The Great Depression

There was not only one leading factor to what caused the Great Depression. It was a combination of domestic and worldwide conditions that led to the Great Depression. One of the major contributions to the Great Depression was the Stock Market Crash of 1929. After the crash stockholders lost over $40 billion dollars. This was a great loss for America and started the great depression. After the stock market crash the Banks soon started to fail. This was another cause of the great depression. In 1930 over 9,000 banks failed. Which lead to people losing all their savings.  Soon people refused to purchase all items being sold which lead to business being put out of business. When the businesses started failing, the government created the Smoot-Hawley Tariff. This was something they would protect American companies.

The first major Government Intervention was to reduce trade with other foreign countries. They would reduce importing goods to save Americans Jobs. This seemed to rescue the economy for a short while.

Lots of people believe that The Great Depression was caused by failure of a free market and was resolved by government intervention. I believe that this is not true. After the Tariff was created a couple months later, more people were losing their jobs more than ever and that sky rocketed to the double digits And I believe that, that truly cause depression throughout the United States.

I know this to be true because the stock market crashed again in 1987. Most people forget about this crash because of how America responded to this second stack market crash was mush more affective then how America did in the 1930’s. During the 1987 stock market crash President Ronald Reagan did nothing and the economy continued growing.  Reagan did not intervene in the economy after the stack market crash in 1987.

I am for the free market system. It may have its flaws, but with it you can view both the productivity growth more quickly when the country produced services. The free market system also allows export jobs to pay more often then other jobs. And with the free market system people feel that they have more freedom to choose what they want to do and with that I think people make better decision and respect the law more.

Charter City: Lesson Number 6

What would it take to create a perfect city? Most people could agree that in order to obtain a perfect city we need respect for life, peace and harmony, justice and equality under the law, education for all, family stability and social responsibility. Now if everyone can agree on that we could create a new peaceful city a lot faster. But the problem seems to be is that the people of the city would want to make their own choices and the leaders of the city would also want to create all the choices in that city. This can cause big problems throughout the city.

To be able to create a well off city we need to provide the right kind of goods and services. Meaning we need to be civilized with other cities and states to be able to get all the production we need to sustain our city. This is vital because we need better/more resources and better technology we can get. To get the things we need for our city we also need to make an agreement with other civilization that we will be able to provide or trade production with them. It takes time to be able to accomplish good prosperity (wealth) in a premature city. Like you do in a newly formed business you must first spend money to make any profit. And that is the same as it would be when it comes to forming a new city and building it up to be something great and prosperous.

Building a city that would survive through all the hardships of the world would be extremely difficult. But with the right foundation, honest leaders, and people that are willing to work hard and know the difference between right and wrong decisions. A city with people that are stubborn and only will agree to with what they believe to be right, will not survive. With a strong government, who knows how to control the people, will be very successful in all their endeavors.

I’m not trying to say that creating a new city would be, by all means, easy. America has been working on it for hundreds of years and we still have not perfected it yet. It is a very difficult task, but we have done pretty well so far. And even if we cannot reach the goal of a  “Perfect” city we still created a place for people to come and live and try to start a new life.

Federalist 51 essay

The Federalist 51 lays out the “federal principle”. It is the notion that a "compound republic" is the best protection against reproaches by any set of would-be rulers and/or a factious majority of the people. The purpose of Federalist 51 is to "form a more correct judgment of the principles and structure of the government planned by the Constitutional Convention". In the document, it is informing the reader of the safeguards and the separate branches of government, and to protect the rights of the people. Since the beginning of time, we have always had a right to our natural rights. They should never be taken away from us. And when they are taken away from us, someone needs to be punished for taking them away from us.

One of the difficulties of Federalist 51 is the argument about factions or no factions. I don’t think that Madison ever meant to fully get rid of factions. Madison just wanted to make sure that no one could take away another person's rights. The constitution and the declaration of independence guarantees certain rights for anyone, so that even if there are factions they all have to follow and abide by the same laws. Some difficulties, however, and some additional expense would attend the execution of it. Some deviations, therefore, from the principle must be admitted. In the constitution of the judiciary department in particular, it might be inexpedient to insist rigorously on the principle: first, because peculiar qualifications being essential in the members, the primary consideration ought to be to select that mode of choice which best secures these qualifications; secondly, because the permanent tenure by which the appointments are held in that department, must soon destroy all sense of dependence on the authority conferring them.

