Notes on Ball & Dagger reader
The Bill of Rights (of the U.S. Constitution)
In reading this selection, pay attention to the following:
- Notice, as in the Adams reading, the "law-creating" (a.k.a.
"Stage 5") perspective characteristic of classical liberalism
(and, as we shall see, Burkean
conservatism). In other words,
notice how people's interests are prior to and served by
government; the people's interests are not granted by or subordinate
to government.
- Notice that there are two distinct forms of interests: civil rights,
which allow people to participate in governance, and civil liberties,
which allow people freedom from government interference. Notice
that the 1st amendment is a mixture of these rights. What about
the other amendments?
Lecture notes:
Quiz? [Remind that "didn't read" = half credit]
Stage 4 vs. Stage 5; law-creating vs. law-maintaining; distinction
between criticism and obedience
Potential quiz questions:
- Give the gist of one amendment besides the 1st (freedom of speech, press,
etc.), 2nd (right to bear arms as part of a well-regulated militia),
or 5th (self-incrimination).
URL: http://www.d.umn.edu/~schilton/1610/Readings/1610.B+DReader.BillOfRights.html
Author: Stephen
Chilton [email] | Last
Modified: 2005-09-30
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