We need government because people are not perfect. Because they are not perfect they do things that affect the freedoms and safety of those around them. Some people choose to physically harm others or to infringe upon their God given rights. Some people refuse to respect the property of those around them. Some people […]
The proper role of government is to prevent people from injuring or destroying the peace of others. Specifically it is to protect its citizens from those who would try to limit, or take away, their right to life, liberty and property. A proper government is set up by the people and receives its powers from […]
Where does government get its power? God gave to each person his moral agency or freedom of choice. That agency allows each person to choose for themselves how they will live their lives. The ability to choose is an essential part of God’s plan for His children. When the ability to choose is taken from […]
When asked what type of government we have, most Americans would reply that we have a democracy. Others would say that we have a democratic republic. And there would be some who would say that we live in a republic. Many would argue that there is little difference between a democracy and a republic and […]
Why is our republican type of government best? As we learned in the answer to a previous question, we have a republican form of government. Because we have a written constitution we call it a constitutional republic. One reason that a republican form of government is best is because it provides the greatest protection for […]
We need a written constitution to protect our rights. How does the Constitution do this? The Constitution outlines how laws are to be made. It is a slow and careful process that involves the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the President. The process helps prevent the government from making quick and unwise decisions in […]
The United States Constitution is special because it is an inspired document. The men who wrote it did so under the inspiration and influence of God. It has been approved by Him in the scriptures. It is based on the wisdom of God and not of men. The Constitution is special because its creation was […]
Soon after the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the States adopted a new form of government. The new government had a constitution called the Articles of Confederation. This government lasted through the Revolution and for a few years afterwards. The Articles of Confederation government proved to be too weak. It lacked the power necessary to […]
The Drafters of the Constitution recognized that unforeseen future circumstances might require changes to the Constitution. Therefore, they provided a process for changes to be made. The process is outlined in Article V. Changes to the Constitution are called amendments and become part of the Constitution for all intents and purposes. The amendment process can […]
The Constitution creates a government with three branches. They are called the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Together they form a complete government. Each branch has different responsibilities and powers. The responsibilities and powers given to each branch are defined by the Constitution. The legislative branch is known as the Congress of the United States. […]
Some have wondered if there is a reason to study the Constitution and the founding of our nation. Government today is so far removed from the Constitution that this founding document can seem irrelevant. It can seem impossible to ever get government back within its constitutional bounds. However, if we recognize the constitution as the […]
Why do we, as Americans, believe that our Constitution and form of government are so important? There are many nations in the world with various forms of governments. What makes ours stand out? What makes it special? Why is it necessary that we befriend the Constitution? Our Constitution is special because it did not come […]
In 1553, Mary I was crowned Queen of England. A Catholic, she quickly reinstated Catholicism as the state religion. Over the next five years she had over 280 Protestants burned at the stake for heresy. Mary’s father, Henry VIII, had broken with the Catholic Church just 20 years earlier. He had sent scores of Catholics […]
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. 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 […]
From time to time there are efforts to encourage the states to call for a constitutional convention. Recent efforts have focused on amending the Constitution to require a balanced federal budget or to limit the power of the Federal Government. So far such efforts have failed. Many fear that a constitutional convention cannot be controlled […]