Your Assignment: (*You are to get in groups of 3 or 4 and answer the following questions. Each group member is still responsible to post on the blog to get points for their work.)
1). How would you distinguish between a government with a constitution and a constitutional government? Why is that distinction important?
A). Why is a constitution considered a higher law? What are the major characteristics of a higher law?
B). What are the advantages of a written constitution?
2). Compare the major purposes of government according to classical republicanism with the major purposes according to the natural rights philosophy.
A). When classical republicans spoke of the "office" of citizen, what did they mean?
B). Classical republican thinkers believed that civic virtue must be learned, therefore all young people must receive moral education. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
3). Although the states experimented with various models in writing their new constitutions, all of them included some basic principles. What were those basic principles and why were they important?
A). How would you explain legislative supremacy and why did most states favor it?
B). What ideas drawn from the natural rights philosophy were reflected in the new state constitutions?
Due: Sunday by no later than 11:59pm