Madison famously points that "if men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government.” In so doing he clearly clarifies the nature of the problem -that in order to govern a government must secure the consent of the people to do so, and then prevent the potential of abusing the people by constraining itself against the nature of man, which is to follow his own ambition. This is the paradox Madison mentioned in the article.

The primary control is also very important matter in this article. It states that the people of the country has the right to vote in elections every four years to determine who will be in government and who will be in charge for the next four years. The primary control is government’s “dependence on the people”, which is provided by, the consent of the people to be governed. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions” (Federalist 51).  As a country, we do need a system of organization. Which for us is the Government. The Government is there to keep this country organized and from falling down.

Auxiliary Precautions is the structure of the government. It controls the internal checks and balances. “In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. We as a republican country have put our faith and trust that the government will know what to do with their powers. And enforce the separation of powers.

Essay #2

What about the U.S. Constitution was inspired?

“After two centuries, every nation in the world except six have adopted written constitutions, and the U.S. Constitution was a model for all of them. No wonder modern revelation says that God established the U.S. Constitution and that it ‘should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles.’” (D&C 101:77.) They say that it was a miracle that they could draft and ratify the Constitution. They never thought that it would pass. But with Gods help and their faith, they were able to pass the U.S. Constitution.

There are five different reasons why the U.S. Constitution was inspired: Separation of Powers, A Written Bill of Rights, Division of Powers, Popular Sovereignty, and the Rule of Law and not of Men. Because of these reasons, the government had just reasons to start he constitution. George Washington was one of the first to say that the constitution was a miracle. “It appears to me, then, little short of a miracle, that the delegates from so many different states  (which states you know are also different from each other in their manners. Circumstances, and prejudices) should unite in forming a system of national government, so little liable to well-founded objections.” (George Washington).

The separation of powers is a political doctrine originating from the United States Constitution. It helped the legislative, executive, and judicial branches from abusing their powers. Each state wanted their individual government and laws.  So they created the Separation of Powers.

The written bill of rights allows free exercise of religion. It also created a speedy trial by impartial jury, and guarantee that a person will not be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. President Ezra Taft Benson has said, “Reason necessity, tradition, and religious conviction all lead me to accept the divine origin of these rights.”

The U.S. Constitution also inspired the division of powers. Which divides government powers between the nation and the various states. The division of powers assigns certain powers to the national government and other powers to the states.

“That every man may act … according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. “Therefore, 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.” (D&C 101:78–80.)  All men have free agency, but consequences come along with that agency. Men are responsible for themselves, and their family, but no one else.

The rule of law states that no man is above the law. All men must abide with the laws or will be punished. There are some cases of expectations when it comes to leaders in the United States. President J. Reuben Clark said, “Our allegiance run[s] to the Constitution and to the principles which it embodies, and not to individuals.” We are all equals according the constitution, declaration of independence, and to God.

How is it that the U.S. Constitution was inspired?

“It is as a result of these events that we are able to meet today in peace as members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ. For this we should all be eternally grateful.” (Ezra Taft Benson). Because if the decisions our leaders made long ago, we are able to have freedom of speech and religion. And I know that because of this, I am leaving a blessed life and for that I am eternally grateful. “I desire, therefore, to speak to you about our divine Constitution, which the Lord said, “belongs to all mankind” (D&C 98:5). Every man on earth was meant to have free agency for themselves and their families. But not too long ago, some people were not allowed to choose for themselves and were forced to have owners or a strict government and leaders. But God meant for everyone to have agency. And soon enough, we created the Constitution and were able to live in a free country. Therefore, it is now illegal to take away our natural rights, Life, Liberty, and Property (The Pursuit of Happiness).  

“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” (Ezra Taft Benson). We should all have trust in God because He has done these things for us. He put the founding fathers on this earth at the right time to be able to create these laws. And for that, we should all be thankful. God knows when things need to become known to man on earth, He has everything planned, and made out for us. He knew that if we fought hard enough for our own constitution and had faith in him, then one day it would happen.

The Founding fathers were humble and had faith which led to inspiration from God. They had a firm belief in God and knew He wouldn’t let them down. They knew we, as a people, had the right to ratify the constitution.  “The Lord knoweth all things from the beginning,” said Nephi, “wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men” (1 Ne. 9:6). This is enough proof to me that God has molded us and prepared us to fight for what we believe in. The constitution was given to us at the right moment and time, and only God knows why then in the 1700’s that it was the right time for the constitution to come forth unto man.

