Conflict and American Independence, 1754–1800

Implementing a direct democracy for all legislative decisions.

Transitioning to a representative republic to address the flaws of pure democracy.

Establishing a federal government with overarching authority.

Segmenting the nation into independently governed states.

Federalists.

Whigs.

Loyalists.

Democratic-Republicans.

Highlighted weaknesses in federal authority dealing with internal disturbances and enforcing laws.

Demonstrated the need for stronger state militias independent from central control.

Exposed flaws in trade regulations between states under confederation principles.

Showed inadequacies in diplomatic relations handled under confederated governance frameworks.

Hopes for peace and better relations not realized after the American Revolution.

Attempts to form military alliances with certain Native American tribes.

Efforts by the US government to assimilate Native Americans.

Initiatives to establish trade agreements with Native American nations.

Presidential term limits

The right to bear arms

Voting rights for all citizens

Life tenure for Supreme Court justices

To elect the first president of the United States.

To declare independence from Britain.

To end the Revolutionary War.

To revise the Articles of Confederation.

Now there is unanimous agreement on second amendment interpretations, much like there was post-ratification consensus historically—this answer is false because there was no such historical consensus either then or now.

Current discussions emphasize technological advancements in weaponry rather than constitutional interpretation or intent.

Debates focus on balancing individual liberty with public safety, mirroring historical arguments about personal rights versus collective security under government regulation.

Modern talks prioritize economic implications above all else, consistent with historical concerns about property rights linked to gun ownership.

To endorse direct democracy for better governance in expansive territories.

To expedite the abolition of slavery within the nation.

To advocate for the segmentation of the nation into self-governing regions.

To mitigate factionalism through a representative form of government.

Proposed two houses both apportioned by population, giving larger states more influence.

Suggested single-house legislature where all states had equal votes, favoring equality among states.

Insisted on term limits for congresspersons, ensuring regular turnover.

Recommended appointment rather than election for legislators, limiting democratic processes.

Arguing solely for proportional representation disregarding state sovereignty concerns.

Leading opposition against centralized authority through advocacy for states' rights.

Advocating for a stronger central government with three separate branches.

Promoting unicameralism instead of a bicameral legislature for Congress.