

2/7   Lilly-         Roger Sherman

2/14 Tyler-       Alexander Hamilton

2/21 Brayden-   John Dickenson

2/28 Kaylee-     Edmund Randolph

3/7  George-     William Patterson

Writing Assignments- Due on the date listed below

1/24  Is it better to have a man of faith in office with a minimal education or a man of knowledge with a minimal faith and questionable character?

1/31  What powers do you have in making new laws?

2/7   Does Congress have too much power or not enough?

2/21 According to the Constitution, Congress has the power to declare war but for the last 60 years the President has declared war.  Which branch in your opinion should have the power-Legislative or Executive?

2/28  Have the Supreme Court rulings helped or hindered our nation

3/14  If you were to make an amendment to The Constitution, what would it be?

3/21 What would life be like without the Constitution?

3/28 According to the 1st Amendment does a person have the right to go to a public park and swear around children?

4/4 If a person is suspected of doing evil, should the government be allowed to search his house with out him knowing it?

4/11 Should a criminal die the way he killed a person?

4/18  Is it an unalienable right to intoxicate oneself?  Does the government have the power to take away our unalienable rights? Explain.

4/25 Now that you know and understand our Constitution, what do you plan to do in your life to see that it is not trampled down by power-seeking men?

We the People...

    "I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.  This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power."  Thomas Jefferson

Current Healthcare bill

 U.S Citizens "owners manual" for our republic

            The Constitution belongs to each citizen not a group of scholars, lawyers or politicians. Yes! It is a law written for us and it is written simply enough that we can understand it!  


"Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction"( Source: The Words of Joseph Smith 416. Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Historical Department. Joseph Smith on July 19, 1840)



"We must have a generation of Americans who believe in the Founders original success formula and who have the ingenuity and grit to restore it as the founders initially planned it." W.Cleon Skousen, The Making of America


Constitution Study:

• Be prepared to give a 5 min. presentation with your partner on your assigned type of government.  

• Finish rewriting the Preamble in your own words.

We discussed each phrase of  the Preamble to the Constitution and worked on rewriting it in our own words.  We also practiced signing it!  To learn it in sign language click here!

This weeks assignments:


Brayden & Jeremy: Monarchy
George & Tyler: Aristocracy
Gigi & Lilly: Despotic
Kaylee: Republic

Skit Preview

 Acting out the injuries of King George III has taught us a lot about the patient sufferance of the American Colonists and the usurpations and tyranny of England over them. We have also learned a lot about each other...it has been very entertaining!

Here are a few pictures previewing our skit with more to come!

King George getting into character.

 The king's butlers looking the part.

     Congratulations to Lilly for being the first to memorize the Declaration of Independence!  She will receive a copy of  Our Constitution Rocks! by Juliette Turner.

Homework:

1. Memorize:   "We therefore ... declare that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown.  And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
2. Please have the Life of Washington by Josephine Pollard read by this Thursday Dec. 6th! 
3. We still need to film the last section of our skit so bring your props.

Presentation: Brayden

 Devotional: Davin 

The Need for Heroes

Can exemplary Heroes help us to develop and maintain a self-governing character?

Did George Washington really pray at Valley Forge?

Mr. Isaac Potts, who oversaw the grinding of the grain for Washington's army was an eye witness to this occurrence:

     

     "It was a most distressing time of the war, and all were for giving up the Ship, but that great good man.  In that woods.... I heard a plaintive sound as of a man at prayer.  I tied my horse to a sapling and went quietly into the woods and to my astonishment I saw the great George Washington on his knees alone, with his sword on one side and cocked hat on the other.  He was at Prayer to the God of the Armies, beseeching to interpose with his Divine aid, as it was a Crisis, and the cause of the country, of humanity and of the world.  

     Such a prayer I never head from the lips of a man.  I left him alone praying.  I went home and told my wife, I saw a sight and heard today what I never saw or heard before.  We never thought a man c'd be a soldier and a Christian, but if there is one in the world, it is Washington. She also was astonished.  We thought it was the cause of God, and America could prevail."

     "....The man must be bad indeed who can look upon the events of the American Revolution without feeling the warmest gratitude towards the great Author of the Universe whose divine interposition was so frequently manifested in our behalf.  And it is my earnest prayer that we may so conduct ourselves as to merit a continuance of those blessings with which we have hitherto been favored." George Washington, September 28, 1789

    

For our devotional Tim shared Red Skelton's inspiring message about the Pledge of Allegiance.

Homework: 

1. Opinion Paper: What made Washington a great man? How can you become more like him?
2. Bring props for our video skit.
3. Continue memorizing the Declaration of Independence. For memorization techniques click here.

Devotional: Brayden

Presentation 11/15: George and Tyler

A Land of Liberty

A Land of Liberty

I beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters.  1 Nephi 13:12

Christopher Columbus

None come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord...this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring.  1 Nephi 1:6-7

And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters. 1 Nephi 13:13

Pilgrims

And if it so be that they shall serve [God] according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them;  2 Nephi 1:7

The Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord and the power of the Lord was with them.  1 Nephi 13:16

George Washington at Valley Forge

...the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations. 1 Nephi 13:19

Revolutionary War

It is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.  And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood. Doctrine and Covenants 101:80

Do you need help memorizing the 13 original colonies?  click here.

Homework:
Read The Life of George Washington by Josephine Pollard
No Opinion papers due this week

Updated Presentation Schedule:
11/8 Tyler
11/15 George
11/29 Lilly
12/6 Timothy
12/13 Brayden

Devotional Schedule
11/8 Timothy
11/15 Kaylee
11/29 George
12/6  Davin
12/13 Genevive

Presentation Ideas

1. Navigation Acts
2. Proclamation of 1763
3. Sugar Act/ Writs of Assistance
4. Stamp Act / Quartering Act
5. Sons of Liberty
6. Townshend Acts
7. Battle of Golden Hill (New York)
8. Boston Massacre
9. Tea Act of 1773
10. Boston Tea party 
11. Coercive Acts ( Intolerable Acts)
12. First Continental Congress
13. Committees of Correspondence / Committees of Safety
14. Massachusettes Circular letter
15. Minutemen / Militia
16. Currency Act

Additional Ideas:

Tory / Tories / Loyalist / Redcoats / British Soldiers / Hessians / American Loyalists

King George III

French and Indian War 1690-1760

Weaponry of the Revolutionary War

Early Documents (Magna Carta / Mayflower Compact / Petition of Rights-1623 / English Bill of Rights-1689)

American Colonial Fashions (dress)

Paul Rever's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Battle of Bunker Hill / Fort Ticonderoga / Crown Point

Second Continental Congress-1775

Declaration of Independence

Family member Revolutionary War experience

Resources and sources of wealth in the colonies

• Presentations should be about 7-10 minutes long.
• Props, handouts, visual aids or demonstrations are encouraged