James Madison

          James Madison has been known as our fourth president. He has been known as the Father of the Constitution. But what does that mean? Madison was president of the United States. Did that make him a good person? What kind of person was James Madison? Was he moral? Was he virtuous? What do those words even mean, and what is public virtue? I’m going to clarify those three words and what they mean before the main segment of my report.

          Gordon S. Wood wrote in “The Creation of the American Republic” on public virtue: “In a republic, however, each man must somehow be persuaded to submerge his personal wants into the greater good of the whole. This willingness of the individual to sacrifice his private interest for the good of the community—such patriotism or love of country—the 18^th century termed public virtue… The 18^th century mind was thoroughly convinced that a popularly government cannot be supported without virtue.” So public virtue is basically when somebody gives up what they want or need for the greater good of the community (or at least that’s what it meant in the 18^th century). Being virtuous and moral is basically knowing right from wrong and doing right. Having defined these terms, I will now continue.

James Madison is one of my heroes. He did a lot of great things in his life because he had a great mission to fulfill. He was also a moral and virtuous man in doing these things. My report isn’t just about the things Madison did in his life, but how he did them.

          One of the greatest, if not the greatest thing James Madison did in his life was helping with the Constitution. Madison was considered the Father of the Constitution because he spoke his opinion on pretty much every problem in the Constitutional Convention. I believe that he, along with many others who attended the Convention, was inspired by God to make that brilliant document. For example, William Pierce, a delegate from Georgia, wrote this about Madison: “… every person seems to acknowledge his greatness. In the management of every great question he evidently took the lead in the Convention… he always comes forward as the best informed man of any point in debate”.

          This brilliant government we have today is a result of James Madison and others sacrificing their fortunes, honor, and, many of them, their lives. They showed public virtue by sitting in a hot, stuffy room with uncomfortable clothes, arguing and debating for months. They couldn’t even open the windows for air because they knew that this document was too sacred to be lied about by Satan’s followers to the people of the United States.  And to just think that they did all of this, not for their own sake, but for the sake of others and for their country. Do many of us know, or even care that they did that? Many of the people of the United States of America instead teach the next generation the opposite: that the Constitution needs to change because these men were not moral or virtuous. And they only teach it because they don’t even understand what these men did. Everything the founders did in that room in Independence Hall was for someone besides themselves. How much public virtue can you have?

          Madison was the President of the United States, and that’s what he’s best known for. But it shouldn’t be. Madison should be known for what he did in Philadelphia in the hot, humid summer of 1787, but he still did great things as President. Madison was the President during the War of 1812. Can you imagine how hard it would be to be the leader of a country during a war? The British burned down his mansion during the war. He narrowly escaped death, and he didn’t even know that his wife was alive until days later. He was criticized every day for what he did in office. He didn’t have to be President. He didn’t have to deal with every lie that was spread around about him. He had already retired from public life. But he chose to serve his country, for the greater good of the people then and now. That is public virtue.

          Could James Madison have done more for his country than that? Serve as President of the United States of America and play the main role in writing the most brilliant document ever written? Could one man have done more for his country? He could have just sat back, relaxed. He could have said it was impossible to do more, and he would have been right. But James Madison was better than that. He could do more than possible. And yes he did.

          Madison wasn’t just the Father of the most brilliant document ever written, but he was the Father of 2 of the most brilliant documents ever written, and he played a critical part in another one. James Madison was the Father of the Bill of Rights, a document that listed our most important unalienable rights. It took 10 amendments and many hours at work for this to be accomplished. This document, I believe, was inspired by God as well. I also believe this document perfected the Constitution. But the Constitution wasn’t even ratified yet! “What is the point of making the most brilliant government ever known to mankind if this blessed country does not even abide by it?” Madison may have asked himself.

