Discover Justice in American History
soei D g American Democracy et. 07 America: The Pursuit of Justice Prepared by Susan Sullivan Lagon,Ph.D., Historian, The Jefferson, Washington, DC The Jefferson, Washington, DC • 1200 16th St. NW • Washington DC, 20036 1 The Jefferson, Washington, DC • 1200 16th St. NW • Washington DC, 20036 How Women Shaped American Life and Culture Prepared by Susan Sullivan Lagon, Ph.D., Historian, The Jefferson, Washington, DC Having rebelled against King George III of England in 1776, the Founders’ main objective was to prevent concentrations of power in any one person or part of government that could lead to tyranny. The U.S. government established under the Constitution in 1787 has two basic organizing principles, both designed to divide power. The first is federalism, a system in which states retain their distinct character and sovereignty over some things while the national government is responsible for others. The second is separation of powers, a functional division among three co-equal branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. To maintain equilibrium, each branch is given specific powers denied to the others, a system known as checks and balances. As an added safeguard, some offices are elected and others appointed, some for specified terms and some for life. Inside The Jefferson The restaurant names--Plume and Quill—are an homage to Thomas Jefferson’s role as the lead author of the Declaration of Independence. American colonists considered themselves English and understood the importance of the rule of law. The Declaration sought to justify what would otherwise be considered an unlawful rebellion by providing a lengthy catalog of the king’s transgressions against his subjects across the ocean.
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