Definition of POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY:
The Preamble to the Constitution begins with this bold phrase: "We the people..." These words announce that in the United States, the people establish government and give it its power. The people are sovereign. Since the government receives its power from the people, it can govern only with their consent.
How is Popular Sovereignty applied today?
SLAVERY (1700)
- Slavery in the United States was a form of slave labor which existed as a legal institution from the early colonial period.
- Slavery is related to Popular Sovereignty because when slavery was around, different territories had different opinions on it, so they let each territory decide whether they wanted to keep it or get rid of it.
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (1775)
- It was a political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America.
- The American Revolution relates to Popular Sovereignty because the people during that time were tired of being ruled by the king, and they all wanted freedom from it so they revolted to create the thirteen colonies.
COMPROMISE OF 1850
- The Compromise of 1850 defused a four-year confrontation between the slave states of the South and the free states of the North regarding the status of territories acquired during the Mexican-American War.
- This relates to Popular Sovereignty because some territories disagreed with slavery and had other opinions on it than other territories. The government allowed the territories to decide if they wanted it or not.
How has Popular Sovereignty been applied over time?
The principle of popular sovereignty was the basis for every new State constitution. That principle says that government can exist and function only with the consent of the governed. The people hold power and the people are sovereign.
The first State constitutions differed, sometimes widely, in detail. Yet they shared many similar features. The most common features were the principles of popular sovereignty, limited government, civil rights and liberties, and separation of powers and checks and balances.
The barons who developed the Magna Carta were seeking protection against heavy handed and arbitrary acts by the king.
The Petition of Rights limited the kings power in several ways.
The delegates urged each of the colonies to refuse all trade with England until the hated taxes and trade regulations were repealed, or revoked.
Congress named a committee of five- Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson- to prepare a proclamation of independence.
Assemblies or conventions were commonly used to draft and then adopt these new documents.
The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise agreed that congress had to have the power to regulate foreign and interstate trade.
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- Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government."
- 1948
- This principle stated that the government receives its power from the people, it can govern only with their consent. this relates to Popular Sovereignty because Popular Sovereignty gives the people the power, just like Article 21 states.
- TO LEARN MORE ON ARTICLE 21, CLICK HERE!
- Bill of Rights
- 1689
- It lays down limits on the powers of sovereign and sets out the rights of Parliament and rules for freedom of speech in Parliament, the requirement to regular elections to Parliament and the right to petition the monarch without fear of retribution. This relates to Popular Sovereignty because the Bill of Rights does the same thing Popular Sovereignty is intended to do.
- TO LEARN MORE ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS, CLICK HERE!
The first State constitutions differed, sometimes widely, in detail. Yet they shared many similar features. The most common features were the principles of popular sovereignty, limited government, civil rights and liberties, and separation of powers and checks and balances.
- The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
- 1689
- Provides that "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Relates to Popular Sovereignty by giving the people power like the Tenth Amendment does.
- TO LEARN MORE ON THE TENTH AMENDMENT, CLICK HERE!
The barons who developed the Magna Carta were seeking protection against heavy handed and arbitrary acts by the king.
- Law of the Land
- 1297
- States that no freeman shall be taken or imprisoned or be disseised of his Freehold or Liberties or free Customs or be outlawed or exiled or any other wise destroyed. The Law of the Land gives the people power just as Popular Sovereignty does.
- TO LEARN MORE ON THE LAW OF THE LAND, CLICK HERE!
The Petition of Rights limited the kings power in several ways.
- Magna Carta
- 1215
- The Magna Carta influenced the writers of the constitution because it took power from the king and gave some to the nobles. Popular Sovereignty says that the government receives its power from the people.
- TO LEARN MORE ON THE MAGNA CARTA, CLICK HERE!
The delegates urged each of the colonies to refuse all trade with England until the hated taxes and trade regulations were repealed, or revoked.
- The First Continental Congress
- 1774
- The first continental congress sent a Declaration of Rights, protesting Britain's colonial policies, to King George III. It relates to Popular Sovereignty because it is putting the power into the delegates hands.
- TO LEARN MORE ON THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, CLICK HERE!
Congress named a committee of five- Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson- to prepare a proclamation of independence.
- Second Continental Congress
- 1775
- The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. The committee of five were responsible for coming up with a proclamation of independence that ended up being applied to all thirteen colonies at the time. popular Sovereignty is related to this because the power was in the hands of the people not just the government.
- TO LEARN MORE ON THE SECOND CONTINENTAL CONGRESS, CLICK HERE!
Assemblies or conventions were commonly used to draft and then adopt these new documents.
- Deliberative Assembly
- 1774
- An organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. This relates to Popular Sovereignty by the people making the decisions not just the government or the state or president.
- TO LEARN MORE ON DELIBERATIVE ASSEMBLY, CLICK HERE!
The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise agreed that congress had to have the power to regulate foreign and interstate trade.
- The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
- 1787
- It protected the interests of slaveholders by forbidding Congress the power to tax the export of goods from any State, and, for 20 years, the power to act on the slave trade. It relates to Popular Sovereignty because the people who had different opinions on slavery had the choice to vote for there state whether they agree or disagree. The government let the people decide.
- TO LEARN MORE ON THE COMMERCE AND SLAVE TRADE COMPROMISE, CLICK HERE!
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