          James Madison had already developed that burning desire for serving his country and he was determined to put this brilliant government into action. The people needed to know why to ratify it. So he helped write the Federalist Papers, to persuade the states to ratify this document. He did even more than that, too. Virginia, his state, had its ratifying convention when eight states had ratified the Constitution. Only one more state was needed, do but this government into effect. But the odds were against James Madison, because Patrick Henry, a great and powerful speaker, was attending the convention. And he was against the Constitution. Even though Patrick Henry spoke loud and clear in his powerful voice, and James Madison had a very weak voice, Virginia ratified the Constitution that day. I believe that God caused that to happen through his servants, one of them being James Madison.

          Madison had done it! He had fought through the long, hard battle and won! Couldn’t he have sat back and enjoyed everything he had worked for? No, because James Madison, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many, many other great and virtuous men, did these things for you. They gave up everything they had, their liberties, their comfort, their necessities and their lives, for you. Not for themselves, for you. And that is public virtue.

          James Madison is my hero for not only doing all of these great things, but doing them for me. I have many other heroes, but Madison is one of my favorites, along with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Madison once said, “Each generation should be made to bear the burden of its own wars, instead of carrying them on, at the expense of other generations.”

Key of Liberty Notes: Page 6

Henry Knox was in Boston, and he went to New York for ammunition. The bad cannons weighed a ton. Knox brought the cannons over a lake and dragged them through snow, but he never gave up. He used his money for oxen to help him through hills and swamps in the winter. There were no roads and fallen trees everywhere. Two cannons fell in the lake, but Knox went after them and got them. Cannons sunk in the mud. He was at a roadblock, and he had three choices: 1. Give up. 2. Hit the wall (mediocrity). 3. Pray. 60 cannons got to Boston with Knox. 2,400 men built ramparts and set up cannons all night. A storm comes in, and Washington is frustrated because he can’t fight the British. The loyalists and British left Washington, and he got Boston without fighting. Instead of killing the extra people in Boston, Washington forgives them.

Key of Liberty Notes: Page 5

1608: Jamestown

1620: Pilgrims

1650: John Washington (George Washington’s grandfather)

George Washington

Age 6: George’s father died

Age 11: George went to the West Indies, where he got smallpox. This made him immune to the disease during the war. George is also 6’1’’. His stepbrother Lawrence, who was fourteen years older than him, also died.

Age 14: George wanted to enlist in the British Navy, but his mother wouldn’t let him.

Age 15: George became a surveyor. His sister-in-law’s father was watching him.

Age 18: George bought lots of land.

Age 20: Fairfax puts Washington as a major in the Virginia Militia.

Age 21: Washington went on a trip with Nathaniel Gist. He walked 33 miles a day and he almost died multiple times. Washington became a colonel. He went to the Ohio Valley to fight the French with Indians.

Age 23: Washington worked with many soldiers such as Thomas Gage, Horatio Gates, and Charles Lee. He was now under General Braddock, who joined him. Washington got sick and strayed behind, and General Braddock went right into a trap. There was so much confusion that the British were shooting each other. Braddock and many other leaders were killed. Washington had two horses shot out from under him, a bullet hole in his hat and three in his coat, but he survived, regrouped the men, and retreated. Washington was now lost and mad again, but his reputation grew because he survived.

Key of Liberty Notes: Page 4

King Richard had five sons. The first and second tried to overtake him, but they died in battle. The third died. The fourth was also named Richard, and he was the next king in 1189. The fifth was John Lackland, and he got Ireland. In 1215, King Richard (Richard’s son) wanted to take the holy land back, so he left. John Lackland took the throne, and he taxed the people. When Richard tried to come back, John sent people to Germany to put Richard in jail. However, Barons got Richard out and took him back to England. John then goes to France and gets the king to attack Richard in England. Richard forgave John, but when John came back, Richard was shot. He forgave the killer, and then he died. John became the next king because Richard sons all mysteriously died. John taxed the Barons and got money for war, nice clothes, diamonds, and feasts. John kept taking money, so the Barons complained to John and threatened him. They offered a charter to him (the Magna Carta), but John wouldn’t sign it. Finally, he died a year later.

