A More Perfect Union Chapter Summary

Shaylee Olney, We the People, Unit Two, Question 1 In the book, A More Perfect Union, author William Peters stated, “A major goal of the drafters of these state constitutions was to create governments so structured that the power of those entrusted with governing might never encroach on the liberty of the governed.” There is a challenge in both empowering and limiting the government. Although a strong government is necessary, a line needs to be drawn for the powers they have, which have been laid out in our Constitution over time. Both the government and the governed need to be in check. In Federalist 51, Madison states, “Private interests of every individual may be sentinel over the public rights.” Here, Madison suggested that private interests of individuals need to be watched over and guarded. The private interest can also be a check on the government to stop it from interfering with their rights. Sometimes public rights can harm the rights of an individual, and Madison wanted to prevent that from happening. The government has challenges in both keeping up with Individualism and the common good. Which one should be

In Federalist 51 Madison states, “It is of great importance in a republic not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part.” Americans believed that power that is not given is power that cannot be misused. Now the different branches have control over different parts of how our government works. There are areas of specialty, a shared power. This is the basis of which a federal system is run because the power is shared and divided. A court case that is an example of checks and balances is Marbury v. Madison. It established the system of checks and balances, and the role the Supreme Court has in the federal