Jacqueline Jules's Blog - Posts Tagged "fathers"
Celebrating America’s Birthday
On July 4th, we celebrate America’s birthday with picnics and fireworks. What a great time to talk to children about American government and how it came to be. Or does the topic seem too dry amid summer fun and freedom? It shouldn’t! During the hot Philadelphia summer of 1787, fifty-five delegates met behind locked doors to confront a startling problem. The thirteen colonies that had fought so hard for independence from Britain during the Revolutionary War did not have a functioning national government. The thirteen states were like squabbling siblings. They fought over river rights and land boundaries. They didn’t honor each other’s money. Most people considered themselves citizens of a particular state, not the United States of America.
In the July heat of 1787, the founding fathers were at an impasse over the issue of representation in Congress. Benjamin Franklin called for prayer, and George Washington looked haggard, as if he were reliving the terrible days at Valley Forge. Some delegates feared the Constitutional Convention would disband and the fledging country would not survive.
In my book UNITE OR DIE: HOW THIRTEEN STATES BECAME A NATION, I focus on the drama of the Constitutional Convention—the problems between the states and the Connecticut Compromise, which convinced the delegates they could agree on a national government after all. Illustrated by Nickelodeon Magazine comic strip artist, Jef Czekaj, UNITE OR DIE presents history in the form of a school play performed by exuberant young actors dressed as the thirteen original colonies.
For a taste of the show, visit youtube.com at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5oQ6N...
Celebrate July 4th with family, friends, good food, and fireworks. But don’t forget the history. It’s exciting, too.
Jacqueline Jules
www.jacquelinejules.com
Unite or Die How Thirteen States Became a Nation
In the July heat of 1787, the founding fathers were at an impasse over the issue of representation in Congress. Benjamin Franklin called for prayer, and George Washington looked haggard, as if he were reliving the terrible days at Valley Forge. Some delegates feared the Constitutional Convention would disband and the fledging country would not survive.
In my book UNITE OR DIE: HOW THIRTEEN STATES BECAME A NATION, I focus on the drama of the Constitutional Convention—the problems between the states and the Connecticut Compromise, which convinced the delegates they could agree on a national government after all. Illustrated by Nickelodeon Magazine comic strip artist, Jef Czekaj, UNITE OR DIE presents history in the form of a school play performed by exuberant young actors dressed as the thirteen original colonies.
For a taste of the show, visit youtube.com at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5oQ6N...
Celebrate July 4th with family, friends, good food, and fireworks. But don’t forget the history. It’s exciting, too.
Jacqueline Jules
www.jacquelinejules.com
Unite or Die How Thirteen States Became a Nation
After Reading The Genius of America
The Genius of America by Eric Lane and Michael Oreskes examines the foundation of our constitutional government in a concise and compelling manner. Throughout this work, the authors refer to our “Constitutional Conscience” as a vital component of the American political system. Democracy in and of itself will not protect the rights of citizens. A constitution in and of itself will not preserve democracy. Germany was a constitutional democracy in 1933, when Adolf Hitler came to power.
In 1787, our founding fathers ingeniously created an entirely new form of democracy--one designed to protect minorities from majority rule and majorities from minority rule. Checks and balances between three branches of government keep any one branch from obtaining too much power. While our system is slow and often leads to frustrating stalemates, it requires that people work together to produce results. Such a government has built-in impediments against militant groups who might take control at the expense of other citizens. In other words, the very machinery that makes governmental change so maddeningly slow preserves our freedom.
Lane and Oreskes clearly explain challenges our Constitution has faced over the years, such as Proposition 13, which allowed the 50% of Californians who voted to make a sweeping decision for the entire state on tax revenues. Direct democracy doesn’t always provide a centrist approach. This is something our founding fathers understood when they wrote the Constitution.
In closing, the authors called for more Civics Education for our young people. If there are flaws in our government and changes are needed, they must be made with a solid understanding of what we already have. Reading The Genius of America has reaffirmed my admiration for our uniquely American democracy and inspired me in my own efforts to promote Constitution Day activities on September 17th. For a list of Constitution Day Books and resources please visit http://www.jacquelinejules.com/consti....
In 1787, our founding fathers ingeniously created an entirely new form of democracy--one designed to protect minorities from majority rule and majorities from minority rule. Checks and balances between three branches of government keep any one branch from obtaining too much power. While our system is slow and often leads to frustrating stalemates, it requires that people work together to produce results. Such a government has built-in impediments against militant groups who might take control at the expense of other citizens. In other words, the very machinery that makes governmental change so maddeningly slow preserves our freedom.
Lane and Oreskes clearly explain challenges our Constitution has faced over the years, such as Proposition 13, which allowed the 50% of Californians who voted to make a sweeping decision for the entire state on tax revenues. Direct democracy doesn’t always provide a centrist approach. This is something our founding fathers understood when they wrote the Constitution.
In closing, the authors called for more Civics Education for our young people. If there are flaws in our government and changes are needed, they must be made with a solid understanding of what we already have. Reading The Genius of America has reaffirmed my admiration for our uniquely American democracy and inspired me in my own efforts to promote Constitution Day activities on September 17th. For a list of Constitution Day Books and resources please visit http://www.jacquelinejules.com/consti....