Key of Liberty Notes: Page 3

Judicial

Judges

Executive (Enforces Laws)

President

Legislative (Makes Laws)

House of Representatives

Must be:

>25 or more years old

>7 years a citizen of the United States

>An inhabitant of the state that the people which they are representing live in

Also:

>They have a four year term

>Half of them are elected every two years

>The governor of their state appoints a new representative if they leave

>They elect their own officers

>They have power of impeachment

Senate

Must be:

>35 or more years old

>9 years a citizen of the United States

>An inhabitant of the state they are representing

Also:

>They have a six year term

>One-third of them are elected every two years

>There are two per state

>They are led by the Vice President

>The Vice President can’t vote unless he needs to break a tie

>They appoint their president if the Vice President leaves

>They run trials for impeachment

Key of Liberty Notes: Page 2

“Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”—1 Corinthians

America’s government is a Limited Extended Commercial Federal Democratic Republic.

In 1574, King Phillip of Spain hated the Dutch because they interpreted the Bible differently than he did. So, King Phillip fought the Dutch. England told the Dutch that they would help them, but the Dutch were starving, especially in Leyden. The people of Leyden pulled down their dikes, and they still wouldn’t give up. Eight thousand of them die, and the people of Spain (who were fighting them) mocked them. Suddenly, a huge storm knocked down the wall. In the morning, the Spaniards are nowhere to be seen. England gives the Dutch food and the Dutch thank God.

In Boston, the boys were having fun. They were looking forward to skating on the pond the next day. Unfortunately, the British soldiers broke the ice on the pond. Every time the pond re-froze, the British soldiers broke the ice. They even knocked down the boys’ snow fort! The boys eventually went to the English and told them to stop. The general told the soldiers to stop because he was impressed with the courage and the freedom of the boys.

A Boston girl gave up her precious lamb to save the starvation of Boston.

In China, the people had to leave their possessions. Their leaders were strong, but not moral. In fact, they had no religion. The government only taught them political things, and the government got rid of all of the books that gave the people contradictory ideas. The people didn’t get to choose their school

In America, people were doing acts of service and charity. Families were taught by the Bible, and they could leave for free. America had strong and brave leaders, such as George Washington. They turned to religion. They had freedom to choose their education, and they could get books easily. They could also choose any political party that they wanted to. 

Key of Liberty Notes: Page 1

1. I will take all your land and charge you rent à Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.

2. I will charge you a fee that I believe will keep you from ever having any excess with which to compete against my power à A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.

3. I will become your only heir à Abolition of all right of inheritance.

4. If you rebel, I will take all your belongings à Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.

5. I will become your only bank and make all the rules for that bank à Centralization of credit in the hands of the state by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.

6. I will control how you communicate with your other neighbors and your ability to travel à Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.

7. I will be your boss and own all the means of production à Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.

8. I will make you work à Equal obligation of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.

9. I will move you wherever I want. If you give me trouble you might even find yourself trying to eke out a living on a frozen rock someplace à Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the population over the country.

10. I will become your child’s teacher à Free education for all children in the public schools. Abolition of child factory labor in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.

Is it a Right to Intoxicate Yourself?

            Is this a right? Should drinking alcohol be illegal? Find out in this outstanding writing assignment.

            I personally do not believe in drinking alcohol (as you already know). It is very, very bad for your body. It destroys you, you get addicted to it, and it destroys you more, and, eventually, kills you. Also, I am a Mormon and Mormons don’t drink. But is drinking a right?

            Intoxicating yourself is a right. You can drink poison if you want to. Alcohol is your property, if you purchase it. However, it is not okay to take away other people’s rights because you have intoxicated yourself.

            For example, people drive drunk all the time. If you drive reckless and take away others’ rights, then drinking alcohol is not a right because taking away others’ rights is not a right. You could take away their life by crashing your car into them. You could take away their liberty because you could seriously injure them and they could have disabilities. You could take away their property by destroying their car. You could take away their right to the pursuit of happiness because a loved one in the car could be injured or killed. You could take away all of these things from them.

            Drinking alcohol is a right as long as you don’t take away other’s rights as a result of your actions. But alcohol is bad for you anyway (of course you knew that). 