Why are the Colonies morally justified to declare independence?

“Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these: First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can.”  Like Benjamin Franklin said, we have the right to defend are rights in the best manner we can.  And by the colonies separating themselves from Great Britain and their unlawful acts, they had to declare their independence.

           

In my personal research and understanding of this matter, I believe that the colonies had every right to declare independence from Great Britain.  The colonies had their rights and freedoms being taken from them over night. It was only a matter of time before the colonies started their own government. 

Natural rights, also called inalienable rights, are the rights that all men are born with. If anyone were to take away someone’s natural rights, then they would be consider a criminal and would be set up for a trial. As said by Thomas Jefferson “Citizens have the natural right and the common sense duty to protect themselves, their families, their communities, and their property...guns are the equalizing tools of self-protection, utopian lamentations notwithstanding.” By protecting yourselves, from someone trying to take these rights from you, it is not illegal.

For the first example, Great Britain was taking away their natural rights, which are Life, Liberty, and Property (The Pursuit of Happiness).  By creating taxation without representation, Great Britain was making it almost impossible to live a financially stable life. Everyone’s property was in danger of being taking away from them; prices went higher when buying goods, and most people could not afford to keep up with their lands.  Almost everything that you could buy, sell, or deal was being taxed on. It made it extremely difficult to live in this time and to protect yours and your family’s life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, causing families to revolt and going against the government and refusing to pay all the taxes.

Another main reason why the American Colonies needed to revolt was because the British were expecting them to pay unreasonable taxes. Some of the main taxes were: the Stamp Act, the Townshend Act, and the Tea Act. The government may have some good reasons to force all the colonies to pay these taxes, but without any representation from the colonies there was not a chance that they would all agree to pay these taxes.

The Stamp act was for any printed material to be printed on stamped paper, to collect revenue. These printed materials were legal documents, magazines, newspapers and many other types of paper used throughout the colonies. This act was passed in 1765.  The purpose of this tax was to help pay for troops in North American at the Seven year war.  Many of the colonies felt that this was unfair to be taxed without consent. After many petitions and boycotts, the act was never put into force and none of the colonies had to pay the tax.

The Townshend Act is a series of acts that began in 1767. In the series, there was the Revenue Act, the Indemnity Act, the Commissioners of Customs Act, the Vice Admiralty Court Act, and the New York Restraining Act. The purposes of these acts were to raise revenue for the salaries of governor’s and judges.

The Tea Act was passed in 1773.  The purpose of this act was to raise revenue in the American Colonies.  The Boson Tea Party was a big event that happened because of the Tea act being passed.  Some officials in Boston refused to return over 300 cases of tea, so the colonist began to revolt. They boarded the ship and destroyed all the tea by tossing it off the edge into the water. About 10,000 pounds of money was destroyed that day in tea.  This Boston Tea party soon put an end to the Tea act. This rebellious act turned out to be very useful. The colonies no longer had to pay those taxes anymore.

Boycotting (refusing to use, buy, deal with a persons/ organization as a protest for political reasons) was one of the main revolting strategies when the colonies were declaring independence.  The colonists boycotted just about everything that they received from Great Britain. They boycotted the imported goods and refused to trade with them.  But most important of all they boycotted their home countries government. Clearly they had issues with the taxes they were being forced to pay, and it wasn’t even because of the taxes themselves. They were upset because they were taxed without representation. Of course they are going to boycott. Their king claimed that they were a free people but they were receiving no such rights. The British government showed absolutely zero respect or care for the colonies. So, the colonists did the only thing they could think of and stood up for their rights.

            In conclusion, by declaring independence, the colonies couldn’t have done anything more to stand up for what they believe in. America is a very strong and proud country, and without this countries history to get to where we are now we wouldn’t be those proud Americans we are today. And without the Declaration of Independence this country would not be where it is today, with all its strong and powerful leaders. This country may be very young compared to all the other countries, but America definitely has discovered the right kind of foundation. We found a new form of government that has been working very well for all the people in this country. We discovered away to fill everyone’s needs and have been able to come to an agreement on most things that are vital to this country.