The Right of Free Speech

            The right of free speech is one of the most important rights we have. But who proposed it? What does it include? When and where was it given to us? Why is it important? How did the founders give us this right? All of these questions are to be answered.

            The right of free speech was introduced in the Bill of Rights, and came into effect on December 15, 1791. This right was in the first amendment along with the rights of free religion, the press, and the right to assemble and petition the government. This Bill of Rights was the first ten amendments to the Constitution, written in Philadelphia in 1789, and they were proposed by James Madison.

            The right of free speech gives Americans the right to say whatever they want about the United States leaders (the President, Congress, State Legislatures, etc.) without being arrested or bothered by law enforcers for it. This is a great right because we can take a stand when the government isn’t doing their job right and inspire everyone to try to take them out of their job. I am glad the founders came up with this right. 

What Would Life Be Like Without the Constitution?

            What would life in the United States of America be like without our Constitution? Would we be controlled by a king and his military? Or would we all be running around crazy through the streets killing each other? Perhaps life would be like what it was in The Freedom Factor. Let’s explore what life could or would be like without the most brilliant document ever written in the history of the world.

            The first thing that would probably happen is the people would be in anarchy and turn to a king for direction and help. We would swing to tyranny. Over the years anger would build up against our king and eventually he would probably be overthrown by the people, who were so sick of his decisions. We would swing back to anarchy. This cycle would probably go back and forth until America would be taken over by another stronger country.

            Another thing that could happen is, after the Constitutional Convention had failed or the Constitution was not ratified, we would turn to stronger countries like England and France and pattern their government after them. And, therefore, our brilliant government, laws, and rights would vanish and we would end up with a Parliament and a King or Queen.

            Something else that could happen is one of the stronger countries, like England, would take advantage of America after their failed Constitution was abolished. We would have a war and, with George Washington much older than he used to be, we would lose and become part of England immediately instead of later.

I am grateful for the U. S. Constitution and for our founding fathers’ sacrifices to bring this country the gift of a more perfect country. Without the Constitution, this country would be in serious trouble and the circumstances of the American people would have been much worse. It is a good thing that we had such great men who lived at the dawn of this country and helped it come to life.

Should the Supreme Court Be Allowed To Interpret Moral Issues

            Should the Supreme Court be allowed to interpret moral issues? Of course they should. The Supreme Court’s job is to interpret the law. But the Supreme Court should not be able to make laws about moral issues, only interpret laws. All legislative powers shall be invested in the House and Senate, not the Supreme Court. For example, consider Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court should not have been allowed to make a law about abortions, only interpret the law. So the Supreme Court should be able to interpret the law on moral issues, but not make laws.            

Should the Minority Be Allowed To Win Over the Majority?

The majority always wins over the minority. But is there an exception to this rule? The answer is no. And I have three reasons to explain this answer.

            The first reason the minority should not be allowed to win over the majority is because it is simply not fair. How would you feel if you had no chance of winning? When one side wins, they win, and the other side shouldn’t. There could be a revote if there is a good reason for it, but it isn’t fair if the losers win.

            The second reason is that the majority winning over the minority is a concept that is used for very important things and ruling in the minority’s favor could cause a very big problem. One of the only ways to solve problems is to vote, and the rule of voting is the majority wins. If the minority is able to win, it will cause a big problem.

            The final reason that the majority should always win over the minority is because, more often than not, the people have elected the leaders who are voting and the leaders vote for what the people want. I am not saying this is the case all of the time, but it usually is. The power should go to the people and the majority rule helps it to.

            The majority should always win over the minority (with some slight exceptions). I have given three reasons for it and I know it should happen. Letting the minority win over the majority will upset people and cause problems. It is only fair that the majority wins.

             

Power to Declare War

            In the United States of America, the power to declare war is only given to Congress. The reason why the president or vice president or anyone else was given the power to declare war is because the United States doesn’t want to have a war just because one person says they have to.

            This way, the majority of the people declare war because the representatives of Congress get consent from the people to vote. This was a brilliant way to do it and a great idea that the founders came up with.

Have Supreme Court Decisions Helped or Hindered Our Nation?

            Supreme Court decisions have not helped, but hindered this nation. The Supreme Court’s job is to interpret the law, not to make laws. Only the Congress can do that. It says that in the first article of the Constitution! I have an example of a horrible Supreme Court decision.

            An example of a horrible Supreme Court decision is Roe v. Wade. A woman was pregnant, and wanted an abortion. At the time, abortions were considered a common law crime. When the state of Texas didn’t give her a legal abortion, a lawsuit was filed against the court of Texas. The case was eventually taken to the Supreme Court, where they deemed it a fundamental right under the U. S. Constitution. This is outrageous! The Supreme Court can not make laws. They had no authority to do that.

           

             

Does Congress Have Too Much Power Or Not Enough?

Congress was made by our founding fathers. They have all of the legislative power of the United States. Is this too much or not enough? The answer is neither. Congress has just the right amount of power. We have two houses of Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are two Senators from each state and there are a total of 435 Representatives for the House, each state getting its share through population. If one house wants to make a law, they have to have a majority in favor, and then it goes to the other house, which must have the majority in favor also. If they both have the majority in favor of the law, it goes to the President. If one house doesn’t have the majority, the bill is killed. The President has to sign the bill to make it a law, or he can wait for ten days and it becomes a law. He can also send it back to Congress with his complaints, and then each house must have a two-thirds vote to pass the law. This is a brilliant way that the founding fathers came up with. This gives Congress not too much; and not too little power.

What Powers Do You Have In Making New Laws?

            What rights do average American citizens like us have in changing laws? Can we do anything about it?

            If we do not like a law or think that it is unconstitutional we can work with our representatives to change it. This is one thing that not many people do. If we really want to make a change happen, we have to talk to the people who can make the change.

            If your representative will not help, you can vote for representatives. This could be the best thing you can do for your country. You can vote. You also have freedom of speech; you can say whatever you want whenever you want wherever you want. This can inspire others to vote or change their vote.

            We can also use our freedom of speech to get people to see what is happening to our country. The best place to do this is the Internet. You can put what you want to say in a place that people can say. This eventually will make a change.

            These are three things you can do to change laws. Work with your representative, vote, and inspire others to help you. It is very important that we take part in the laws of our country. 

Our Leaders: Men of Faith and Character or Men of Knowledge?

Should America’s leaders be men of knowledge? That would certainly be nice. Would men of faith and character be better? Would it be better or worse if our leaders were moral men who believe in God and have faith in this country?

            Men of knowledge would know how to work with this country; how to be a leader. But the question is, “Is the knowledge from man or from God?” The definition of knowledge is, “acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation.” So you know something from learning it. But where and how did you learn it? Who or what did you learn it from? Study and investigation is not listening to a teacher. It is learning from wise men that seek God, and seek to know truth. But after you learn it, you need to study and apply it. The most important part to knowledge is wisdom.

            Men of faith and character might not know as much as the knowledgeable man, but they seek to know truth, and they know where to find it. Character is especially important. Men of knowledge, more often than not, are prideful. They feel they are above the average man. One thing a lot of them don’t apply is the idea that all men are created equal. Humble and honest men who want to serve got are better leaders than men of knowledge.

            But one thing that needs to be known is the fact that men of faith and character are men of knowledge. Their knowledge is more valuable as well, because it is received from God, not man. I know what I have said to be true as far as my knowledge goes.

Why is America Different?

            Why is America different than any other country in the world?

             America is different because our government is controlled by the people (or it should be). Our founding fathers set up this country so that the people get the power. This is good because, instead of a king or Congress controlling everyone, the people can choose their leaders and throw bad leaders out of office. Even if they can’t do it fast enough, elections come around every four years and the president only has the power to serve 2 terms (eight years).

              America is also different because it is the land of opportunity. Here in America, people can fulfill their hopes and dreams. You can be and do whatever you want. That is why so many people have accomplished so many things in America. There are a lot of freedoms here, and that is why this is such a great country.

            I know that America is the greatest country in the world because we have so much freedom and we can be whatever we want. I am so thankful to be born into this country and to be a citizen of the United States of America.

What Are You Willing to Pay for the Price of Freedom?

            What am I willing to pay for the price of freedom? Let’s see…well, millions have died for freedom. Lots have suffered much for freedom. Some people are cowards and won’t give their life for anything. But I don’t blame them; they don’t know what’s coming next. What about our founding fathers? Were they cowards? No. They were willing to give their lives, fortunes, and honor for freedom. Isn’t that everything? Well, if it was or not, they still have their honor. But it is hard to say what I would be willing to give. I have never been in a situation where I have had to give anything for freedom. But I think I would probably give my fortune for freedom. And I might give my honor. But give my life? Well, I’d have to think about that.

            I would be willing to give my fortune for freedom because if I did, freedom would become my fortune. Trading my fortune for freedom? No big deal. Fortune means, “Position in life determined by wealth.” I am not wealthy; in fact I am probably the opposite. But if I were wealthy, I would, without hesitation, give it all and more for freedom. Fortune could also be defined as “luck” but I would be willing to go through bad luck for freedom. “Man may choose to do good or evil, and to bring on himself fortune or misfortune.” (The author is anonymous). I think if someone gave their fortune, if it was for good, it would come back to them.

I would be willing to give my honor because if you give your honor for a good cause, it will always come back to you. If you are good and make good choices, you can never get rid of your honor. Honor is very important to most people. They will not give it up, even for a second. I don’t blame them. They don’t understand that it will come back to them if they are righteous.

Would I be willing to give my life? Here are some reasons it would be worth it. 1. I would go to a better place. 2. If I were still destined for something great God would spare me. 3. The only people who care about my life know where I go when I die. 4. I would die for my honor, if it was my duty. 5. If I died for freedom my descendants wouldn’t have to.

I hope I would be willing to die for freedom. I would not want to be a coward and I hope I would choose the right way if I had to pay something for the price of freedom. So the answer to the question, “What are you willing to pay for the price of freedom?” is, “my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor.”

Was It Worth It? When the War Was Over and Thousands Had Died, Was It Worth It?

            Was it worth it? This paper will answer that simple question. Thousands had died. They still had freedom and independence, but thousands? “Thousands were slaughtered just for this?” many Americans wondered in their heads. Approximately 25,000 soldiers died on the American side during the war. Of this, only 8,000 died in battle, and the other 17,000 died from disease. So was it worth it?

            It was worth it because we have freedoms now that we never would have had if we had lost that war. We can worship whatever religion we want to, whenever we want to. We have freedom of speech; we can say whatever we want. We have the right to bear arms; we can defend ourselves and we can own weapons. We can only be taxed through the consent of the people. All of these freedoms would have never existed because if we weren’t independent, we couldn’t make the Constitution, which gives us rights and freedoms. But these freedoms weren’t the only reason it was worth it.

            It was worth it because the soldiers who died in that war truly went to a much better place up in heaven. There, they could have the chance to accept the gospel and later have ordinances performed for them in the temple. It was also better in heaven because they were not freezing, suffering, or being afraid of dying in heaven. Of course I don’t know all of the details, but I know that it was a better place than where they were before.

            It was worth it for the people who died to look down onto the earth and see their descendants benefited for what they did. I am sure everyone was happier after they died, because they could enjoy watching God’s work come to pass through the freedoms that they had helped win.

            It was worth it for the glory. After defeating the British, we eventually became the most powerful country in the world, and that is why our country grows so much. Everyone wants to move here. This is a land of opportunity. You can be whatever you want to be. You can do almost whatever you want to do. This is why so many great people in the world were Americans, and why many improvements to the world came from us. The lightbulb is American. The television is American. Most sports are American, or improved by America. Computers, the I-Pod, and the hot dog; all of these great things have come out of America. Thomas Edison, George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr.; all of these great people were from America and didn’t only believe in, but lived the American Dream.

            For all of these reasons the answer is yes, it was worth it! We are starting to lose our ground now to other countries because we are in debt, in need of good presidents, and a lot of us are lazy and hate to work hard. This is why the American Dream is slowly fading. We need to bring back what once was to this country, and the answer to that question will always be yes. When the war was over, and thousands had died, it was worth it.

You Are a Soldier in the Revolutionary War. Write a Letter Home.

To My Beloved Wife,

            I do not know what to do when my contract ends. We are starving with little clothing and supplies. The rations are smaller than you can imagine, and we have no blankets in the middle of winter. Because of that, we are losing supplies very rapidly. We trudge through deep snow for miles a day with no shoes or coat. And, we are losing to the British. These are all things that trouble me.

            However, I wish more to extend my contract than shorten it. What I really want and what I came to this country for was liberty. I do not want these British in charge of this country; I want freedom. And freedom is not gained by sitting at home. Sometimes, you have to fight for it. This is one of those times. We are very lucky to have General Washington, who is smart and bold. Mark my words; we will not lose with him on our side. Please, I wish for you to write me back on what you think of my decision.

            Your Beloved Husband.

"For Though the Flame of Liberty May Sometimes Cease to Shine, the Coal Can Never Expire." Is This True? What Does It Mean To You?

Thomas Paine published his famous pamphlet “Common Sense” in 1776. This was one of the most famous quotes in the pamphlet. Thomas Paine and the other founders of America had such great minds that their words were difficult to understand. In my opinion, this quote means that when one country wants to break away from another or repair their own laws for political reasons; that is, to stop governments from taking away freedoms and establish more freedoms; that sometimes individuals will not care too much, or care and not show it, but never will the desire for liberty be destroyed in any person, big or small; but once a person starts to desire liberty, their desire will never go away until the individual gets what they desire. I believe Thomas Paine’s phrase to be true; that the coal of the flame of liberty will never expire, even when the flame ceases to shine. When someone has a desire for liberty, the desire won’t go away until he/she gets his/her freedom.

What Made Washington A Great Man? How Can I Become More Like Him?

George Washington was one of the greatest men of all time, ever. Why? That is what I am going to talk about.

The first and most important reason Washington was a great man was because he believed in God. Many people in America today believe this is false. But I know it is true. Why is a man great when he believes in God? Because men who don’t believe in God keep all of the credit of their achievements to themselves, and this is selfish. People who believe in God will give all of the credit to Him. George Washington did this. He knew that if he wanted to win a battle, it had to be God’s will. He prayed all of the time, and never bragged about himself, rather God. He also tried not to judge people, because he knew God was the ultimate judge. George Washington wrote this in a letter to Benedict Arnold in 1774, “While we are contending for our own liberty, we should be very cautious not to violate the rights of conscience in others, ever considering that God alone is the judge of the hearts of men, and to him only in this case they are answerable.”

Another reason that Washington was a great man is because of his virtues. One virtue he had was honesty. One example of this is the tale of George and the cherry tree. Nobody knows if this story is true, but it does show how responsible and honest he was. Washington desired to be honest, because he once wrote, “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” Another one of his virtues was humbleness (yes that is a word). Once in Congress, the founders were debating who should be the commander-in-chief of the army. John Adams stood up and started to brag about Washington. Washington couldn’t bear to hear praises in front of so many people, so he stood up and walked out the door. This is one of many examples of how he was humble.

One more reason he was a great man is because he was smart. He presided over the Constitutional Convention and helped form our government. He looked back at old governments to see if they had worked or not. He helped found the most successful government of all time. Do you think you have to be smart to do that? The fact that he was our first president alone says that he was brilliant and a genius. He could have become king or turned America into some kind of military dictatorship; he had the whole army and country on his side! But he was smart enough to know that was the wrong thing to do. Most people who have lived on Earth would have done that if they had that much power. Some people think that Washington wasn’t smart because he was in the army, and because he didn’t go to college. But he had to have been really smart to be the commander-in-chief and beat the most powerful country on Earth.

            How can we be like this man? There are simply three steps. 1. Believe in God. Any great man has to believe that there is someone who created the earth and rules over it. 2. Build good character. You cannot be great if you are immoral and dishonest. 3. Get an education. To be great, you have to be smart. I myself want to be like Washington and I am trying to follow these steps. I hope I can be as great as him, but that could be impossible.

What Is More Important: Your Family Or Your Country

This is a very hard question. We obviously all love our families more than anyone else in the world, but our country is very important too. One thing to consider is the fact that helping your country is helping your family. Probably the founding fathers’ main reasons for sacrificing for their country were to help their families. In the long run, their family will have help in the future. Their descendants have good government and freedom of religion and speech. Their families later could have freedom. They knew, even if they died, that they would be able to live with their families forever in heaven. But we cannot live in our country forever. In the long run, families are more important. Right now, in our earth life, our country is more important because we have descendants who will live in our country later. We need to fix the government in our country while we are living in our country. This was why the founders didn’t care if they died. They would still have their families. So in a way, we can kill two birds with one stone. So the answer to this question is “our families are more important.” But people need to understand that helping their country is helping their family.

Define The Word "Stubborn". Is It Good To Be Stubborn?

Stubborn: fixed or set in purpose or opinion; resolute. Being stubborn usually does not make you popular or liked, or fun to be around. Stubbornness is usually not okay. Usually people are fixed or set in a silly or bad purpose. This is when it isn’t okay. For example, when two people are fighting, the best thing for them to do is to compromise. But too often people are stubborn, and end up holding grudges and things like that. That is why the only time it is okay to be stubborn is when it is for a good cause; when people are fixed or set on something that actually makes sense. John Adams, who we are studying, was stubborn to write a Declaration of Independence. This led to us separating from England and becoming our own nation. Everyone should be stubborn at one point. But it is only okay to be stubborn when it is for a cause that is good and makes sense.

When Is It Right To Defend Your Liberty With Guns?

I think that it is only okay to protect your rights with a gun if someone is threatening your life. The U.S. Army is fighting other countries with guns only to protect our country. If they didn’t protect us, other countries would bomb and kill many of us; maybe even almost all of us. That is why it’s okay for the army to fight with guns. The Second Amendment in the U.S. Constitution says we have the right to bear arms. This is good, because we can protect ourselves from wild animals and wild people to keep ourselves alive. We can also hunt animals to eat and keep us alive. Other countries, like Great Britain, don’t have the right to bear arms. They can’t protect themselves from riots of crazy people. But we have to use guns in the right way. I think the only reason we should have a gun is to keep ourselves alive, and I am glad that the founders put that we have the right to bear arms in the Constitution. I believe God inspired them to put that there.

What Are Your God Given Rights?

According to Thomas Jefferson and everybody who signed the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal, and they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” There are four God given rights in that quote. 1. We are created equal to everyone. 2. Life. 3. Liberty or freedom. 4. The pursuit of happiness; we can be happy. It also states that there are “certain unalienable rights, that among these…” So there are more rights that it doesn’t list there.

John Locke basically says in the 2^nd Treatise of Government that the government has no purpose unless they protect your life, health, liberty, or property.

So my God given rights, according to John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, and fifty-four other signers of the Declaration including Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, my God given rights are my life, liberty, property, equality, health, and happiness.

Why Is A Moral People Required For Good Government?

A moral people are required for good government because nobody can govern an immoral people. Moral people will break the law less and make fewer mistakes. A government is also made of people, so if the people are not moral then the government won’t be moral either.

            According to John Locke, the purpose of government is to protect the people’s life, health, liberty, and property. An immoral government would do the opposite. They would take away all of those things, then the government would fall apart and there would be no purpose in even having a government. That is why a moral people are required for good government.

What Is Your Responsibility For America and For Freedom?

My responsibility for America is to vote. Voting shows that we care for our country. It also shows that we care who leads this country. When I am old enough, I am going to vote for good leaders.

            Another responsibility for America and freedom is to learn about government and this country. The reason I want to do that is to know how to elect good leaders and make this country better. We need to elect or vote for leaders who will fix the problems that this country has.